Luigi's Pizza Parlor
Listen, you Zelda's lovers--before you get all up in arms, just read what I have to say on this pizza. I honestly don't get the apparent legions of die-hard Zelda's fans. I suppose if it's something you grew up with, then I'll cut you some slack. But otherwise people, there are LOTS of better options out there, and Luigi's is unquestionably one of the better ones.
Open since 1953 (with apparently some of the original signage), Luigi's is on Stockton Boulevard, south of Broadway. It's a small place and kind of dark inside, but the minute you approach the building, you get the whiff of authentic pizza crust. Inside, you place your order and have a seat to wait for it. On my first visit, it was the night of the NCAA basketball championship game and the place was incredibly packed and loud for a Monday. We were obviously the first timers, because we sat at the curiously empty table with a great view of the game, only to figure out that it was under an Arctic air vent. That aside though, we drank some beer by the mug and enjoyed the odd views of old drums and instruments above what must have been a bar at one time. Now it's a semi-enclosed seating area.
Our pizza came, and it was a medium (14-inch) with housemade Italian salami ($15.25). The meat was delicious, all crispy from the oven and full of spices like fennel seed. The crust though, was a bit disappointing and tasted like they either didn't let it rise long enough or used baking powder instead of yeast. But I loved the way they cut the pie: held down with a fork while the cook used a pizza wheel to cut individual and oddly-sized pieces from the whole pie. Unusual technique. The crunch of the outer crust was actually very good, despite the dull flavor, and the place seemed to have a constant stream of customers.
On my next visit, I ordered a pizza with chicken and red tomato sauce ($15.25), lasagna ($7.95 and enough for two), and cannelloni (ditto on price and size). The counter guy (there don't seem to be women working there) told me that they make all of their own pizza dough, pastas, and salad dressings. This time the pizza dough was fantastic, and it probably helped that I ordered as soon as they opened at 3 p.m. It had lots of flavor, great texture at the edges, and held up without getting soggy. The topping was chunky and full of chicken and had a bit of spice to the sauce that I liked. There were 13 widely variable slices. The lasagna proved the housemade pasta claim, as it seemed to be made of the scraps used to cut out ravioli (also on the menu with meat sauce or meatballs). There were lots of little pieces, held together with sausage, beef, tomato sauce, and mozzarella. The pasta texture was quite good, but I would have liked a bit more filling like ricotta or more sauce. We did think that it was probably easier to cut because of the smaller pasta pieces, but it was another unusual technique. The buttered bread that came with it was okay, but nothing special. The cannelloni went into the freezer, because we already had way too much food for two people. The menu promised a "succulent combination of beef, sauce, and mozzarella cheese," so I'll have to add a P.S. when I try it.
So for a girl who grew up on the east coast and lived in New York a few times, I'm a big fan of the Luigi's and Giovanni's-type pizzas. I might lean toward preferring the Giovanni's sauce, but I think that Luigi's has got the crust perfected. And for those of you who like a thicker crust, they do that too, at no extra charge, you just have to request it. Luigi's also serves spaghetti, pastrami, meatball, or sausage sandwiches, and garlic bread. Some of the more unusual pizza toppings include Portuguese linguica, turkey bacon, and Louisiana shrimp. Vegetarian options are few and not that exciting, but you can get pineapple and jalapenos for an interesting combo.
So branch out and support a longtime local establishment in a neighborhood that's slowly getting revitalized. And you won't get abused by a waitress just for requesting a table, like at SOME places.
Luigi's Pizza Parlor
3800 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento
456-0641
Sun-Thu. 3 p.m. to midnight; Fri & Sat 3 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Comments
Thank you, Ann. It's nice to hear about good pizza. Also, don't feel like you have to defend yourself for not liking Zelda's, although, the die-hard Z-fans will make you feel like you're supporting the Nazis if you say anything good about any other pizza place in town.
Posted by: sac-eats | April 9, 2007 10:35 AM
Great review, Ann! I am actually a huge Luigi's fan. (Lots of post-softball get-togethers were spent there.) Don't worry about the Zelda's folks. I'm with you on this one. I don't think I've had a bad pizza at Luigi's, and all that homemade ranch dressing just makes it heaven.
Posted by: jrosebud | April 15, 2007 10:19 PM
Hooray for Luigi's! Sorry for being a late comer on this review. I don't get the Zelda's devotion either. I tried it once and I don't get it. That's okay. They have their supporters. I however would much rather support Luigi's or another local establishment Roma #2 out on Folsom Blvd.
Posted by: Teresa | August 15, 2007 8:08 PM
Yay for Luigi's. I agree with your assessment. As for Zelda's, I used to be a big fanatic, raving about the pesto and the crust but something changed 4 or 5 years ago. I cannot eat that stuff anymore, although I have been back several times trying to like it again. I have gotten ill 4 times in a row after eating there. Not food poisoning, mind you but perhaps WAY too much salt. I have a cast iron stomach, too.
Can't wait for Luigi's Slice to open up because we need more by the slice places.
Posted by: craigh | August 28, 2007 4:08 PM