30.10.08: Satali's Pizza, San Diego, CA

We strolled along the main street of San Diego's overmarketed 'Little Italy' in search of cheap 'n' easy, and found something satisfying in this pizzeria - which was mainly a takeout joint by the looks of all the people lurking in the doorway.

First, a small salad to share: basic leaves, tomatoes, chickpeas, cuke slices and peperoncini accompanied by the obligatory oil and vinegar cruets. A hot pie of pepperoni-mushroom graced the centre as we held our knives and fork poised for dining pleasure...

SHE SAYS: Humble and tasty, with a perfectly toasty thin-medium crust. It was good basic stuff - the sauce not too sweet, not greasy, and in all respects a perfectly decent American pizza. Even and average pie like this blows Britain's sorry excuse of a pizza joint out of the water with savoury gusto.

HE SAYS: Okay, not New York standards, but as She says it blew Pizza Express away (it puzzles me how they stay in business). The crust was firm and pretty thin, and we were able to pick up and eat slices without the toppings sliding off the edges. The local brew I drank in between bites had a satisfying malty, full-bodied taste just right for a pizza nite out.

11.07.08: Out to Pizza Express

Confession: we knew Pizza Express was pretty lame. But we had a coupon! Two-for-one pizza, no less. And it was Friday. So did we heed the cosy call of free comfort food on a crust. Especially attractive was the thought of Her order, the Fiorentina above - spinach with egg-on-top.

Not to be outdone for indulgence, He requested the 'American' - pepperoni, straight up.

And, as reward for our thrift, we shared a Caesar's salad, too. But. But-but-but. What do you think? When the bill arrived, and He proudly brandished our coupon, the waitress smugly informed us that it was 'Monday thru Thursday only'. Oops!

SHE SAYS: One thing I will never understand is how British people have convinced themselves - in great numbers! - that soggy-tissue pizza crust, supersweet 'tomato' sauce, and second-rate toppings like olives that clearly rolled out of a giant, unlabelled can, constitute pizza yumminess. But We love the egg-on-top thing. Spinach pizza met my low expectations, and the pepperoni was passable, too. Crust was gummy except for the edge, and the sauce was a cloying shame, but I was starving, and wiped up the crumbs with my finger. The salad leaves were fresh and crispy enough, but the dressing was pure mayonnaise, and the whole anchovies overpowered everything, with bits everywhere even once I scraped them over to His side. Blech!

HE SAYS: The coupon worked on us I must admit, we have never been a fan of this lame excuse of a pizza joint. It's hard to fuck up pepperoni pizza, but they managed it with ease.
Wet, doughy crust with sweet tomato sauce and pepperoni slices the size of two-pence pieces. Once they've piled on the toppings they put it in the oven for about a nano-second, just enough time for the base to defrost and voila! A sorry mess. I did secretly enjoy all the anchovies in the Caesar salad (how can you not like anchovies?) and also the egg, the highlight of the meal and the only reason we are ever tempted to set foot in the place.