Pizzas R Us, You Call That Pizza?!

[Heng]

When I'm at my place in Pattaya, it's either Pizza Service or Pan Pan.

[awayfoe]

try a 100% italian pizza from new "italian chef"

majestic bistro front immigration jomtien beach

tel for delivery 038 757084

[wilko]

By the way, pizzas were invented in America, not Italy

I'll wait for the replys

Rubbish! 'Money making Pizza' was invented in America together with Fried Chicken, Hamburgers etc....

The Hamburger is, as the name already suggests, a German invention. A fried meat patty in a bun is a century old snack from Hamburg and brought to America by German immigrants.

Nothing new that Americans have the tendency to re-invent popular food from elsewhere and market it as something completely new...with the downside that it is impossible getting a decent coffe in any Starbucks outlet.

I totally agree... the sad thing is that many Americans are totally unaware tof the delicious originals from which their muck is derived........

[wilko]

A few years ago I had a really good pizza at trhe Hopf pub on beach Rd...do thet still do them

[wilko]

Rubbish, Money-making Pizzas - Yes...........but edible food ..... no!

[Jingthing]

Well, I can go for good Italian or American style pizzas. Seems like the good ones in Thailand are mostly Italian style. Americans know there are many different subsets of American style as well. I have had good pizza in the US, Italy, and South America.

Anyone tried that DRAGON pizza place in Jomtien? Just saw an advert and the menu pics don't look bad.

[Gremlin]

They also claim they are a successful chain from the UK? Is that really true?

They have never operated in the UK, the business was started less than a year ago by an English guy by the name of Steve.

According to the Pattaya People Weekly his was voted the best Pizza in Pattaya.

[Cuban]

For a country full of buffaloes there seems to be a dearth of mozzarella cheese for pizza, it's all industrial cheddar and never seen a gorge in it's life.

Hey, don't knock American foods, Chop Suey was "invented" in the US, by Chinese immigrants who stir fried the left overs from their meals to sell to the prospectors etc.

[raro]

A few years ago I had a really good pizza at trhe Hopf pub on beach Rd...do thet still do them

Good that you mention this one! Enzo is not only a great singer but also a gifted Chef! Pizzas made by an Italian (well...supervised...) always trying to maintain a high standard - what else can you ask for!

[besth]

A few years ago I had a really good pizza at trhe Hopf pub on beach Rd...do thet still do them

Good that you mention this one! Enzo is not only a great singer but also a gifted Chef! Pizzas made by an Italian (well...supervised...) always trying to maintain a high standard - what else can you ask for!

Very, very difficult to find decent pizza in Thailand.

I agree 100% that the Hopf's owner is an amazing singer. I've eaten pizzas there half a dozen times and all of them were more than decent, except for the last time, about 2 months ago, which was VERY bad (as bland as it gets). Put me off trying them again, at least for a good while, but the rest of the food and the place are worth a visit.

Pan Pan pizzas are quite nice IMO too.

I also tried recently Max's Italian Restaurant (don't know where they are, I ordered from Door2Door). We ordered 3 pizzas, 2 of them were "OK+" and the other one I really enjoyed, Franz Pizza, with gorgonzola -enough of it that you could taste it- and salami (I would change the salami for extra gorgonzola if I had the option).

[Dragonmode]

Out side Italy there really is no such thing as Pizza - there are things called pizza but they are about as similar to real Pizzas as cowpats.

Bite your tongue; NYC has the next best pizza and people travel from all over the world for it!

[Ulysses G.]

By the way, pizzas were invented in America, not Italy

I'll wait for the replys

Rubbish! 'Money making Pizza' was invented in America together with Fried Chicken, Hamburgers etc....

The Hamburger is, as the name already suggests, a German invention. A fried meat patty in a bun is a century old snack from Hamburg and brought to America by German immigrants.

Nothing new that Americans have the tendency to re-invent popular food from elsewhere and market it as something completely new...with the downside that it is impossible getting a decent coffe in any Starbucks outlet.

I totally agree... the sad thing is that many Americans are totally unaware tof the delicious originals from which their muck is derived........

Well somebody must be hiding the good ones because there are crap-Italian- cardboard ones all over the place!

Edited April 7, 2007 by Ulysses G.

