Dante's Pizza Revisited (Indianola Ave and Torrance)

Hype: It's been a while and I remember liking it. There are a lot of different opinions on Dantes. The most convincing I heard is that it really depends on who's working. Oh, like Hounddogs.

Scene: Still nice. It was dark in there and it was packed with families. They have those tables for two that you can keep stacking together until all twelve people on your youth soccer team are together. Don't you remember?

The Pie:
Crust: No joke this was super good. It was thin and crisp. Partysliced, but even if it were in big slices it would have been man enough to stand up to all of that...
Sauce: sweet n tangy the way I like it. mmm. Lots of Italian Seasoning. They weren't shy about its application either.
Cheese: low point of the pie. I just don't like it. Too much, too gooey. Not enough action in its flavor either. I suspect.
Peps: Nice. Thin and not too oily. Lots of salty spicy deliciousness.

Overall: We stand by our first instinct on this one. Take the whole family, or basketball team and enjoy the family values at Dante's. 4----5.

South Campus Slice Showdown!!! [OSU South Campus, Columbus, OH]

Hype: It's been too long since we've been to the king of South Campus Party Pizza shops--Catfish Biff's. Since our last visit, two new south campus slice places have opened up: Formaggio, a "Steubenville Style" shop on 13th and High with dollar slices, and a more upscale (by South Campus standards) shop on Chittenden and High that serves buffalo chicken slices along with the traditional stuff. ***note-I will eat buffalo chicken pizza only in Buffalo, NY. Just sayin. It's time to find out if any of these newbies can roll with Catfish Biffs. ***Another note-- Adraiaticos is above this entire conversation. Leave her out of it.
Scene: Minivans with teenage kids dressed to the nines in their best punk rock gear were visible unloading for an apparent battle of the bands from Formaggio's porch. Meth-heads were walking around bird-dogging underage chicks and the streets still smell like half-digested Bud Light and hippie oil. This is the view at both Formaggio and Cantoni's. I did like the workers at Cantoni's a little better than Formaggio's. Steubenville is like a shitty Youngstown and I think the creep working there was inbred--just guessin. Catfish Biff's still has the picnic table with the dorm and basketball court view. The single block off High Street really separates it enough from all of the racket--let's not even begin to talk about the poured concrete outdoor mall from hell that they built down there.

The Pies:

Formaggio
Crust- Crispy and fresh out of the oven. Oil added to the crispness nicely. It is a small, dollar-slice but even if it were big it would have held up. Square (pictured below)
Sauce- Sweet and tomato heavy. Not a lot of spices other than basil were visible.
Cheese- Steubenville style. Fresh, but not a lot. Gobbed in the center.
Peps- Salty, medium sized. Nothing to write home about.
Overall: Not bad. It's only a dollar, so if it is late and you need to mop up the mess, don't hesitate to try a taste. Last time I tasted a little Steubenville late at night I wound up on anti-biotics! 3--5.

Cantoni's
Crust- This is a party-folder straight outta NYC! That's not saying its great or anything they just got the foldability of a New York slice. Good to see. The crust was, however, bland and tasted like a Pilsbury breadstick on the outside.
Sauce- Sweet and tangy. I liked it and it worked with the cheese very well.
Cheese- Not as fresh as Formaggio, but this is a big NY slice, and for what it was it worked.
Peps- small, thick-cut and cupped. tasty.
Overall: Dave liked this the best, James and I thought that it was better than Formaggio, but still not Catfish Biff's. 3--5. Certainly worth a try.
Catfish Biff's
Crust- Doughy with some spices mixed in. Almost a sourdough taste. Not crisp. Weak but satisfying.
Sauce- Sweet and garlicky.
Cheese- Like a cheap date. Perfect for late at night.
Peps- Limp and salty. I love it this way.
Overall- This is the Jeff Fernengel of pizzas. I have every reason to hate it yet I love it like family. Every fall when it opens back up it is a must-eat slice. Still the king of South Campus Party Pie, but with worthy competition.