Slightly OT - Giordano's

[Northside Hawk]

Love Giordanos, had some really good pizza in NYC/Queens...thin. Very good, too. Like them all, love a few...

Worked at two pizza joints, Valentinos in Cedar Rapids in high school. And Godfathers HWY1 location jrsr year at Iowa. Yup, I can make a ton of dough, make 10 gallons of spag sauce or shred several pounds of cheese. I am fully trained on using a Hobart and my taco pizza kicks ass. (I use a 15” cast iron pan and put enough cheese up to the edge for a Detroit style burnt cheese on the crust edge.)

On football Saturdays Godfathers was a freakin madhouse. Those ugly, damp fall days brought the families and fans in by the droves. #3 conveyor belt oven would be brought into play, three delivery drivers w a backup...I wish I could remember how many pizzas went out the door but it must've been a few hundred.

I always brought home ‘mistake’ pizzas at night or leftover slices when I’d work the lunch shift. Not the best pizza by any stretch, but I usually got a few free beers from my roommates when I got home with two large pizzas.

My sister was a delivery driver for that same Godfather's around 1989-1990. Somewhere in that era.

One time my then-girlfriend and I ordered a godfather's. I didn't know my sister was a delivery driver. My sister didn't know my girlfriend's last name. It was winter and we were cuddling under the comforter. The pizza came. It was my sister at the door.

"Oh shit!" I said
"F you!" my sister said.

That's how my girlfriend met my sister.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Same. If I'm in the mood, I'd just eat damn tacos. Doesn't make sense.

It's such a crap shoot to find at least a decent one, that it is not really worth it, IMO. Yea, a place may make a good one but if another person in said same place makes a taco pizza a different day it might be bad. Too many variables with it.

Then again, back in the early 1980s, I loved me a good Happy Joe's Special, i.e., Canadian bacon and sauerkraut!

 

[hawkeyebob62]

What are ya'lls favorite toppings? My two are pepperoni and jalepeno, or canadian bacon, pineapple and jalepeno (I put jalepenos on almost everything)

GOOD Italian sausage. I also like pepperoni. For veggies, I like peppers, onions and mushrooms.

As I mentioned to Melrose, I use to love a good Happy Joe's Special back in the day, which was Canadian bacon and sauerkraut. So, go figure on my not preferring taco pizza!

 

[Northside Hawk]

Im a huge fan of three or four meat pizzas. Supremes are okay as long as I pick off excessive mushrooms. My favorite non meat toppings would probably be green peppers, green olives and onions but for me it always begins with pepperoni and sausage.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

GOOD Italian sausage. I also like pepperoni. For veggies, I like peppers, onions and mushrooms.

As I mentioned to Melrose, I use to love a good Happy Joe's Special back in the day, which was Canadian bacon and sauerkraut. So, go figure on my not preferring taco pizza!

Happy Joe's was kind of a paradigm in a way. The buffet pizza was never really as good as if you ordered from Happy Joe's. Nothing new with buffet pizzas I guess, but buffet Happy Joe's really tasted different than ordering a pizza from there, it seems. Ordering or carry-out was always much better.

I've never really been enthralled with Happy Joe's as some. I'm not turning it down but I'm not putting it on a pedestal, either. I can say this about 80% of places, though. Most fall in the middle while a small % is not good and a certain % get on a pedestal. My wife always raves about Happy Joe's but she is originally from the Quad Cities.

Both of us can pass on Harris pizza in the Quad Cities. People rave about that, but we both don't really care for it. To me they cut up the toppings way too fine.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

GOOD Italian sausage. I also like pepperoni. For veggies, I like peppers, onions and mushrooms.

As I mentioned to Melrose, I use to love a good Happy Joe's Special back in the day, which was Canadian bacon and sauerkraut. So, go figure on my not preferring taco pizza!

Yea, I really like the sauerkraut & pork together. I also really enjoy a good Hawaiian pizza from time-to-time. Actually, just a smidge of sauerkraut on top of that might be kinda good.

Wife and boys are out-of-town tonight visiting Grampa. I think I'm going to make pizza burgers tonight. Mix ground beef and Italian sausage together and grill, top with pepperoni and Moz cheese along with some pizza sauce. I don't think I've ever made pizza burgers at home before. Found recipe.

 

[BILLYBOBSTEXAS]

GOOD Italian sausage. I also like pepperoni. For veggies, I like peppers, onions and mushrooms.

As I mentioned to Melrose, I use to love a good Happy Joe's Special back in the day, which was Canadian bacon and sauerkraut. So, go figure on my not preferring taco pizza!

The Dubuque Happy Joes makes the best HJS by far.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Any of y'all like anchovies on pizza? My old lady doesn't really care for heavily processed stuff like pepperoni, so usually our pizza is just veggies and anchovies. Anchovies got a bad reputation, but they are actually really damned good. A bit salty, so we always ask for a half order and them to be cut into quarters before they apply them.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Any of y'all like anchovies on pizza? My old lady doesn't really care for heavily processed stuff like pepperoni, so usually our pizza is just veggies and anchovies. Anchovies got a bad reputation, but they are actually really damned good. A bit salty, so we always ask for a half order and them to be cut into quarters before they apply them.

Not sure why, but I always think of anchovies as a vegetable instead of a fish. Haven't had them, I guess.

