Domino’s New Pizza Recipe: a Review
I love chain pizza. In order of preference, my favorites for years have been Pizza Hut, Papa John’s, Donatos, Uno’s, and then Domino’s. I’m not embarrassed about it, nor do I think it indicates an inferior palate. In fact, my problem with pizza in New York City, which is held up as some sort of bastion of flavor and structure, is that it has neither. The sauce never has any spice*, the crust is always limp, the dough is either too moist or too dry, and the toppings are always sparse.
As a person who loves pizza–I mean really loves pizza–and could probably eat it for every meal every day , I was seriously disappointed when I moved here from Ohio and found that I actually preferred to eat chain pizza and that it’s very hard to find here and almost impossible to get delivered.
Luckily, there’s a Domino’s around the corner from my office, and luckily, all of my co-workers and I were curious about this new recipe they’ve been touting that supposedly includes:
• Buttery, garlic-herb crust
• A robust, spicy sauce
• Real cheese (hmm?)
So we had 20 medium two-toppings pizzas delivered last Friday, and here’s how mine looked:
That’s pepperoni and bacon, which I realize means there was no way this pizza could be bad, but I’m convinced this would have been a delicious pizza even plain. Let’s break it down:
• Buttery, garlic-herb crust? Check. The butter and herbs are actually visible on the crust and are evident in every bite. The crust wasn’t soggy, but it wasn’t so hard you had to rip it apart with your teeth. The garlic was very present, so I didn’t even need any of the dipping sauces it came with to give it a kick.
• Robust, spicy sauce? Definitely. Not spicy as in hot but spicy as in full of spices. And there was plenty of it, too, which is another complaint of mine when it comes to New York pizza.
• Real cheese? I didn’t notice a flavor change, to be honest, but there was definitely a lot more of it, and that’s important to me.
The toppings were abundant, the crust was thick on the end and thinner underneath as it should be, and . . . oh, yeah, did I mention it cost $5.99 for the whole medium pizza because we did the 3-for-$5.99-each deal? Like you’re going to resist that, no matter how you felt about Domino’s before.
I’d still probably list Pizza Hut as my favourite chain pizza, but Domino’s is certainly #2 for me now. If you can get past your elitist feelings about not dining at some local pizzeria that’s been serving the same flavorless crap for 150 years, I think you’ll like it, too. (Although you’ll note that I’m posting this on a Friday, when no one reads blogs, so fewer people will see how non-elitist I am.)
*Except for Two Boots, which was founded by people who love Cajun food and is therefore not normal.
26 Comments
Tina
I’m getting this tonight. Thanks for culturing me. Hahaha
plumpdumpling
And now you can start your own food blog.
You know what I really miss, though? POKEY STIX. Especially the buy-one-get-one-free-on-Tuesdays deal. Sophomore year, my roommate and I used to eat an entire box of Pokey Stix each every Tuesday night. And more than once, we accidentally exploded their awesome ranch dipping sauce all over our floor and considered licking it up. Ahhhh, memories.
Sandy
When you tweeted that how people feel about chain pizza affects whether or not you’ll be friends with them, I thought you were judging me for liking it. I love STL-style pizza, but sometimes I want some chain crap.
plumpdumpling
I usually feel like chain crap. Last weekend, Kamran made me order some Zagat-rated brick over stuff from down the street, and all I really wanted was some stuffed-crust from Pizza Hut.
So no, I don’t judge.
Heesa Phadie
Thank you for coming out and saying it. I mean…I don’t know if I’d go as far as you have but there is certainly nothing wrong with a good chain pizza. I hate when people act like they would NEVER eat a Papa Johns or Domino’s. I mean…it’s sort of like McDonald’s…shit is like crack…don’t tell me a McGriddle isn’t the most amazing thing you’ve put in your mouth before 10:30 AM.
Anyways…I haven’t tried the new Domino’s but glad to see that you enjoyed it. That’s a whole heap of pizzas. How many people were you feeding? You were able to $6 for all 20? That’s a great deal! You’ve got me craving a bacon/pepperoni pizza right now.
P.S. I love how you can seamlessly go from Craftbar to Schnitzel & Things to Metrazur to Dominos…you’re one of a kind :)
plumpdumpling
One of my co-workers brought me a McGriddle once just to try, and I sure wish she hadn’t. Because yeah, it’s crack. Or worse than crack, because it has 80 grams of fat or whatever.
Each person got his own pizza, so I was feeding 20 people. They have a coupon on their website for 3 pizzas or wings for $5.99 each, but I guess once you pass 3 items, anything else you add is still $5.99. Meaning you don’t have to order just in multiples of 3. And no one will blame you if you find yourself ordering five pizzas for just yourself every Friday night.
That’s, like, the greatest compliment ever. I a country girl at heart, but I just want to try everything now that I live in the city.
