This week flew by too fast and with a busy travel schedule for the next several weeks, we had to get creative with our pizza adventure. While on my way to Virginia for a business trip I had some extra time in the C Terminal at DFW Airport. While I love Chicago Style Deep Dish pizza, I am sensitive to impostors trying to recreate the original. Back in 1943 the self proclaimed inventor of the Deep Dish pizza, Pizzeria UNO made it's mark. Skeptical that the C33 "grab and go" personal pizza could live up to the historic tradition, I had to make a quick stop to check it out!What turned out to be my most expensive pizza of the year at $526.89, the "Número UNO" was no bargain. Now if you subtract out the price it took to get through the airpot security, this 6 slice mini pizza ran $8.99. It was absolutely no surprise that these tiny little replicas emerged from a freezer and were tossed into the oven for a couple minutes to warm up. While I had high hopes that a chef would actually knead the deep dish dough before my eyes, I wasn't that lucky. After I picked out my diet soda from the cooler, it was about a 5 minute wait until my mini to-go box was handed to me. I picked up my utensils and some ground peppers and parmesan cheese packets, and headed to my gate.
UNO Dué Go had 4 options to choose from: Cheese/Tomatoes, Pepperoni, Número UNO, and a Daily Special (which happened to be a veggie). The Número UNO included pepperoni, sausage, green peppers, onions, and their famous chunky tomato sauce. The pizza was pretty tiny, and each "slice" was about 3 bites. That being said, it was definitely enough to fill me up before a 3 hour flight. Straight out of the oven/microwave the cheese was scorching hot! The toppings were sliding all over the 8" square pizza box. Obviously the atmosphere in Terminal C wasn't enjoyable (FYI: Terminal D UNO's has a full bar), but all that aside the taste of the reheated thick crust put a smile on my face. With so many pizza places these days offering "Deep Dish," it was refreshing to taste the original recipe that put Chicago Pizza on the map.
At this point instead of flying to Richmond, I was tempted to pay the $150 flight change fee and head straight to Ohio Street and Wabash to get the REAL thing. Sure it wasn't a spectacular presentation of pizza history, however all of the flavors were delicious, and the crust was genuine. Considering the alternatives in the airport terminal, next time you are stuck at DFW Airport, pick up an UNO's Deep Dish pizza and treat yourself (It sure beats a Cinnabon). The Final Report: 5.5 out of 10
We're looking forward to getting back into our regular weekly pizza rotation next week. Friday night looks like it's gonna be a good one!
Applaud the effort to do a review while traveling, but airport pizza is never good. Uno also is known for some of the least healthy pizza options out there. I know, it's pizza, but you still want to be able to not eat your calories for the week in one sitting (and with pizza that isn't worth it)
ReplyDeleteHave you checked out Zini's on Cedar Springs or Franzini's in Deep Ellum? Same owner and both are very good. Dish, along with a number of other restaurants, do great flatbread pizzas, but the focus isn't on pizza.