Pubblico

 For the first two weeks of February I drooled over multi-course Valentine’s Day menus on Instagram with tantalizing sides and decadent desserts. But life happened and I started seeing those posts replaced with sold-out announcements. Wanting to still get in on the fun of take-out over the Valentine’s Day long weekend, we decided to use it as an opportunity to try some new pizza.

We had actually wanted to try Pubblico a few weeks ago for a quick weekday dinner but we were put off by UberEats’ extra fees. We ordered something else and vowed to put them top of our list for our next weekend meal when we had time to pick-up ourselves. I’m becoming increasingly disenchanted with Uber and their excessive fees. Picking up is our preference since it benefits both us and the restaurant, as long as we have the time. Which 90% of the time these days, we do. 

So as the weekend approached we knew it was time to give Pubblico a go. My husband was fully on board as New York style is his favourite. I had seen ads on Instagram with a photo of the White Album pizza so I strayed from my regular cheese with olives and onions. I simply had to. It’s a white pizza with bechamel sauce, their house cheese blend, herbs, and chevre. 

My first thought upon visual inspection was that it didn’t wow me. It was cold but they can’t be blamed for that, it’s a 15 minute drive from our house - and it was -20C out. I think it just had that look that cold pizza has and that’s what caused my worry. But those worries melted like a blanket of mozzarella once I had a taste.

First off, goat’s cheese is always a good idea. I love it to pieces and always appreciate it on a good slice. Second, thin crust is not super common in Ottawa, so this was exciting to have not only a thin crust, but one that was a real winner. In spots it still had some softness to it, while in others it had crunch. I actually like that in a pizza, as it provides some variety. Am I eating a snappy cracker crust or a soft and puffy hybrid style? Why not both? 

Choosing to use a bechamel sauce was the right call. I want to say it may have had added garlic, or I imagined that, but it was tasty whether imagined or reality. I appreciated the full cheese coverage and the strips of basil throughout. The dough’s texture was so spot on, I forgave any complaints I might have had about lack of salt. Reheated in the oven the next day, this pizza was as delicious as the first day. And the polar opposite of Ottawa’s hefty Lebanese-style pizza, this was a nice light slice that won’t linger in your gut. 

If I had to pick one complaint about this pizza, it was that it seemed just a tiny bit overdone (or at least the cheese was). The cheese blend had become one crusty blanket so when I bit in, the whole thing would pull off. But the crust wasn't at all overdone so not sure what's going on there - maybe it was broiled or something.

It folds!

Finally, at $22 for a large, this is a great deal. It’s sliced into 6 rather than 8, but the slices are very large. With a side salad, I ate just two (a rarity). If you want to go the route of a regular red pizza, a large is $20 for cheese and you can choose toppings for $2 each.

All in all, though I’ve never been to New York to have authentic NY-style pizza, I really enjoyed this pizza and will most definitely order it again. 

I’ve rated Pubblico seven out of eight slices.

Leave a comment with your opinion, or your thoughts on Pubblico, and let me know where I should hit up next!

Ciao,
Pizza Lover