This Just In...

There are words in the English language that are overused. One of them is “awesome.” A standard rule is that the younger you are, the more you utter the word, “awesome,” because it’s just so awesome to say awesome.

Another word used excessively is, “best.” He’s the “best.” She’s the “best.” They’re the “best.” It’s so awesome it’s the best.

When I was News Director at WTMJ Radio, one of my program directors, a good guy by the name of Steve Wexler used to preach that when we were on the air discussing/promoting/teasing upcoming stories or talk show topics, we’d better be able to deliver what we were promising.

“COMING UP ON NEWSRADIO 620 WTMJ, THE GREATEST ACT OF KINDNESS IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND. WTMJ NEWSTIME….7:33.”

That is NOT what Wexler had in mind.

Hyperbole often occurs in the subjective culinary world. Culinary no-no #63 was a perfect example. No, that burger didn’t change my life.

There is, I don’t want to say danger because that would be an exaggeration, but a definite risk when so-called food experts take on the challenge of selecting the “best” (there’s that word again) of a particular category.  The Food Network just broadcast a special called, “Top American Restaurants: Bon Appétit Picks the Best.” Food Network presents Bon Appétit magazine's best picks for American eats.

Can’t you just smell trouble brewing? Do you envision chefs tossing aprons at their TV sets? Would you like to be in charge of reading the Food Network’s e-mails?

Bon Appetit’s “experts” chose America’s “Best” Restaurants for steaks, burgers, ribs, tacos, fried chicken, and …….pizza. This edition of Culinary no-no will focus on the magazine’s choice for the best pizza place in America. Remember, this is the better than anybody else, numero uno.

Take a guess where this primo pizza palace is located.

One immediate guess would have to be that deep dish variety from the Windy City.




If you pick Chicago, that leads to an all-out shouting match with aficionados of the New York style pie.

So what city did Bon Appétit Magazine choose as having the best restaurant for pizza?

It would have to be Chicago…….or New York, right?

No no.

Try…..

Phoenix.

As in…

Arizona.

Bon Appétit Magazine selected Pizzeria Bianco as the restaurant with the best pizza in America.

 

Owner Chris Bianco is portrayed and described in the Food Network special as having a tremendous passion for his business and for crafting pizza.

He makes his pies in a traditional brick oven that result in an amazing crust.

There is the Margherita Pizza...


 


The Rosa has Arizona pistachios.

The Sonny Boy has salami and olives...





The Wise Guy has plenty of fennel sausage...


 

Gotta admit, that one loaded with sausage looks mighty tempting.

Okay, I sense a bit of uneasiness on the part of readers. Yeh, this is all fine and dandy, Kevin, but what’s the no-no?

My wife, Jennifer was out of the room for a few moments while we watched this TV special and I caught one of the many rapid fire shots causing me to yell to my wife, “I can’t believe this….it looks like one of their pizzas is full of green beans.”

It wasn’t long before we learned what exactly was on that pie. It wasn’t green beans. It wasn’t asparagus. But it was green, and patrons and the program host spoke with high praise about the Biancoverde.

The Bianocverde had three cheeses: fresh mozzarella, parmigiano reggiano, ricotta.

But what about that green stuff?

It was arugula.

Nice three cheese pizza right out of this beautiful brick oven, covered with a salad.


  

Right about that time, some patron was bragging about the Biancoverde and waiting in line just for the chance to order the arugula pizza. And that's when the culinary no-no bells and whistles went off.

The Food Network Channel camera panned the line waitng outside to get into Pizzeria Bianco that doesn't take reservations except for parties 6-10, no larger. The line went on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on.

People wait in line, some for this....

.....a green pizza, for more than THREE HOURS.

This is Phoenix, folks.

110 degrees.

Standing outside with the masses.

Three hours.

For pizza.

No way, Giuseppi.

I don't care if my pizza is delivered to my table by these servers, I'm not waiting for three hours for salad greens or anything else on my pizza.

It just goes to show that even the experts aren't always right. Their choice for the best ribs was a place from Illinois.

The Food Network Channel special will be re-broadcast if you can stand the nauseating  host Alton Brown.

To read previous Culinary no-no’s, please click CULINARY NO-NO under my TAGS section.