Beach Cities Pizza Sun-dried Tomato

At the tail end of our trip, Caitlin and I stayed in Dana Point, a city off the Pacific Coast in Orange County.  Not surprisingly, we developed a powerful craving for cheese, tomatoes and dough, so I hopped on Yelp.com to search for a local pizzeria.  On account of some good user reviews and a desire to explore the Dana Point Harbor, we selected Beach Cities Pizza, "the best pizza on earth".  Maybe we ordered the wrong pie, but claiming Beach Cities as the best pizza on earth is as wrong as calling the Vin Diesal/Paul Walker Fast and Furious better than The Godfather.

Unlike zpizza or Gina's, which use the crust and cheese as a delicious canvas for the toppings to come, Beach Cities' cheese was a gloppy mess that couldn't even stay attached to the pizza long enough for the trip from tray to mouth.  Beach Cities features some interesting pizzas (a Thai-style pizza and a pizza with clams) and it is open 24 hours, but there's something out of a whack when a basic pie comes out of the oven so wrong.  The only things placing Beach Cities above subpar chain pizza were the crunchy crust and the buried sun-dried tomatoes.

Caitlin: C
Evan: C-

Zinc Cafe Potato & Arugula Pizzette

Also during our Southern California vacation, Evan and I tried another, very different pizza from Zinc, a cute little cafe located on a side street in the town of Laguna Beach. Although on the pricey side, the food at Zinc is simple yet scrumptious and ranges from grilled sandwiches and fresh salads to interesting drinks and baked goods.

Evan and I visited Zinc for lunch a few times, and one particular afternoon, we decided to share a pizzette (a personal-sized pizza). We chose the potato and arugula variety and brought our snack down to Main Beach to enjoy. Neither of us had ever tasted a potato pizza, and Evan and I were both happy with the flavor and texture of Zinc's variety. Thinly sliced and cooked just enough to be tender while maintaining a firm bite, the potatoes were sprinkled with a little cheddar cheese and topped with a large handful of arugula. We poured the side serving of balsamic vinagrette over the lettuce and created a kind of salad pizza that could still be eaten with our hands. The warmth of the potatoes wilted the spicy arugula slightly, and I appreciated all the fresh flavors and textures of this diminutive pie.  I did wish, however, that the crust had been slightly thinner and crispier.  Nevertheless, I will definitely be returning to Zinc Cafe on my next trip to Southern California.

Caitlin: B+
Evan: B

Zpizza Provence with Chicken Sausage

During a recent vacation to Southern California, we decided to visit the birthplace of one of our favorite gourmet pizza chains, zpizza. Originating in Laguna Beach, CA, zpizza specializes in crafting a wide-range of innovative and tasty California-style pizzas featuring fresh, healthy ingredients layered on a thin and crisp fire-baked crust. Now with locations in sixteen states and the District of Columbia, zpizza offers discriminatory diners a fast, delicious alternative to standard, widespread pizza chains. We first discovered zpizza about two years ago in Northern Virginia. As soon as we picked up our piping hot pie and started to drive home, the sumptuous and sweet aroma of bread, cheese, sauce, and fresh toppings pervaded our car and our noses. Our love for zpizza was instant, and our first bites of the crispy yet chewy slices covered in tangy sauce and an excellent amount of mozzarella confirmed what our senses told us--zpizza was cemented as a weekend staple.

Therefore, while in Laguna Beach, we could not miss the opportunity to visit the first zpizza. Located in an unassuming shopping center on the Pacific Coast Highway, zpizza's secluded spot in this Southern California beach town does not sufficiently reflect the gourmet creations within. After a day in the California sunshine, we decided to go with our steadfast favorite, the Provence Pizza with chicken sausage. Made with organic tomato and garlic sauces, mozzarella, artichoke hearts, capers, tomatoes, and basil, this pie's deliciousness is intensified with the addition of chicken sausage. Every bite is packed with sweetness from the tomato sauce, saltiness from the capers, gooeyness from the cheese, and hearty satisfaction from the artichoke hearts and sausage. A small pie with a side salad is the perfect amount of food for two hungry pizza-lovers, and the Provence never fails, even sans sausage.

Caitlin: A-

Evan: A-