Loving pepperoni on my pizza
You know what's really awesome? An eleven dollar pizza that's twelve dollars after taxes, and you can eat it for two meals for two people! That's three dollars per person per meal. That's pretty fly in my book. There's a Papa John's pizza near the apartment and they had a pepperoni special going on for just $11. You can order it online too I think, but somehow I still don't trust online ordering systems for pizza places. I prefer calling... or just showing up and waiting for it. Highly inefficient but I dig it. Plus, food that I grew up with really do not get a fair shake on Food in Mouth. I remember when Pizza Hut was the shit, and then all of a sudden Papa Johns came along and put peppers on the side in the pizza box, and they gave you a butter dipping sauce. Well, that butter dipping sauce is gone now... but the peppers are still there. Sure, this doesn't really touch any of the pizzas that's hot in New York currently, but it strikes a great balance between affordability and nostalgia.
I'm going to tell you straight up now - if you didn't grow up with this crap, you won't think it's good now. I heard a lil commotion online about how as adults, some do not like pepperoni on a pizza as much as before. Sure I get it, soppresatta looks like regular pepperoni and it's got a kick to it. And vegetarians like eating "chicken nuggets" and all kinds of fake meat. You know why? Because they like tricking their brains. Same idea. You know what makes soppresatta so fucking awesome as an adult? Because you ate and loved pepperoni as a fucking kid. I ain't gonna hate on pepperoni. Me and pepperoni are bros. I love pepperoni. If I want it to be spicy, that's why they invented hot sauce. And you know what else is awesome about being an adult? You can put all kinds of wacky condiments on a pizza, and if it's just to add spiciness, you're all good. You're not weird or a kid playing with food! You're a grown-up making a decision. BAM!
All this to tell you, this pepperoni pizza shit is STILL really good, and one of the safest choices you can make when visiting one of those national pizza chains. Papa John's might not ever beat Motorino Pizza, but I don't really care. There's a time and place for each, and when the situation calls for Papa John's, it's plenty good enough for me.
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if we're talking straight cost efficiency, isn't Domino's king? 5.99 mediums with 2 toppings. Double pepperoni. Boom.
Nicholas
December 5, 2011 6:37 pm
@Nick,
ah yes but there's not a Dominoes within walking distance of my apartment. This Papa Johns is like two and a half street blocks. Dominoes is much farther away from me, although I like them too. You could say, I would save time by having them delivered, but picking it up two blocks away is way way way faster. So it's efficient this way too, plus in person, one can pay by credit card for points!
Danny
December 5, 2011 8:12 pm
they really got rid of the garlic sauce? Was it just that location? I have to think that would hurt their sales quite a bit.
Rodzilla
December 6, 2011 6:56 am
@Rodzilla,
They still have a 'sauce' although it's more of a mayo-ish type of thing. Not so liquidy... very strong.
Danny
December 6, 2011 2:51 pm
"You know what makes soppresatta so fucking awesome as an adult? Because you ate and loved pepperoni as a fucking kid."
And then a light went on. You just may be on to something here. I love pepperoni only when it gets crisp along the edges and curls up into little cups holding the grease. The flat floppy pepperoni all the places seem to be using these days (actually engineered to remain flat and not crisped) doesn't do it for me.
But, hells, yeah. Give me those crisp, greasy pepperoni, and I'm with you there.
Adam
December 7, 2011 11:21 am
Crap. I might have to order PJ's just to see about this sauce change you mention. Last time I ordered it (earlier this year), it still game with the garlic dipping sauce.
Adam
December 7, 2011 11:22 am
@Adam,
Yea it still comes with a garlic dipping 'thing' but it is not really sauce-like to me. It's more like an aioli made with industrial ingredients. It could just be my location though... It's possible also I'm misremembering exactly what the original sauce consistency was like, but I didn't remember it being more mayo than sauce. And yea, pepperoni all the way!
Danny
December 7, 2011 11:27 am
Ah. Weird. My memory of the "sauce" was that it was sort of really thin and more butter-like in consistency. Not thick like mayo. In any case, I don't know if I ever really used it. I usually squeezed my own honey on it.
At least they're still doing the peppers. Such a small touch, but people LOVE those.
Adam
December 7, 2011 6:02 pm
I did a bit more snooping, it seems as if there was a recipe change. Odd that they wouldn't make a big announcement about it.
Rodzilla
December 8, 2011 7:30 am