VanFoodies.com

Pizza, the bread and butter of the 20-something age group, is a simple yet magical food. Everything from the sticky cheese to the crispy (as it should be) crust spells deliciousness.

Picture this, a big slice of pie being lifted away from its friends, hot steam pouring out from the edges, strings of mozzarella cheese tugging at the crust, refusing to let go. Next, the scent of tomato sauce and toasted meat slams into your nostrils…

You are drooling now aren’t you?

It’s pretty amazing that for something so easy to make, so many people screw it up so badly. There’s something to be said about finding a decent pizzeria. And I think I’ve just added another one to the good list.

Overview

It was 7:30 on a Friday night, in the dead still downtown of Bellingham, WA, I was driving around looking for a place to fill my empty tummy. For blocks on end it was completely dark and void of life. All of a sudden I see cars parked on the street, some light, and noises that sounded like happy people taking a mouthful of delicious food (might have imagined the last part).

Inside

I pulled over and went in for a look. It’s decorated like a grass hut inside and out. It’s a Hawaiian theme. The restaurant is casual — you order at the counter and sit yourself anywhere you’d like, just like a little hut on the coast of Hawaii. The crowd is pretty young, mostly early to mid-twenties type. It looks like a college hang out.

The menu is pretty short, everything fits on one page. All the pizzas are deep dish, and come in either 6’’ or 12’’ pans. Sandwiches are equally simple — you can go for either a full or half sized piece.

There is also some other stuff appropriately listed under “other stuff”, such as various types of balls, wings, nachos and sides. I didn’t order any so I can’t tell you much about them.

What went in

We ordered a small ‘Da’ Big Kahuna and a small Waikiki, as well as a full-sized Bar-B-Que Killer Pork.

OMFG THE SWEET NECTAR OF LIFE is the only way to describe what the pizza was like. I’m sure it helped that I was a bit hungry but man oh man It’s amazing how much flavour they packed in that pie.

Da Big Kahuna

Too often pizzerias use salt as a substitute for actual flavours, that’s not what happened here. Topped with 5 kinds of meat, Da Big Kahuna is loaded with cheese, fresh tomatoes, onions, green onions, olives, and mushrooms. The amount of ingredients sounds overwhelming, but perfectly suited for the deep dish style. Each bite is like a flavour explosion. The fresh veggies and herbs definitely contributed to this dish.

Waikiki

The Waikiki pizza is seasoned lightly, but the lack of meatiness is made up by other flavours, such as a sprinkle of cilantro (perfect because I’m not a big fan), bacon, and onions. The most intriguing part of the pizza is the French fried onions. Let’s face it, chicken makes a pretty boring topping, yet it’s magically saved by the fried onions. They add a certain richness without overpowering the other fine flavours.

To me, the crust of a pizza is just as important as the sauce, the meats, or the cheese. And they scored big time with their crust. I think it was the way how they sprinkled the cheese around the edge of the crust, and as the pizza got cooked the cheese melted and got absorbed into the crust, making the outside ring crispy and absolutely delicious.

BBQ Killer Pork

The pulled pork sandwich was pretty solid as well. The bread was interesting: it’s soft and sweet. The softness has texture, not at all like the spongy McDonald’s type of bun. The meat was very tender and especially moist. It’s really a great sandwich, it just got outshone by the pizzas.

What came out

The total bill came to $25 including taxes and tips, pretty amazing deal considering it fed three people. The small pizzas are around $6, and one will get pretty much anyone full. This is a very affordable place.

Service

You walk up to order the food and you get your own water from the drink dispenser. The only real service is the food being walked over from the kitchen to the table. There’s no real “service” to speak of. The staff is very friendly and cheerful, but they are closer to cashiers at a fast food joint than servers at a proper restaurant. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing—you won’t have to tip as much.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a good pizza, you have to go try this place. I promise you won’t regret it. It’s worth a drive down south.

2220 James Street
Bellingham, WA

P.S. Did you get my Friends reference?