[jetjock]

I also would like to find a good pizza place to go to when in Pattaya so find this topic informative. In this thread, however, I have read a few posters argue over where pizza was invented. Since pizza has a long and interesting history going back much farther than most people would ever guess, I have excerpted something from an article about 'The history and legends of pizza' that some of you might find interesting. If you read this interesting article, you can decide where what we now call pizza was invented ??

Pizza goes back much farther than most people would ever guess.

6th Century B.C.

At the height of the Persian Empire, it is said that the soldiers of Darius

the Great (521-486 B.C.), accustomed to lengthy marches, baked a kind of

bread flat upon their shields and then covered it with cheese and dates.

3rd Century B.C.

Marcus Porcius Cato (234-149 B.C.), also know as Cato the Elder, wrote the

first history of Rome. He wrote about "flat round of dough dressed with

olive oil, herbs, and honey baked on stones."

1st Century B.C.

In "The Aeneid" written by Virgil (70-19 B.C.), it describes the legendary

origin of the Roman nation, describing cakes or circles of bread:

"Beneath a shady tree, the hero sprad his table on the turf, with cakes of

bread; And, with his chiefs, on forest fruits he fed. They sate; and (not

without the god's command). Their homely far dispatch'd, the hungry band

invade their trenchers next, and soon devour to mend the scenty meal, their

cakes of flour...See, we devour the plates on which we fed."

1st Century A.D.

Our knowledge of Roman cookery derives mainly from the excavations at

Pompeii and from the great cookery book of Marcus Gavius Apicius called "De

Re Coquinaria." Apicius was a culinary expert and from his writings, he

provided us with information on ancient Roman cuisine. It is recorded that

so great was Apicius' love of food that he poisoned himself for fear of

dying of hunger when his finances fell into disarray. Apicius' book also

contains recipes which involve putting a variety of ingredients on a base of

bread (a hollowed-out loaf). The recipe uses chicken meat, pine kernels,

cheese, garlic, mint, pepper, and oil (all ingredients of the contemporary

pizza). The recipe concludes the instruction "insuper nive, et inferes"

which means "cool in snow and serve!"

79 A.D. - In the ashes after Mount Versuvius erupted and smothered Pompeii

on August 24, 79 A.D., evidence was found of a flat flour cake that was

baked and widely eaten at that time in Pompeii and nearby Neopolis, The

Greek colony that became Naples. Evidence was also found in Pompeii of

shops, complete with marble slabs and other tools of the trade, which

resemble the conventional pizzeria. The Museo Nazionale at Naples exhibits a

statue from Pompeii which because of its stance is called I pizzaiolo.

16th Century

1522 - Tomatoes were brought back to Europe from the New World (Peru).

Originally they were thought to be poisonous, but later the poorer people of

Naples added the new tomatoes to their yeast dough and created the first

simple pizza, as we know it. They usually had only flour, olive oil, lard,

cheese, and herbs with which to feed their families. All of Italy proclaimed

the Neapolitan pies to be the best. At that time, the Tavern of the

Cerrigloi was a hangout for the Spanish soldiers of the Viceroy. It is said

that they flocked there to feast on the specialty of the house - pizza.

17th Century

By the 17th Century, pizza had achieved a local popularity among visitors to

Naples who would venture into the poorer sections to taste this peasant dish

made by men called "pizzaioli."

18th Century

Queen Maria Carolina d'Asburgo Lorena (1752-1814), wife of the King of

Naples, Ferdinando IV (1751-1821), had a special oven built in their summer

palace of Capodimonte so that their chef could serve pizzas to herself and

to her guests.

19th Century

1889 - Umberto I (1844-1900), King of Italy, and his wife, Queen Margherita

di Savoia (1851-1926), in Naples on holiday, called to their palace the most

popular of the pizzaioli (pizza chef), Raffaele Esposito, to taste his

specialties. He prepared three kinds of pizzas: one with pork fat, cheese,

and basil; one with garlic, oil, and tomatoes; and another with mozzarella,

basil, and tomatoes (in the colors of the Italian flag). The Queen liked the

last kind of pizza so much that she sent to the pizzzaiolo a letter to thank

him saying, "I assure you that the three kinds of pizza you have prepared

were very delicious." Raffaele Esposito dedicated his specialty to the Queen

and called it "Pizza Margherita." This pizza set the standard by which

today's pizza evolved as well as firmly established Naples as the pizza

capitol of the world.

