Quick Review: 'San Gennaro' Slice from Pizza Ponte at Disney Springs

Pizza Ponte at Disney Springs
1560 East Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, 32830

Tomato sauce, mozzarella, fontina, sweet Italian Sausage, onions, hot cherry peppers. This is what Pizza Ponte tops their 'San Gennaro' pizza with. 

At $8.50 a slice, it places as one of the three highest priced slices on their menu. I wasn't sure how well I would like this slice when I initially spotted it at the pizzeria, but am happy to say it didn't disappoint. 

The first three bites..

Bite number one started out with a nice snappy pop, that made its way into warming my mouth up quite a bit.

Bite number two had a slice of wonderful sweet cherry peppers and sweet Italian sausage that added a whole other dimension to the pie. 

Bite number three gave way to the tomato sauce and sweet roasted onions. 

Just about every bite had some spice to it, and I loved it! I ate this slice on the coldest day of fall thus far in Florida and it definitely warmed me up! 

I will state that this slice is not the slice for you, if you are not a fan of spicy food. 

This was a nice mildly spicy slice (to me) although many folks that aren't a fan of peppers and spice would most certainly disagree with me.

Pizza Geezer rating..

5 out of 5 Slices!

I'm not sure if this style would have worked as well on their round hand tossed pies, but is absolutely perfect on Pizza Ponte's thicker square slices. I actually timed how long it took for the warmth to fade from my mouth after finishing this slice, and it was approximately fifteen minutes.

I loved this style of pizza and am officially making it my regular go-to cold weather slice at Pizza Ponte. 

If you are at Disney Springs on a cool Florida night and are craving a bite to eat that will warm you up, I definitely recommend the 'San Gennaro' slice from Pizza Ponte! 

Visit Pizza Ponte online

'I Love NY Pizza' lunch special. Clermont, FL

I Love NY Pizza Restaurant Bar and Grill

532 Cagan Park Ave

Clermont, FL

Pre pandemic, 'I Love NY Pizza' restaurant in Clermont Florida had a heck of lunch special. Two cheese slices and a fountain drink for $4.99. Having not visited in two years, I decided it was about time to check in on them again. My how time flies.

I was ecstatic to see the old lunch special still exists and only costs one dollar more than it used to. It truly was a nice surprise, especially in our current financial climate

On this day, I opted for their $6.99 lunch special which lets you add as many toppings as you like to the slices. The fountain drink is still also included.

I ordered up one mushroom & olive and one meatball & pepperoni slice.

Initial thoughts

I realize that most 'pizza by the slice' is premade throughout the day and then thrown into the oven to crisp it up and melt the cheese, with toppings added after the fact. So seeing the little sprinkle of cheese atop the slice didn't bother me too much. They needed a little more cheese to hold all of the toppings in place after all. To get a more fluid melt, would take a longer reheat time which would overcook the crust, so you need to meet somewhere in the middle.

If the cheese sprinkle is still throwing you for a bit of a loop, don't worry. I visited the restaurant again three days later and ordered up the regular $5.99 special that offers two cheese slices, so I could share a picture of what those look like. Behold..

Thin, Crispy & Delicious

I attacked the meatball and pep slice first and was immediately in heaven. I forgot how good this crust was. Nice and complex from a decent dough rise, and super crispy. A great tomato base, and quality cheese is used. The pepperoni was good as well, but the meatballs were to die for. 

Their house-made meatballs were savory and tender. I've eaten them before with their spaghetti and have always been a big fan.

Another shot of that beautiful end crust

So all in all, one heck of a delicious deal indeed! Two delicious slices and a bottomless fountain drink for $5.99. Add some garlic knots, cheese bread or onion rings, and you're still not going to break the bank.

I highly recommend 'I Love NY Pizza' restaurant, and encourage you to give them a try if you're ever in the neighborhood. Recession busting deliciousness in a nice restaurant setting. What more can you ask for?

Visit 'I Love NY Pizza' Online

Review - 'Funghi Pizza' at Pizza Ponte in Disney Springs, FL

Pizza Ponte at Disney Springs
1560 East Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, 32830

Pizza Ponte's 'Funghi Pizza' sports tomato, mozzarella, fontina, and forest mushrooms. 

It's a wonderful slice any mushroom lover would enjoy and I highly recommend it. Lets breakdown what this slice has to offer..

