food

Manhattan Pizza Exchange

Hey all you pizza lovers! I know it’s been a while since I’ve put out a blog post. But I promise you, Manhattan Pizza Exchange is worth a break from my hiatus. Located in Norcross, Georgia, Manhattan Pizza Exchange just had their grand opening. Sadly, I couldn’t attend the main festivities during the day. I had to swoop in close to 8pm, an hour before close. While the festivities were over, their pizza was still hot!

Manhattan Pizza Exchange markets itself as a New York style pizzeria (obviously), and I would say I really felt those vibes from the inside. I didn’t feel like I was just in Norcross anymore, but maybe an actual pizza parlor in New York. They have a sizable menu; in addition to pizza you can get salad, sandwiches, and pasta. My friend and I, of course, stuck to pizza. However, my friend did order garlic rolls as an appetizer and he thought they were absolutely scrumptious.

We ordered two different pizzas, my friend ordering a White while I got the Wall Street. I was in love with my pizza; they had all the meats on there, but yet the flavor of the pizza didn’t get lost. The sauce was delicious, and just enough- not too little, and not too much where the cheese and toppings were sliding off. I tasted the White pizza, and if you’re into a lot of cheese, that pizza is for you. Neither of us managed to finish our entire pizzas by the time of close, and we both ended up taking them home. Honestly I’m looking forward to finishing the rest today.

If you find yourself in Norcross, you need to stop in Manhattan Pizza Exchange!

Colossus

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Greek pizza. That is what is sold at the restaurant Colossus, located in a small strip off the main road in Tucker, Georgia. Greek pizza is good.

I can’t believe it took me so long to even realize that Colossus sold pizza. I knew when it first opened, but I’d known it to be a Greek restaurant, and I guess I didn’t think pizza with that. Walking into the restaurant for the first time, I was honestly a bit moved. It’s split up into two sections; both indoors, but because of the large garage door style windows, the first section still feels like outdoor seating. I really felt the Greek vibes in the decorating, with blue doors with white trim, lots of plants, and a lot of open space. I almost felt like I was on a beachfront restaurant- if it wasn’t for the cars going past outside the windows. The light wooded rustic doors was my favorite part.

 

Let’s talk about this Greek pizza. My dad and I split a medium – which in my opinion was quite large – and we picked the Colossus pizza (Ground beef, italian sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions & green peppers), minus the mushrooms. In the first bite I knew two things immediately. The meat was real meat and the cheese was not your average mozzarella. I’m not sure what cheese they use – I want to assume feta but I really don’t know – but whatever they’re using, it gives the pizza a taste that’s different than most pizzas you’ll eat. The crust is really fluffy, which I think can be seen not only in the thinness of it, but also in the very light brown, hardly toasted color it is.

I really enjoyed this pizza, it was a really new taste for me that brightened up a drab Tuesday evening. I would certainly go there again with friends and family for a nice dinner where we can all sit beside one of their garage windows and really get the full experience.

Uncle Maddio’s

Hello! It has certainly been a minute since I’ve been able to put a post on here. It’s been a bit hectic moving, getting used to a new area, and getting adjusted in a new job. But pizza is my life, it keeps my heart ticking, so I’m happy to return to my blog and keep updating everyone on all the pizza spots.

Today after a lovely adult 8-hour work day, I decided to treat myself to some Uncle Maddio’s pizza. My mother actually introduced me to the restaurant a few years ago, and we went a few times together. Time flies however; it felt like I’d been there with my mom only a year ago, but it turns we out we haven’t gone in almost five years. I visited the Northlake location, and I really love the space they have for the eatery. The entire front half is windows, letting in lots of light. The restaurant certainly has a very family friendly atmosphere, with both tables and booth seating – enough of it to hold a decent size crowd – and artwork on the walls. They even have a drawing wall where kids can either draw on it with chalk, or hang up their own pictures. The crew members are all very friendly, and more importantly attentive to the customer. While I was there, the couple behind me in line ordered a gluten crust, and the crew member asked them if they chose gluten because of preference or allergy. I was both surprised and thrilled to hear such a question. Uncle Maddio’s is a build-your-own style establishment (I realize I’ve been visiting a lot of those lately!), so you start at one end and get to watch your pizza being made on the other side of the counter all the way until you’re paying at the register and your pizza is brought out to you.

I ordered a medium size pizza with ground beef, bacon, and pineapple. After working all day, I really wanted to just eat in the comfort of my own home; but that first bite was as good in my home as it would have been in the restaurant. In the first bite I tasted a mouthful of crunchy bacon, immediately followed up by the sweetness of the pineapple. The ground beef, although there was a lot, was more subtle compared to the bacon and pineapple, but all together it was a delicious combination. The slices are thin, so its not too much in one bite, and the crust has just enough crunch to balance out the softness of the rest of the slice. It wasn’t hard to remember why my mother and I came to Uncle Maddio’s years ago. It is a little pricey, but it’s definitely worth it considering you get a variety of options and fresh ingredients.

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Photo Apr 05, 6 09 46 PM

The Healthiness of Pizza

Scrolling through the statuses, photos, and memes of Facebook, I came across an article that caught my attention. “Is a slice of pizza for breakfast healthier than a bowl of cereal?” Immediately I clicked on the article because I, along with so many others, am very guilty of stuffing my face with a slice or two of cold pizza for breakfast. The possibility that I could actually be helping my body was too good to pass up.

Of course the answer to the the question of whether a slice of pizza or a bowl of cereal is healthier is it depends. While a slice of pizza more than likely has less sugar than popular cereals (12.8 grams in Honey Nut Cheerios!), there are still cereals carrying lower amounts of sugar. Additionally the type of pizza, including toppings and type of cheese, affects the ‘healthiness’ of having it for breakfast, especially over a bowl of cereal.

Researching a little more on pizza and its healthiness, I found an article “Is pizza healthy?” from CNN published in May 2017. Ultimately, as much as most of us want (and possibly have made) pizza to be a staple part of our diet, the healthiness of pizza varies significantly. Both the tomato sauce and cheese deliver a decent amount of sodium, and you haven’t even added toppings yet.

Pizza isn’t all bad of course! Cheese provides calcium, tomatoes provide disease-fighting lycopene, and whole-wheat flour offers whole grain and fiber. Also, you can always top your pizza with veggies.

Now this post is in no way a declaration against pizza, in fact I say keep eating it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Live your life, and if your life (like mine) includes a pizza at least once a week, enjoy it. And if you want to equal out the calorie intake from a few three of four slices of pizza goodness, try a fun workout or eat healthier the other days of the week.