You know that saying, you never really miss something until it’s gone? That’s kind of like me and pizza. I’d always been pretty neutral about it, but since we moved here I suddenly want it at least once a week.
Not just any pizza, though. The recent Pizza Renaissance in Dallas spoiled us with thin-crust, brick-oven pizza, so that’s become our standard. (Well — my standard. Crayton will really eat anything with cheese.) After trying most of the Argentinean places in our neighborhood, and a few spots in Roma, we found one restaurant that passed the test: Berretín on Rio Lerma.
The pizza there — pic above — is cooked in a huge oven at the front of the store. Not sure if it’s wood- or coal-fired, but it creates a crackly, crisp crust, which is doused in a slightly sweet tomato sauce, a handful of cheese, and then — in my favorite version — strips of jamon serrano and arugula. After that, they drizzle the entire thing with olive oil.
At first, I’m kind of embarrassed to admit, we weren’t sure whether to tell anyone else about the pizza there, because we weren’t sure it was as good as we thought. What if our time in Mexico City had lowered our pizza standards? But my dad, an unbiased party visiting from the U.S., recently endorsed it, too. And a few of our Mexico-dwelling friends love it.
Now that my pizza restaurant craving is temporarily taken care of, I find myself dreaming of a pizza stone, so I can make my own crackly-crust pizza at home. The question is how to haul it back from the U.S. in my luggage. Or Maybe Wal-Mart might have one.
Is this the place we ate at during the piggy sniffle? And watched the Michael Jackson videos? Wuz fun timez.
There’s a really good Argentinian pizza place in San Andres, Cholula (Puebla). Too far?
Hablando de pizzas, ayer hice un par de pizze: una “Margherita”, con una salsa casera de tomates, queso y albahaca fresca; la otra llevó pimientos morrones, cebolla y anchoas.
Las sobras estan mejores que las originales.
Encima de todo, preparé una cazuela llena de Berenjena a la Parmesana.
Todo rico, acompañado con una ensalada verde y un vino tinto que nos trayeron nuestros invitados.
Saludos y ben provecho,
Don Cuevas
Pizza stone: you can construct something similar from loza. I don’t guarantee good results. It’s touch and go.
I prefer perforated pizza pans, but I’m still not saisfied with the crust as it lacks crispness.
Maybe we’ll yet try it on our large charcoal grill.
Saludos,
Don Cuevas
Don Cuevas: Yum! You’ve inspired me. Maybe I’ll make a pizza this weekend.
Katie: Yes, I think Puebla is a wee bit too far… but I will keep it in mind for the next time I’m there. Thanks anyway. 🙂
Lesley,
You know alot of the places in dallas overnight, right?
Hey Raul — Yeah, I used to know places. Not quite up on the stuff that’s opened in the past four months. Did you need some advice on something?
Gotta go check those pizzas out..
But can I recommend you a spot back in Roma?
Try, please, Peppino’s on Morelia and Colima (I think), near the jacked-up little park on Alvaro Obregon and Cuauhtemoc, across from the popular hamburger stand. “American”-style interiors (wood panel, red table cloth) but really decadent Mexican-style pizza, and cheap draft beer, or amazing, generous sangria. PLUS MTV MUSIC VIDEOS ON ALL THE SCREENS.
I haven’t blogged it, but it’s our Friday night ritual…
In Mexico City try the ones at Cluny or Cafe Cluny (al sur), something like that. Or go to Condesa to try the ones at the argentinian restos. good luck!!
I don’t know if you already found your pizza. I like 50 Friends and Rocco & Simona, both in Polanco!
Hi Sarah: We still haven’t been to 50 Friends. (Totally need to do that.) I like the pizza from Ostería 8 in Condesa, and my husband really likes Zazá, near Ostería 8 at the corner of Veracruz and Pachuca. For delivery we tend to order Don Segundo in the Roma. Thin crust and not too much cheese. We’re both still looking for the pizza holy grail, though.