"Pizza" and "Detroit" aren't words typically thrown together, yet ask any Michigan expats about pizza and they'll instantly wax poetic about the butter-crusted square pies at Buddy's, Cottage Inn, or the sadly departed Mitch's. Still, this SFoodie blogger, who spent his early childhood and college days in the Wolverine State, was surprised to learn that Tony's Pizza Nepolitana was adding a Detroit variety to its already vast repertoire. Weren't eight styles of pizza enough?
To the eye, Tony's "Red Top" pie ($19) had all the characteristics of its Midwest counterparts. As in Detroit, the pizza is delivered to the table in the same square pan it's baked in. The pie is coated with generous amounts of mild white cheddar and brick cheese and topped with a fruity tomato sauce. The purposefully burnt garlic-studded crust was over-the-top crispy around the edges but bready and chewy on the bottom.
The sensation of the blackened crust, cheese, and sauce reminded SFoodie of a slightly overdone grilled cheese sandwich paired with a cup of intense tomato soup. Well, that was our server's analogy, but we couldn't agree more. The only thing that would have improved this Motown homage is if it'd been served with a pitcher of Stroh's beer, preferably in a bowling alley. Now, if someone around here could figure out a way to re-create a good Coney dog. C'mon, it can't be that hard.
Tony's Pizza Napoletana, 1570 Stockton (at Union), 835-9888. Hours: Wed.-Sun. noon-11 p.m.