The Crust
Light and soft with a crispy underside, and a nice char around the edge. A decent amount of pull at the end crust, but not tough by any means.

The sauce
(stated as tomato on the menu) was nice and mild, which let the other toppings shine.

The Cheese
This blend was delicious and of good quality. It wasn't too salty or overpowering and complimented the crust and mushrooms very nicely.

Topping
The star of this slice for me was the forest mushrooms. They weren't rubbery or salty, and were a pretty good size as well.

Pizza Geezer rating..

5 out of 5 Slices!

The price of $8.20 a slice may deter some, but believe it or not, this is actually a very good deal in comparison to pizza slice prices at the local theme parks these days! 

For most people, this slice and a drink turns out to be a decent sized meal. I myself could eat two slices, but I have a pretty large appetite. My wife or daughter however are feeling stuffed after eating a single slice.

This is such a nicely balanced pizza. Not too rich, with every ingredient playing off of the next perfectly. If you are a mushroom lover, I highly recommend grabbing a slice next time you are a Disney Springs.

Visit Pizza Ponte online

Review - G's NY Pizza in Clermont Florida

Pizza Geezer rating..

5 out of 5 Slices!

I realized today, that I have never officially written a review for the pizzeria I frequent most often in Clermont Florida. I guess it's due time to remedy that. 

I won't get too in depth with the full blown details on aesthetics, ingredients, etc. Instead, I'll share a few thoughts, facts, and a few photos from the hundreds I've taken over the years.

G's is an authentic NY Style Pizzeria through and through.  Great hand tossed pies made with great ingredients.   

The owner Peter Fiorino grew up in Valley Street New York, and was on the 2007 United States Pizza Team, so the guy definitely has skills.  

I can count on one hand, the times he hasn't been in the pizzeria during my visits in the last year.  He makes a mean pie, and definitely takes pride in his craft.

They have a great menu as well. Whether its a salad, sandwich, Calzone, Stromboli, or Parmigiana dinner, I've never had a bad meal at G's.  

Do you have a sweet tooth?  I IMPLORE YOU to try their Cannoli! Always freshly filled after you order them, the shells are crisp, and not dense like other places that pre make and refrigerate them. Check them out below..

G's is my go-to Pizzeria for New York Style Pizza, and it's not because it's so close to home (that's just a blessing).  

It's a nice little shop (and I do stress the word little) because I believe there are a total of three tables inside.  Two of them seat up to four people, and the other seats two, so max capacity is about ten or eleven people. 

 

I always try to go early to miss the lunch crowd, but am always ready to not have a place to sit.  In that instance I will order it to-go, and hope for a table to open up, otherwise I eat my pizza outside, or in my car.  

Still.. totally worth the minor challenge, because their food is so incredibly good. Check them out. You won't be sorry.

Visit G's NY Pizza online

or in person..

G's NY Pizza - 12346 Roper Blvd. 

Clermont, Florida

Review - 'Parmacotto Pizza' at Pizza Ponte in Disney Springs, FL

This pizza was truly a delight to review. It appears at first to be a very simple straightforward slice, but the taste and texture profiles were pleasantly surprising. I expected a cheesy slice with a salty pop, but this slice was so much more than that. 

The Crust

Classic Pizza Ponte crust light with a nice pull, but also a bit of char to it. The texture and taste of this crust adds a whole other dimension to the pizza.

The Cheese

There was some nice things going on with this slice. You have sections of the slice with spots of crispy mozzarella, and other sections with stretchy and buttery mozzarella, dollops of ricotta are also present across the pie. 

I personally would have loved to see a bit more ricotta, but that's my personal taste, and the proportions worked well with this slice.

Toppings

Beautiful pieces of Parmacotto Ham are what this slice sports. I half expected a mouthful of saltiness upon biting into it, but what I found was an incredibly rich and flavorful ham. 

I've only eaten Parma Ham a couple of times in my life and I forgot just how fragrant, and mild this high quality ham tastes. There's a subtle almost sweet flavor to it, and is definitely not your typical ham.

Pizza Geezer rating..

5 out of 5 Slices!

There were so many different flavors and textures on this slice, it really was refreshing. It was a more subdued and mild slice, and I initially grabbed a few pepper and parmesan packets to sprinkle on it. However, I enjoyed the flavor profile so much, I didn't even bother opening the packets.

