There’s always a line at Artichoke Basille’s Pizza Artichoke Basille’s Pizza and I’ve been meaning to check it out. They don’t deliver and they don’t have seats, barely enough counter space for 3 people to eat standing, they don’t even have set hours. What is the draw? If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’d know that there isn’t any really good pizza near 14th Street so my hopes were high. I NEED a good pizza place near me.
So Angie, Angela, Kasi, and I bought 2 large pies, one Neopolitan, and one of their special Spinach Artichoke Pies to split, each getting 2 slices of each. (Each of their slices counts as 1 1/2 -2 from your average pizza place.) They gave us extra boxes to split them but it does take a while for them to make so by then Kasi had to head home. The rest of us sat on a stoop a few feet a way, each with a box balanced on our knees, trying to eat the pizza with one hand, while holding the lid with the other.
The Neopolitan ($15) has an excellent sauce, although a bit too much of it, which causes a major mess as everything constantly wants to fall off. The cheeses make a nice blend and the fresh basil stands out nicely. The dough on this one is mostly good but a few spots are too burnt.
The Spinach Artichoke Pie ($20) has a thicker dough so I’m surprised I like it, but I do. The crust is wonderfully chewy with big air pockets. I don’t taste much artichoke but the ultra creamy topping tastes like a creamed spinach topped with cheese. It’s very unique and a decadent treat, but after one slice of it, you feel quite heavy.
Both types are quite salty but still the best pizza in this area. It’s not my favorite pizza (I love Numero 28 and Fornino) but a damn good deal. The pies are huge, roughly being equivalent to half the price of my two favorites.
So, when I don’t want to travel, I’ll definitely come here for pizza again. But next time, I’m going to call my order in first. (The friendly guy taking the orders gave me the tip.) But I’ll also have to convince Lon to sit outside on a stoop to eat with me because it doesn’t taste quite as good reheated.
*note – pics are from old camera
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See, now I thought there was more than enough artichoke. There wasn’t much artichoke taste, but I don’t think artichoke hearts have too much taste which is why they’re so good marinated. But the artichoke texture was not so great for a pizza topping. The taste of the pie was good, like having Houston’s spinach/artichoke dip on pizza dough. But I thought the bottom of that pie was a bit too hard.
The sauce on the regular wasn’t falling off as much since it was cooler when I ate mine, but I didn’t think the sauce was flavorful enough. Which is weird because generally I’m closer to a ’super taster’ so to find something bland is unusual for me. The taste was good, but it was too light.
It’s definitely worth going to try the spinach/artichoke pie, but I’m glad I have Italian Village around the corner from home.
The problem with the line (even now, summer of 2009) isn’t how long it can still be, it’s how DUMB and inefficient the guys behind the counter are! It’s like they’re in slow motion and don’t know how to keep things moving. I’m officially DONE with this place. Artichoke: check out a pizza joint in midtown during rush hour and see how it’s done. Learn.