Great Pizza

[cm das]

Wait a minute, what is American pizza anyway? I'm from New Jersery & grew up eating lots of pizza made by the Italian guys at our local joint "La Strada". To my mind, there's no such thing as American pizza. There's NY style - thin, almost chewy crust. And Chicago style - thick crust, often baked in a pan, not really to my taste. And then there's the crappy mass produced stuff you find in all the chains. And don't forget Sicilian - like Chicago style but even thicker & always baked in a rectangular pan.

The closest I've found to NY style pizza in Chiang Mai is Mr. Chan & Miss Pauline's. They're on Huay Kaew, between the super highway & the canal road, also with a new branch opening somewhere near the night safari. As for good very thin crust pizza, I like Pom Pui on Moon Muang Soi 2 & La Lanterna on Ratchadamnoen near Thapae Gate. La Villa, also on Ratchadamnoen but closer to 3 kings, can be good too but not very consistent. Tried Paradise twice & didn't care for it at all. And forget about Pizza Hut, it's even worse here than back home!

[Puwa]

For what it's worth, the best reasonably priced pizza I have had in Chiang Mai has come from Pum Pui, inside the moat on, i think, Moon Muang Soi 1, close to Top North; and from Il Forno (?), on Prapokklao Rd just south of Wat Pra Singh.

Pum Pui has a nice location, in a wooden house with garden. It serves fresh breads and herb butter to munch on while you wait for your meal. The soi is narrow and parking a car is a bit dicey, but bikes have no problem. Staff is friendly and food is great. Plus good German beer in pints (though not cheap!)

Il Forno also serves very good pizza. Plus, the restaurant accessible to wheelchairs, which is a rare feature in Thailand and one which is probably much appreciated by those who need it. The young woman who was running the place each time i have been is in a chair, and i noticed that some of the other staff also have "disabilities." But as far as serving really delicious italian food--especially pizza--there is no disability whatsoever!

Viva la pizzeria!

[just_Elaine]

Amido's in Pai was the thin crust type. The sauce was tasty as well as the toppings.

We tried Mr. Chan and Miss Pauline's on Canal Road. It was okay. The sauce was too sweet for our taste. Maybe they didn't have it down yet since it was a new branch... We also tried some sausages there. I thought the garlic one was delicious.

When we lived elsewhere, we used to make our own pizza with a pizza brick, pizza paddle, etc. It takes a long time when you make the sauce too. It was the thick bread crust kind of pizza. We'd make extra and stick it in the frig for leftovers. It's fun, makes a mess (corn meal all over the place), but takes time and all our equipment is not here. Anyway, so we like the thick crust type of pizzas too...

We'll have to try Pom Pui or Il Forno. Thanks.

[Ulysses G.]

The Duke's pizza might be the best in town, and GIGANTIC portions.

He told me that real New York style pizza uses a combination of two different types of flour for the crust- neither of which is available in Thailand - so no one can make pizzas like back home, but his are darned good compared to the skinny little Italian ones.

[just_Elaine]

Well, that's another on to add to the list to try! Thanks....

Mmmm... Does any of these people deliver?