I can see myself making this slice a regular option in my lunch rotation when dining at Pizza Ponte, where I visit most every week. 

If you are looking for a light refreshing slice featuring some incredibly succulent ham, then I highly recommend Pizza Ponte's Parmacotto slice at Disney Springs.

Visit Pizza Ponte online

or in person..

Pizza Ponte at Disney Springs
1560 East Buena Vista Drive,
Lake Buena Vista, Florida, 32830

Review: Chile-Honey Soppressata Pizza - 'ZAZA' Little Rock, AR

I'm never one to dine with a closed mind, especially when it comes to pizza. Therefore, when given the opportunity to dine on a pizza sporting spicy honey recently, I jumped at the chance.

ZAZA Wood Fired Pizza
5600 Kavanaugh Blvd, Little Rock, AR

This was my first ever spicy honey drizzled pizza. I've seen friends on social media ranting and raving about it for months now, so I figured it was due time for me to try it out. 

I was in Little Rock recently, and was blessed to be staying near 'Zaza' Pizza, a favorite of relatives  that live in the area.

Located in the Heights neighborhood in Little Rock Arkansas, Zaza is a laid back pizzeria known for their incredible hand crafted salads, gelato, and wood oven pizza. All of which I can attest to being amazing.

I sat up in the loft and had a birds eye view of my pizza being hand tossed, carefully crafted, and then tended to in zaza's beautiful wood fired pizza oven.

CHILE-HONEY SOPPRESSATA PIZZA

Soppressata Salami, Peppadew Peppers, Fresh Jalapeño, Chile-Infused Hot Honey, Garlic, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Arugula, Tomato Sauce

While I could write an entire article on the ambience and feel of this establishment, lets get to the reason why you're here.. to hear about the pizza!

The crust
This pizza sports an incredible hand tossed Neapolitan style crust, cooked in a 750 degree oak wood fired oven. 

It tasted wonderful and had a nice little char to it, being a bit crispy, but not overly so. It's one of my favorite styles of crust when cooked right. 

The sauce
Great fresh tasting tomato sauce that was full of flavor and balanced perfectly.

Toppings
Okay, there's a lot to swallow here, (no pun intended) so here goes..

My first bite gave way to the flavor of tomato sauce, immediately followed by a mild sweetness from the chile infused honey. I got a nice pop of flavor from the garlic, smoothed out by mozzarella, and then a bolder taste from some nice shards of parmesan.

Then came the burn. The chile infused hot honey warmed my palate as I worked my way through the slice. The fresh jalapenos brought a nice peppery flavor and even more heat.

I noticed some red peppers on the slice. These were the Peppadew peppers, and looked a bit like stewed tomatoes. 

As I bit into them I expected more heat, but they were super sweet. Sweeter even than the sweetest cherry tomato I've ever eaten. It brought another dimension of sweetness and flavor that I absolutely loved.

By this time my mouth was pretty warm, but I can take an immense amount of heat when it comes to spicy food, and welcomed it wholeheartedly. 

At first, I wasn't so sure about the amount of arugula atop this pizza, but in the end, it helped to squelch the heat a wee bit before moving on to the next spicy slice.

Pizza Geezer rating..

5 out of 5 Slices!

This pizza was incredible, and the most unique pie I've eaten in awhile. I was really impressed how the flavors all perfectly worked with one another. 

Any disproportioned ingredient could have thrown the whole flavor profile off, but it was crafted perfectly. 

Fresh made Gelato selection
the Limoncello was divine  

I'm so happy I got a chance to try Zaza while visiting Little Rock. My daughter and son-in-law are huge fans and dine there weekly. 

I will be getting back to the area about once or twice a year, and will excitedly be blocking out time to visit this incredible Pizzeria during my future visits.

Visit Zaza Pizza Online

Dehydrated 'MRE' Pizza with a shelf life of 3 years

Hmmm. I've eaten pizza in many forms, but I've never had a slice of dehydrated pizza. I'm not sure if I could even bring myself to try it. However, I am intrigued. 

If I do decide to try it out, and that's a big IF.. rest assured I would share the surely horrid findings right here on this blog. In the meantime, check out this gnarly slice below available on Amazon, available in packs of 3, 6, 9 and 12!