Bachelor Girl
I’m really happy that I’ve finally met someone who likes pizza as much as I do. Like you, I could eat it for every meal. The Guy likes pizza well enough, but I suspect he’s beginning to see my every-day-all-the-time pizza cravings as weird. “What do you want to eat?” I’ll ask. “Whatever you want is fine with me, baby,” he’ll say. Then, before I can open my mouth again, he’ll quickly add, “But not pizza again.”
plumpdumpling
Same here! Kamran used to ask me what I wanted for dinner, but now he asks what I want for dinner other than pizza.
I’m so sad we’re not dating each other.
Kim
I like Domino’s Rustic Pizza! Otherwise, though, we’d probably fight, and you’d win, because I am no pizza connoisseur. I love the pizza in NYC. My favorite pizza comes from MA, though – http://www.theuppercrustpizzeria.com. Allegedly their recipe was ripped off from another MA establishment. Whatever. Mmm pizza.
plumpdumpling
Rustic pizza? I haven’t even heard of that. BUT NOW MUST HAVE IT.
As much as I don’t like the flavor of NYC pizzas, I love that whole folding thing you’re supposed to do as you eat it. It makes me feel extra-gluttonous.
knittinglizzie
I had never had Domino’s before NYC, but its the cheapest/easiest pizza to get here in Washington Heights. It is indeed delicious. It’s no Donatos (which next to Rotolo’s, a Columbus chain, is my favorite) but it totally feeds the chain pizza craving.
MY FAVORITE PART IS THE TRACKING ON THE INTERNET. “Jesus is putting your pizza in the oven. Jesus is checking your pizza for accuracy. Rudi and your pizza are out for delivery.”
You can even post it to Facebook. Like I’m going to share with everyone I’m eating a shame pizza…
plumpdumpling
I went to the Rotolo’s website, but I don’t recognize the logo, so maybe I didn’t eat there in all of my years in Ohio. Which makes me sad. I like the spiciness of Donatos, but I don’t care much for thin crust, and I don’t like middle pieces that have no edge crust. I’m the only person I know who feels that way, though.
But yeah, the tracking is genius. I’m a little upset that the son of God has been making your pizza, though; I only ever get some guy named Segundo.
I will totally “like” your pizza order when you get brave enough to post it to Facebook.
Tracey
plumpdumpling
That’s so true, but you know I like shocking the snobs. Although I did wear suede boots instead of Chucks to dinner last night.
Tracey
Because you’re so paranoid about being turned away from every restaurant you visit now?
Although, I’m sort of sure Tom would let you in no matter what. He’s surely aware of your undying love for him, right?
plumpdumpling
Maybe! Since I don’t have my voicemail set up, I missed the confirmation call from Colicchio & Sons on Friday and spent all of yesterday worried they were going to give our reservation away. I was ready to bash some heads when we got there.
Tom evidently thought it more important to spend Valentine’s Day weekend with his family instead of me, so I’m not sure he reciprocates my love.
Tracey
I should also mention that Dan and I tried Domino’s new pizza last weekend, and even though we found it to be an improvement over their old recipe, we still prefer the Brooklyn Style. Not sure if you’ll agree, since you’re a crust-lover, but we like how the thinner, floppier Brooklyn crust sort of fades into the background so you can taste the toppings more. The extra garlicky crust in the new recipe took too much attention away from everything else for our taste.
plumpdumpling
You two and your advances palates. I still contest that I haven’t really had the Brooklyn style, so maybe I’ll have to try it one of these Fridays. It just seems so ironic to order something by the name of Brooklyn from a Michigan chain when you LIVE in Brooklyn.
Niko
I would agree with you that people are too quick to trash pizza chain pizza however, I have to ask if you have tried the best pizzas NYC has to offer? Motorino, DiFara, Patsy’s or Totono’s in Coney Island (reopening any day now after a fire) These are some pretty damn good pizzas. Check out the blog Slice NYC….
plumpdumpling
Motorino is my next-door neighbor and is okay, but I never crave it. Patsy’s is right up the street from my boyfriend and is forgettable. Totono’s (the Murray Hill location) was awful the first time I tried it but impressed me a little bit when I tried it for the second time two weekends ago because of the sheer number of toppings they put on it; I plan to review it for this site soon. I didn’t care for Grimaldi’s, either. I haven’t had DiFara or Artichoke yet, though, so there’s still hope for me.
I swear I’m not trying to dislike them!
Christine @ Fresh Local and Best
I’ve heard the formula has been improved. Good to know that Domino’s pizza is at least decent. It’s one of those things I’ll have to try for myself.
Chou
Tracey, I have an academic crush on your graph. It’s soooo cool. Have you thought of submitting it to graphjam? This post is so timely, my hubby just walked up and said “you know what I’m craving? Frozen pizza!” Domino’s may be the answer . . .
plumpdumpling
I doubt the Domino’s marketing team would like to see you using their pizza as an equivalent to frozen, but I totally second your husband’s sentiment. And someday, I’ll live in an apartment with a freezer big enough to actually hold a frozen pizza.
the Greg
What happened to the Noid?
plumpdumpling
Okay, now I reeeeeeeeeeeeally want to play the Noid computer game from the 80s.
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