In the late 19th century, pizza was sold in the streets in Naples at

breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It was cut from a large tray that had been

cooked in the baker's oven and had a simple topping of mushrooms and

anchovies. As pizza became more popular, stalls were set up where the dough

was shaped as customers ordered. Various toppings were invented. The stalls

soon developed into the pizzeria, an open-air place for people to

congregate, eat, drink, and talk.

Pizza migrated to America with the Italians in the latter half of the 19th

century. Pizza was introduced to Chicago by a peddler who walked up and down

Taylor Street with a metal washtub of pizzas on his head, crying his wares

at two cents a chew. This was the traditional way pizza used to be sold in

Naples, in copper cylindrical drums with false bottoms that were packed with

charcoal from the oven to keep the pizzas hot. The name of the pizzeria was

embossed on the drum.

20th Century

NOTE: For many people, especially among the Italian-American population, the

first American pizzas were known as Tomato Pie. Even in the present 21st

century, present-day tomato pie is most commonly found in the Northeastern

United States, especially in Italian bakeries in central New York. Tomato

pies are built the opposite of pizza pies - first the cheese, then the

toppings, and then the sauce.

1905 - Gennaro Lombardi claims to have opened the first United States

Pizzeria in New York City at 53 1/2 Spring Street. Lombardo is now known as

America's "Patriaca dela Pizza." It wasn't until the early 1930s that he

added tables and chairs and sold spaghetti as well.

1943 - Chicago-style deep-dish pizza (a pizza with a flaky crust that rises

an inch or more above the plate and surrounds deep piles of toppings) was

created by Ike Sewell at his bar and grill called Pizzeria Uno.

1945 - With the stationing of American soldiers in Italy during World War II

(1941-1945) came a growing appreciation of pizza. When the soldiers returned

from war, they brought with them a taste for pizza.

1948 - The first commercial pizza-pie mix, "Roman Pizza Mix," was produced

in Worcester, Massachusetts by Frank A. Fiorello.

1950s - It wasn't until the 1950s that Americans really started noticing

pizza. Celebrities of Italian origin, such as Jerry Colonna, Frank Sinatra,

Jimmy Durante, and baseball star Joe DiMaggio all devoured pizzas. It is

also said that the line from the song by famous singer, Dean Martin; "When

the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that amore" set America singing

and eating pizzas.

1957 - Frozen pizzas were introduced and found in local grocery stores. The

first was marketed by the Celentano Brothers. Pizza soon became the most

popular of all frozen food.

Edited April 7, 2007 by jetjock

[KhunMarco]

screw the Persians , Pizza = Italia period

[thaiflyer1]

Tried the new Pizza place in Soi Diana last night opposite the Areca Lodge hotel.......called Pizza Slices.

They sell thin base 14 inch pizza which has been quartered, a slice sells for 45 baht ..........8 varieties.

Tried the Pepperoni, the slice had 3 slices of Pepperoni on it..........base was ok ......not much in the way of cheese on it though.

Verdict........if your on a night out and fancy a quick bite to eat without having to buy a whole pizza then its ok, woudn't want to order a whole one though.

Lewenski's (sp?) on Pattayaland 1 do quite a decent thin base Pizza...

[Jingthing]

try a 100% italian pizza from new "italian chef"

majestic bistro front immigration jomtien beach

tel for delivery 038 757084

Tried it. LIKED IT!

Thank you for the tip! I think their pizza is quite excellent. Not the best pizza I have had in my life, but for pizza in Thailand, no complaints.

majestic bistro front immigration jomtien beach

tel for delivery 038 757084

[Yknot]

Soi LK Metro has a good pizza place: If you're getting into the Soi coming from Soi Diana, it is on the right hand side. Raro's recommendation!

Yes this place on soi Metro just off Soi Diana is not just acceptable, it is really good. I think it is called Speedy Pizza. I would say their pizzas are a mix of Italian and American style.

[goldencrunchie]

Soi LK Metro has a good pizza place: If you're getting into the Soi coming from Soi Diana, it is on the right hand side. Raro's recommendation!

