Hot Italian (Midtown Sacramento)
food: 5/5
experience: 4/5
overall: 5/5
Now if we're talking good pizza in Sac, here's where you wanna come. I know I've reviewed a lot of mediocre places for pies in town (because Californians totally call them that) but this one has to be number one, in terms of pizza and service combined.
I've visited here many a time to try all their various styles of pizza. All the pizzas come in one size, with eight pieces. They have a thinner crust, but it's a soft crust rather than crisp, which is what makes it great. Not soft like soggy or limp, just, you know, soft. With a good crust it's hard to make a bad pizza. And here is a rundown of just about every one on the menu:
Bellucci: 4/5
Not to be confused with Monica. The fennel sausage is the main player here. It has a combo of mozzarella and ricotta cheese but we all know ricotta only adds texture, not flavor. A rather simple pizza, but delightful.
Margherita: 3.5/5
Another simple pizza. Margherita pizzas naturally being the king of simplicity. We opted for the special fior di latte mozzarella. Personally I didn't note much of a difference but my palate might not be as refined as others. Still, a solid choice.
Diavola: 4/5
Your classic pepperoni pizza, pretty much. Can't go wrong with pepperoni. That is, unless you're vegetarian, in which case going vegetarian is where you went wrong. Like I said, a classic. Their pepperoni is a little bit spicy but that's what makes it good.
Magnini: 5/5
The underdog winner of the menu. You wouldn't expect salmon to be good on pizza. You would be wrong. The combination of creamy mascarpone cheese, salmon, and dill is just "heaven", as Ted Danson would say. (He says that, right?)
Ligabue: 4.5/5
Pesto and pizza are another match made in heaven. Dip it in pesto, put pesto on top, do what you will with it. A combo of pesto and pecorino cheese makes this another must-try. Add pine nuts for even more savory goodness.
Bortolami: 4/5
Fennel sausage making another appearance here, and something new called "scarmoza cheese". I didn't notice too much of a difference between scarmoza and mozzarella but it's worth trying.
Catanese: 3.5/5
I'm not one for zucchini on pizza, I gotta say. Eggplant is kinda weird too. But the goat cheese makes up for it. Actually, I'd say just get a regular goat cheese pizza instead with your own toppings if you can. This one was kinda weird.
Basso: 4/5
More of a Greek-style pizza with the pesto drizzle as well as cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and fancy olives. Might not be your style (gourmet olives can be an acquired taste) but worth a shot.
Murino: 5/5
Another winner. Pear, gorgonzola cheese, and honey. Sounds like the toppings of a salad. I promise you it's even better on pizza. The pizza is just ever-so-sweet yet still savory.
Fiori: 4/5
This is the one with salad on top. Apparently that's a thing now. How's that theory go? If you eat something healthy it'll vouch for all the crap you eat along with it when they both get to your stomach? Something like that. This pizza is anything but crap, though. You'd be surprised how much leaves add to the flavor of a pizza. Or at the very least make it look fancy. The truffle oil is a nice touch, though rather mild. They have a similar pizza at Pizza Rock but I can't recall how they compare (my memory is decent but not that good). Arugula and mushrooms are a nice combo.
Gazzarra: 4.5/5
Duck on pizza? Say wha?! They did it. If you like duck, you'll like this pizza. Goat and fontina cheeses don't hurt the tastebuds, either.
Lastly, they have a pizza with potatoes on it, but say it with me: Potatoes don't belong on pizza.
Get any of these folded in half to make a calzone. Never had one. Too embarrassed and intimidated to eat a whole pizza by myself in public.
One last note. I just learned Hot Italian serves brunch! Come for some savory pizzas, eggs, potatoes, and a few other interesting items. Oh yeah, and adult beverages. Nice.
experience: 4/5
overall: 5/5
Now if we're talking good pizza in Sac, here's where you wanna come. I know I've reviewed a lot of mediocre places for pies in town (because Californians totally call them that) but this one has to be number one, in terms of pizza and service combined.
I've visited here many a time to try all their various styles of pizza. All the pizzas come in one size, with eight pieces. They have a thinner crust, but it's a soft crust rather than crisp, which is what makes it great. Not soft like soggy or limp, just, you know, soft. With a good crust it's hard to make a bad pizza. And here is a rundown of just about every one on the menu:
Bellucci: 4/5
Not to be confused with Monica. The fennel sausage is the main player here. It has a combo of mozzarella and ricotta cheese but we all know ricotta only adds texture, not flavor. A rather simple pizza, but delightful.
Margherita: 3.5/5
Another simple pizza. Margherita pizzas naturally being the king of simplicity. We opted for the special fior di latte mozzarella. Personally I didn't note much of a difference but my palate might not be as refined as others. Still, a solid choice.
Diavola: 4/5
Your classic pepperoni pizza, pretty much. Can't go wrong with pepperoni. That is, unless you're vegetarian, in which case going vegetarian is where you went wrong. Like I said, a classic. Their pepperoni is a little bit spicy but that's what makes it good.
Magnini: 5/5
The underdog winner of the menu. You wouldn't expect salmon to be good on pizza. You would be wrong. The combination of creamy mascarpone cheese, salmon, and dill is just "heaven", as Ted Danson would say. (He says that, right?)
Ligabue: 4.5/5
Pesto and pizza are another match made in heaven. Dip it in pesto, put pesto on top, do what you will with it. A combo of pesto and pecorino cheese makes this another must-try. Add pine nuts for even more savory goodness.
Bortolami: 4/5
Fennel sausage making another appearance here, and something new called "scarmoza cheese". I didn't notice too much of a difference between scarmoza and mozzarella but it's worth trying.
Catanese: 3.5/5
I'm not one for zucchini on pizza, I gotta say. Eggplant is kinda weird too. But the goat cheese makes up for it. Actually, I'd say just get a regular goat cheese pizza instead with your own toppings if you can. This one was kinda weird.
Basso: 4/5
More of a Greek-style pizza with the pesto drizzle as well as cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and fancy olives. Might not be your style (gourmet olives can be an acquired taste) but worth a shot.
Murino: 5/5
Another winner. Pear, gorgonzola cheese, and honey. Sounds like the toppings of a salad. I promise you it's even better on pizza. The pizza is just ever-so-sweet yet still savory.
Fiori: 4/5
This is the one with salad on top. Apparently that's a thing now. How's that theory go? If you eat something healthy it'll vouch for all the crap you eat along with it when they both get to your stomach? Something like that. This pizza is anything but crap, though. You'd be surprised how much leaves add to the flavor of a pizza. Or at the very least make it look fancy. The truffle oil is a nice touch, though rather mild. They have a similar pizza at Pizza Rock but I can't recall how they compare (my memory is decent but not that good). Arugula and mushrooms are a nice combo.
Gazzarra: 4.5/5
Duck on pizza? Say wha?! They did it. If you like duck, you'll like this pizza. Goat and fontina cheeses don't hurt the tastebuds, either.
Lastly, they have a pizza with potatoes on it, but say it with me: Potatoes don't belong on pizza.
Get any of these folded in half to make a calzone. Never had one. Too embarrassed and intimidated to eat a whole pizza by myself in public.
One last note. I just learned Hot Italian serves brunch! Come for some savory pizzas, eggs, potatoes, and a few other interesting items. Oh yeah, and adult beverages. Nice.
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