 

[Gibsonian]

It's not located in the mall, but across Jordan Creek Parkway on the West side of the road. I have not been yet, but a buddy I work with said it was good. A little bit better than Wig & Pen Pizza, according to him.

Whenever I drive by, it is completely packed and I believe they're only open during dinner time and not for lunch yet. Going to wait until it dies down a little bit, then I'll report back.

Better than the Wig is high praise. Will have to give it a go.

 

[Northside Hawk]

Any of y'all like anchovies on pizza? My old lady doesn't really care for heavily processed stuff like pepperoni, so usually our pizza is just veggies and anchovies. Anchovies got a bad reputation, but they are actually really damned good. A bit salty, so we always ask for a half order and them to be cut into quarters before they apply them.

No anchovies, please. Just like the J Geils Band warned us.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Happy Joe's was kind of a paradigm in a way. The buffet pizza was never really as good as if you ordered from Happy Joe's. Nothing new with buffet pizzas I guess, but buffet Happy Joe's really tasted different than ordering a pizza from there, it seems. Ordering or carry-out was always much better.

I've never really been enthralled with Happy Joe's as some. I'm not turning it down but I'm not putting it on a pedestal, either. I can say this about 80% of places, though. Most fall in the middle while a small % is not good and a certain % get on a pedestal. My wife always raves about Happy Joe's but she is originally from the Quad Cities.

Both of us can pass on Harris pizza in the Quad Cities. People rave about that, but we both don't really care for it. To me they cut up the toppings way too fine.

Yeah, "minced" toppings are NOT a hit with me. I asked for "Xs". Put the damn things on the pizza!

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Im a huge fan of three or four meat pizzas. Supremes are okay as long as I pick off excessive mushrooms. My favorite non meat toppings would probably be green peppers, green olives and onions but for me it always begins with pepperoni and sausage.

When I get the "slice special" at Sam's Club--yes, I admit, I get the pizza there sometimes!--I ALWAYS get the "3-meat" slice. Good stuff. And besides, it's really TWO slices with the special!

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Yea, I really like the sauerkraut & pork together. I also really enjoy a good Hawaiian pizza from time-to-time. Actually, just a smidge of sauerkraut on top of that might be kinda good.

Wife and boys are out-of-town tonight visiting Grampa. I think I'm going to make pizza burgers tonight. Mix ground beef and Italian sausage together and grill, top with pepperoni and Moz cheese along with some pizza sauce. I don't think I've ever made pizza burgers at home before. Found recipe.

Sounds tasty. Let me know how it turns out, I'll give them a try.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Any of y'all like anchovies on pizza? My old lady doesn't really care for heavily processed stuff like pepperoni, so usually our pizza is just veggies and anchovies. Anchovies got a bad reputation, but they are actually really damned good. A bit salty, so we always ask for a half order and them to be cut into quarters before they apply them.

Sorry, a pizza with anchovies is grim!

My Dad loved them, and my brother probably does, too, but the rest of his family is normal.

I've really gone in for buying "uncured" versions of certain meats, i.e., bacon, pepperoni, certain sausages, etc. The reason for "curing" is really no longer "valid" in a lot of ways.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Sorry, a pizza with anchovies is grim!

My Dad loved them, and my brother probably does, too, but the rest of his family is normal.

I've really gone in for buying "uncured" versions of certain meats, i.e., bacon, pepperoni, certain sausages, etc. The reason for "curing" is really no longer "valid" in a lot of ways.

The nitrites in the cured meats are allegedly really bad for you. Anyway, I ate an entire jar of pickled herring on Saturday. Do you like that?

 

[DenverHawk94]

Any of y'all like anchovies on pizza? My old lady doesn't really care for heavily processed stuff like pepperoni, so usually our pizza is just veggies and anchovies. Anchovies got a bad reputation, but they are actually really damned good. A bit salty, so we always ask for a half order and them to be cut into quarters before they apply them.

Had them a few times. Not nearly as bad as I had perceived.

I think the biggest issue is that you get one order for them, then the can sits in the cooler for lord knows how long waiting for the next anchovy order, perhaps adding to the funkiness.

 

[SCHawkeye2]

Lou Malnatis in Chicago.
Wig & Pen in IC

Both are excellent pizza!

 

[ssckelley]

Any of y'all like anchovies on pizza? My old lady doesn't really care for heavily processed stuff like pepperoni, so usually our pizza is just veggies and anchovies. Anchovies got a bad reputation, but they are actually really damned good. A bit salty, so we always ask for a half order and them to be cut into quarters before they apply them.

You are a rare breed, not many people like anchovies on a pizza. When I worked at Pizza Hut back in the day we kept a couple of cans around because there was 1 family in the town that ordered a pizza with anchovies about twice a month. Just too salty for my taste buds.

 

[uihawk82]

I have been advised that a Giordano's has opened at Jordan Crick Mall. Does anyone have reviews or is it so jam packed that no one can get in yet?

The DSM Register has a review today about Giordano's saying 'pizza is good', they liked it but not above many other places as it didnt stand out. A small pizza is $21 but if it is deep dish with lots of toppings that might not be too bad a price. The lines to get in were an hour wait sometimes but that will go away after novelty wears off. And people said they had to wait nearly two hours to pick up a pizza to go.