Yes this place on soi Metro just off Soi Diana is not just acceptable, it is really good. I think it is called Speedy Pizza. I would say their pizzas are a mix of Italian and American style.

Speedy makes a good one,we always pop in for one when make our weekend visits

[mikethevigoman]

I ate DUCK in Issan ... but it turns out it was BOW-BOW duck, not QUACK-QUACK duck!

Peter

khaow pat maa ,aroy !

[mikethevigoman]

By the way, pizzas were invented in America, not Italy

I'll wait for the replys

Rubbish! 'Money making Pizza' was invented in America together with Fried Chicken, Hamburgers etc....

The Hamburger is, as the name already suggests, a German invention. A fried meat patty in a bun is a century old snack from Hamburg and brought to America by German immigrants.

Nothing new that Americans have the tendency to re-invent popular food from elsewhere and market it as something completely new...with the downside that it is impossible getting a decent coffe in any Starbucks outlet.

I totally agree... the sad thing is that many Americans are totally unaware tof the delicious originals from which their muck is derived........

Well somebody must be hiding the good ones because there are crap-Italian- cardboard ones all over the place!

I agree, whenever i eat pizza at an up market italian restuarant its like a thin toasted sandwich or an envelope with goo on it , nah give me pizza company anyday,. all this talk of pizza, im off to get one !

[wilko]

Out side Italy there really is no such thing as Pizza - there are things called pizza but they are about as similar to real Pizzas as cowpats.

Bite your tongue; NYC has the next best pizza and people travel from all over the world for it!

I would certainly rather bite my tongue than eat most US attempts at a pizza.

[Ulysses G.]

Out side Italy there really is no such thing as Pizza - there are things called pizza but they are about as similar to real Pizzas as cowpats.

Bite your tongue; NYC has the next best pizza and people travel from all over the world for it!

I would certainly rather bite my tongue than eat most US attempts at a pizza.

I'm sure you are quite the expert on Toad in the Hole!

[gaza1]

By the way, pizzas were invented in America, not Italy

I'll wait for the replys

Rubbish! 'Money making Pizza' was invented in America together with Fried Chicken, Hamburgers etc....

The Hamburger is, as the name already suggests, a German invention. A fried meat patty in a bun is a century old snack from Hamburg and brought to America by German immigrants.

Nothing new that Americans have the tendency to re-invent popular food from elsewhere and market it as something completely new...with the downside that it is impossible getting a decent coffe in any Starbucks outlet.

I bet it was the McDonald Clan from Hamburg Germany. LOL

[KhunMarco]

No wonder so many Italians who never made a pizza in their life go to the USA and make big bucks... you simply have no clue... Pizza hut

It's not even your fault, lack of food culture, ignorance, call it as you wish.

I bet is the same in Italy with the thousands of Chinese restaurants, we have absolutely no clue about the crap they serve us.

But in the end, is your right to spend your money where you feel satisfied, nothing wrong with that.

[Jingthing]

No wonder so many Italians who never made a pizza in their life go to the USA and make big bucks... you simply have no clue... Pizza hut

It's not even your fault, lack of food culture, ignorance, call it as you wish.

I bet is the same in Italy with the thousands of Chinese restaurants, we have absolutely no clue about the crap they serve us.

But in the end, is your right to spend your money where you feel satisfied, nothing wrong with that.

Not exactly.

Italian food and pizzas came with the boatloads of ITALIAN immigrants to America,

To say America has no food culture just shows incredible ignorance. You must be one of those yahoos who confuse American corporate fast food with real food.

BTW, America has excellent Chinese food as well. Sorry it is crap in Italy.

Maybe this link will educate you. I doubt it because some folks are just too comfortable with their stereotyping.

http://www.gayot.com/restaurants/bestof/SF_pizza.html

[qualtrough]

I got bored with pizza company and pizza hut pizzas and now make my own. Pretty easy to do, and I find them more delicious--not to mention cheaper.

[KhunMarco]

No wonder so many Italians who never made a pizza in their life go to the USA and make big bucks... you simply have no clue... Pizza hut

It's not even your fault, lack of food culture, ignorance, call it as you wish.

I bet is the same in Italy with the thousands of Chinese restaurants, we have absolutely no clue about the crap they serve us.

