Monday, December 13, 2010

Cheesy in BGeezy's favorite underrated pizzerias


View Cheesy in BGeezy hot spots in a larger map

Local bowling alleys provide quality pizza for affordable price

With winter time approaching, more people are finding ways to entertain themselves indoors. Bowling Green resident, Samuel Jenkins, likes to spend time at Varsity Lanes bowling alley to ease some of the winter time blues.

"It's a laid back place," Jenkins said. "I like to bowl, drink and eat pizza. Varsity Lanes is the perfect spot for me to unwind after a hard days work."

Located at 1033 South Main Street, Varsity Lanes has been owned and operated by Gary Richardson since 1962. He said Varsity Lanes was a roller rink before his father, Gary Senior, decided to invest in a new proposition.

"The older folks in town always knew this place as "Skate World," but when my dad turned it into a bowling alley, we got a better response,"Richardson said. "Add pizza and beer to the mix and you got a guaranteed good time."

Varsity Lanes gets it's pizza from a company in Tampa, Florida called Perky's Pizza. Perky's supplies frozen pizza to establishments all over the world. Varsity Lanes orders 10 cases of frozen dough a week to keep up with demands.

"We've always used Perky's Pizza and for the most part, it seems like the people really like it," Richardson said. "We order the thick crust, the basic cheese, pepperoni and supreme."

Varsity Lanes uses a pizza rotisserie to ensure quality freshness. The slow cooking time gives the pizza a blend of salty and sweetness.

"I eat the pizza on Wednesday because they got a good special," Jenkins said. "You get a medium cheese and a 12oz beer for $5."

Varsity Lanes retro atmosphere gives the bowling alley a 1950's feel. The checkered floor and milk shake machine gives the establishment a charming appearance.

"Simplicity is best," Richardson said. "We've been doing things the same since my dad owned the place. We got to keep up with the competition across town."

Located at 1010 North Main Street, Al Mar Lanes has been a Bowling Green venue since 1978. Equipped with a full bar and and arcade room, the fluorescent colors at Al Mar give the bowling alley a more modern feel.

"The owner really likes to redecorate,"said Nate Henschen, manager of Al Mar. "We try to use lights and neon colors to give the lanes a youthful feel."

With a full service walk-up diner, Al Mar also carries Pisanello's Pizza, another Bowling Green pizzeria. With prices ranging from $3.25 to $14.99, Al Mar cooks the pre-made pizza in a cast iron stove, giving the thin crust a light, crispy taste. Unfortunately, Al Mar's topping options are limited to only cheese or pepperoni.

"We would like to incorporate different topping options, but we want to support another Bowling Green business," Henschen said. "That's why we order our pizza from Pisanello's, for the good of the community."

Both Varsity Lanes and Al Mar carry birthday party specials. Members of the birthday club receive a free piece of pizza for everyone at the party. For other weekly specials, grab a slice of pie at Al Mar or Varsity Lanes.

Varsity Lanes, Al Mar bowls over pizza competitors

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Pisanello's Pizza offers best specialty pizza in Bowling Green

Pisanello's pizza offers great specialty pizza.
Located at 203 North Main Street, Pisanello's Pizza has been operating for more than 45 years. Their menu carries all the pizza/pub essentials; including wings, pasta, beer, breadsticks and gourmet speciality pizza's.

My personal favorite is their delicious spinach, alfredo and chicken pizza. This cheese and garlic blend of fresh greens and moist chicken is sure to satisfy any pizza lovers taste. The recipe was created by accident after owner, Jim Anderson, wanted to give Pisanello's an upper hand to the competition.

"I knew a lot of students really liked our actual fettucini alfredo pasta," Anderson said. "So I decided to make it a pizza and add spinach. Within a week, it was our most popular selling pizza."

In my opinion, Pisanello's has the best crust in town and has the best variety of pizza. According to their website, Pisanello's has been voted Bowling Green's best pizzeria since 1992. Other great specialty pizza's Pisanello's offers is the chicken, bacon and ranch.

"It's a nice combination of crispy bacon bits and homemade ranch sauce," Anderson said. "The only difference is, we season the chicken on the bacon and ranch pizza. We also add tomato, onion and a mix of mexican cheese. It's pretty well liked item."

If you're craving a psychedelic atmosphere and a variety of awesome dishes, try Pisanello's pizza and you will surely be amazed.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Myle's taco pizza should stay foreign

Myle's pizza is one of the most popular food establishments in Bowling Green. It currently leads our favorite pizza poll with nearly double the amount that the runner up has. It is a unique thick pizza which makes it stand out from other, flatter pizzas in the area.

In fact, I would say that Myle's pizza is my favorite. The pepperoni pizza just mixes perfectly with Myle's famous red sauce. Feeling bold a few nights ago, I decided to branch away from my regular pepperoni and go for southern (really southern) taste.

I am a fan of taco pizzas, they can be some of the most delicious meals if done right. Campus Pollyeyes, who usually is renowned for their breadsticks and not their pizza, has an awesome taco pizza. Myle's taco pizza, however, does even come close to being able to compete.

The ingredients on Myle's pizza are fine and dandy. As with most pizzas from the restaurant, it is a thick pizza. The cheese, lettuce, and meat are all great. The issue is the sauce.

Instead of something a little more Taco tasting, the pizza still has Myle's signature red sauce, a distinctly Italian tasting sauce. The red sauce just does not mix properly with the lettuce or ground beef. It comes off tasting like it never quite made it across the border to Mexico. In fact, the taste got so lost, it ended up on a completely different continent.

My suggestion for those looking for a Taco pizza? Walk the extra block past Myles' and go to Campus Pollyeyes. It'll treat you much better.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Founders Chef teaches pizza preparation

Ever wondered how the pizzas are created at Founders Keepers Dining Court? Cheesy in BGeezy co-creator Jessica James met up with Founders Chef Brett Northcutt to learn just what it takes to craft a Keepers pizza pie. Check it out.