In 2011 we have had good pizza, average pizza, and bad pizza. Of course there have also been a few amazing pizzas. This week we had average pizza. To be quite honest it has been almost a week since we actually ate at Zini’s Pizzeria in Deep Ellum and we can barely remember it. Not a good sign if you are looking to create a loyal following in the Dallas pizza world. It was a Thursday night and on the way home from work it felt like a good night for pizza. Zini’s got the call primarily because it is less than 5 minutes from the office and we thought we’d give it a try. Located on Elm Street, about a block down from Serious Pizza and a couple blocks over from Il Cane Rosso, Zini’s definitely has some stiff competition in the area....
Thursday night didn’t pack the house at Zini’s. It feels like a place that you would end your night at after stumbling around the live music scene of Dallas. The location itself wasn’t unsanitary, but certainly wouldn’t win any honorable mentions for interior design or aesthetic appeal. Arriving a few minutes before the pizza was finished provided the opportunity to soak in the ambiance and even muster up the courage to brave the restrooms. The service was very kind and genuine and even seemed to be unfazed by the occasional hobo stopping in to purchase a can of soda. The order this week consisted of 2 pies: 1 small cheese and 1 Chicken Pesto Pizza (Grilled chicken and red onions with a pesto sauce). Our first choice was the Farmers Market (Fresh spinach, tomatoes, artichoke hearts and roasted corn) but due to a spinach shortage, the Chicken Pesto got the call. One other pizza on the menu worth mentioning was the 100 Pounder Pizza which includes 100+ pieces of pepperoni and 1LB of fresh mozzarella cheese. Overall, there were many specialty pizza choices; all in the $14 range.
After a standard drive home through Dallas “rush hour” traffic, the pizzas were unboxed on the family dinner table. The cheese look and tasted much like any other average cheese pizza we have had this year. It probably could have been pulled from the oven 3 minutes earlier, but overall tasted fine with a nice touch of seasonings on top. The crust although tossed and stretched by hand, had the perfect look of a frozen pizza. The taste was far superior to a frozen pizza but the perfection of the round pizza felt manufactured and not homemade. The Chicken Pesto also could have been pulled from the oven a few minutes earlier. Being the better of the two pizzas, the pesto sauce was delicious and the chicken was grilled to perfection. There could have been about 1/2 the red onions, but considering it was our second choice we enjoyed it anyway.
The Final Report: 6.0 out of 10
Zini’s Pizzeria sells an average pizza, but it is far better than your franchise pizza chain. We would have never stumbled in the doors if it wasn’t for our pizza blog, and we’re glad that we checked it out. Thousands of Dallas families stomach $5 garbage delivery pizza each night while places like Zini’s take the time to offer something better. Sure Zini’s doesn’t compare to some of our favorites this year, but pizza lovers need to get out and support their local pizza restaurants and try something new.
Any suggestions for where we should check out next?
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