But in the end, is your right to spend your money where you feel satisfied, nothing wrong with that.

Not exactly.

Italian food and pizzas came with the boatloads of ITALIAN immigrants to America,

To say America has no food culture just shows incredible ignorance. You must be one of those yahoos who confuse American corporate fast food with real food.

BTW, America has excellent Chinese food as well. Sorry it is crap in Italy.

Maybe this link will educate you. I doubt it because some folks are just too comfortable with their stereotyping.

http://www.gayot.com/restaurants/bestof/SF_pizza.html

Yes, what did I say? Lots of Italians making big buck in the food industry, recent and past immigrants obviously , are you a native by any chance?

I can see from my post I was not clear, the fact the you have a lot of Italian restaurants doesn't mean you as a country (thus a big generalization, I know...) know how to properly cook an Italian dish, likewise we in Italy don't know how to cook a proper Chinese dish. got my point so far?

Ok, I tried my fair share of Italian restaurant while I was traveling/living in USA and Canada and I'm sorry to inform you, apart a few rare exceptions, what you eat is not exactly what we eat in Italy, heck there are even dishes we never heard of, on the menu.

Another example, I often watched the food channel while I was there, and I was really amused by this guy throwing stuff into the pot and giving it an Italian name..son of a mother

This is nobody fault, it's just what it is.

So my suggestion is when in Italy, eat Italian, when in Mexico....

Now when in USA stick to Tbones and MC donald.. hehehe just kidding just kidding.

But guess where I ate the best Hamburger of my life ? Stereotype? yummy yummy

Now coming down to Pizza, did you know that you have to use a particular type of wood for the oven? Did you know the oven is built with a particular type of bricks? Tomatoes sauce must have a particular acidity,

the type of water used for the Impasto is very important (that's one of the reason in Napoli Pizza and Caffe are the best in the whole Italy , they have a particular water), Mozzarella must be real mozzarella (you can find it in the USA , I know) not the cheese (when is cheese..) they use at Pizza hut or whatever.

The way you make the Pasta for pizza and how many minutes it has to "rest' before you can use it, etc etc. Screw one of these steps and an Italian can tell there's something wrong, you can't period.

What you eat in most pizzeria in the USA is pizza made for the American taste, as I said nothing wrong with it, your taste is used to it. I have many Italian friends in New York and Vancouver (BC) and when we chat they always mention they miss the real Italian cooking, do you think they don't know where to go in New York to eat Italian?

I didn't want to offend anyone it's just that when I hear Pizza hut is a good pizza, my Italian heart goes banana

[edh]

Most of the Pizza makers where I come from are not from Italy, but still make great pizza.

It does not have anything to do with where it originates from - it is the topping you add.... Simple!

Italians like their kind, Brits do their, Germans, Swiss, Thai, USA etc.

I still prefer, and I quote myself (linked below), pizza2000 in Jomtien. I believe it is German managed but still very good. It all depends where we are coming from and what dude is making the pizza behind the counter...

Pizza2000

When I'm at my place in Pattaya, it's either Pizza Service or Pan Pan.

[Jingthing]

Mr Marco,

I take your point that a pizza outside Italy will not taste exactly like your favorite pizza in Italy.

I have had good pizzas in Rome and Southern Italy in places suggested by natives and they were very good. But actually, I have had much more memorable pizzzas in the US. I am sure that the average pizza in the US is probably inferior to the average pizza in Italy, but again, depends on where you go.

My point is that pizza variations created by gourmet chefs in other countries are also excellent food by any world standard. And they are pizzas unless you are an orthodox purist.

I agree with you about Pizza Hut. I assume it is garbage pizza just by seeing pictures of it, but actually I never even wanted to try it personally.

Also, you are 100 percent wrong that the hamburger is the only native food of merit in the USA. Maybe you are one of those people who think sweet and sour pork is the main culinary contribution of China. Ridiculous.

Edited April 14, 2007 by Jingthing

[KhunMarco]

Mr Marco,

Maybe you are one of those people who think sweet and sour pork is the main culinary contribution of China. Ridiculous.

Oh well I was kidding about Hamburgers and Tbones, and I said it twice ... what was the other dish ?

Take it easy man! Luv your country!

Edited April 14, 2007 by KhunMarco