Custom pizza creations hit LA Mid-City
Pizza is a staple in a college student’s diet. Whether it’s for lunch or a 3 a.m. snack after a night out, you can never go wrong with a reliable slice of pie. Recently, however, there has been a surge in the consumption of burritos, particularly the kind that gives the foodie a choice as to what they would like in it. USC students need only walk down the street to get their customized burrito fix from Chipotle. But what if there was a way to mix the “do-it-yourself instantly” Chipotle method with good old-fashioned pizza?
Mamma Mia · PizzaRev gives customers the opportunity to create their own pizzas, at a nice location, with a friendly staff, at a low price. – Photo courtesy of South Bay Sparkle
PizzaRev is something you never knew you needed until you’ve actually experienced it — Domino’s or Pizza Hut will never look the same way again. It provides customers with all the ingredients they need to be pizza experts.
The Mid-City location celebrated its pre-opening on Monday and the most recent addition to its growing number of locations in Southern California. The restaurant is hidden at the top of a strip mall complex and if you weren’t explicitly looking for it or in the area already, it would be very easy to miss. The most winding journeys, however, reap the greatest rewards.
Before you order, you are given a brief overview of how PizzaRev works. They do offer a pre-selected menu of pizzas, but it is infinitely more fun to choose your own combination. In fact, the restaurant encourages you to be “weird” with your choices. You only live once. Go for it.
The customer starts out by choosing the crust, normal or gluten-free, and then chooses between four sauces (or they can throw them all in if they can’t decide). Then they decide on a type of cheese before sending the pizza down the assembly line to pile on the toppings. There are 11 kinds of meats and 16 other toppings the customer can choose from, and they have the privilege of piling on as many meats and toppings as the 10-inch base can handle. The toppings are rotated between seasons for optimal freshness and quality.
The pizzas are small enough for one person but also big enough to be comfortably shared between two people. The crust is thin, but strong enough to hold a good number of toppings, and it’s not so crunchy that you question if you’re actually eating a flat taco shell. If the customer wants to stray away from the original tomato sauce, PizzaRev also offers BBQ and white sauces. The white sauce gives the pizza a unique, stand-out taste that seems to get better with every bite. Once the customer is done creating his or her masterpiece, it is whisked into in an open fire-deck oven. In less than five minutes, there’s a freshly baked pizza brimming with the fresh ingredients of your choosing. Keep in mind, however, that orders might take longer if there are many customers.
It’s difficult to judge the tastiness of PizzaRev, given that there are endless combinations of ingredients and flavors the customer can utilize. Each pizza will be different as it is curated to each individual’s taste. One complaint about the eatery is the weakness of the jalapeños, resembling spiceless pickles rather than spicy peppers. But spice aficionados need not fear, for PizzaRev provides its customers a long shelf of hot sauces: Sriracha, Tabasco, Tapatio and many more.
This location is a perfect place to enjoy a meal with friends at any time of the day. It’s spacious with ample seating. Plus, the price can’t be beat: A pizza with unlimited toppings is only $8. This means you can pile a pizza with enough meat and veggies to substitute three meals for a low price. The quality of the food truly is beyond that price. The staff are incredibly friendly and accommodating and will recommend for their favorite combinations if you feel a little overwhelmed. The pizza is made directly in front of you, so you will always be in control of what goes on it.
There are, however, a few negatives. The only crust option is thin, so deep-dish fans might not share the same enthusiasm. There’s is a possibility the vegetables might be slightly undercooked, or at least not as oven-roasted as you’d like, because even though the oven gets up to 800 degrees, the pizza is still in there for only three minutes. Though fresh, the toppings are pretty standard and it would be interesting to see the company branch out and offer more of a selection. Yet it does cater to a variety of dietary needs; whether you are vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free, you will find something to enjoy.
PizzaRev is as close to a handmade pizza as you will get, whether you have a kitchen or not. Its fax and online ordering options are convenient if you don’t have time to stand in line and wait for the pizza to be made. Overall, the quality is excellent and the taste of a pizza with gluten-free crust, white sauce, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, jalapenos, bell pepper, pineapple and low-fat mozzarella is utterly divine. PizzaRev truly is a pizza revolution.
PizzaRev is located at 4550 W Pico Blvd. The location is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.