Tasty Roman Pizza at Ciao Roma

Ciao Roma
Location
: 28 Roytec Road, Woodbridge
Website: https://crpizza.ca/

Ciao Roma is a delightful take-out joint (though they have a couple of tables) that specializes in Roman-style pizza (which features a thick crust cooked in a square pan, also known as pizza al taglio).

Ciao Roma

I tried a couple of slices: margherita, and another one featuring salami, mushrooms, olives, and peppers.

Ciao Roma

Both were quite tasty.  In particular, the crust is great, with a delicate crispiness on the bottom and a good balance of chewiness and fluffiness within.

Ciao Roma

As for the slices themselves, the margherita was tasty for all the usual reasons that margherita is tasty, and the other one was salty, meaty, and satisfying.  This place has been around for several years (I originally discovered it thanks to an episode of You’ve Gotta Eat Here from 2014), and I can definitely see why.

A Delicious Cold Cut Sandwich at Buon Giorno Caffe & Panini

Buon Giorno Café
Location
: 1134 The Queensway, Etobicoke
Website: https://www.buongiornocaffe.ca/

There’s something magical about a meaty Italian sandwich, despite its simplicity.  Just a whole bunch of cold cuts on bread?  Too simple, right?

Wrong.  Especially if it’s as good as it is here.

I was actually planning on ordering the hot veal sandwich, but when I went in, the guy behind the counter sold me on the cold cut sandwich on focaccia, which he said is a Thursday and Friday special. There was something about the way he described it, and his promise that I was “gonna love it!” had me convinced.

Buon Giorno Café

I think they describe it better on their website than I ever could:

This signature sandwich is only available on Fridays. That’s the day we take fresh Rosemary & Roasted Sweet Pepper Focaccia and stuff it with generous layers of Mortadella, Genoa Salami, Capocollo and Provolone and then smother it with hot Muffuletta just for fun. We’ll forgive you if you curse when you try this one. Our regulars have lovingly named this the “F@#*in Focaccia Sandwich”.

I know it seems like they’re overselling it, but you know what?  I don’t think they are.  The focaccia is perfectly soft and chewy, with some nice flavour from the rosemary and the peppers.   The fat stack of cold cuts are all super tasty and really well balanced, the cheese adds a bit of creaminess, and the muffuletta gives it a nice zingy pop that cuts through the richness.  It’s a top-notch sandwich.

Getting a Jaw Workout at the Treadwell Bakery

Treadwell BakeryLocation: 122 Queen Street, Niagara on the Lake
Websitehttps://treadwellcuisine.com/

The perfect pizza crust should be lightly crispy on the outside, with a soft, slightly chewy interior.  Well, the Treadwell Bakery in Niagara on the Lake definitely has the “chewy” thing covered.  They’ve got it covered hard.

On this particular day, they had a couple of types of slices available; the one topped with salami, prosciutto, roasted red pepper, and goat cheese caught my eye.

Treadwell Bakery

The flavours were actually pretty solid; the sweet peppers did a great job of balancing out the salty meats and cheese, and the slice had a garlicky, herby flavour that worked quite well.  It could have used a bit more moisture, but the quality of the ingredients was good; it was a tasty slice of ‘suh.

Treadwell Bakery

Then there was the crust.  Calling it chewy doesn’t quite communicate the enormity of what was going on here.  It was downright rubbery; I was having a hard time even biting into it.  When I say that it was a jaw workout, I’m not exaggerating to make a point.  My jaw was literally sore by the time I finished the slice.  It was nuts.

I still actually kind of enjoyed it, which tells you how good it was otherwise.  But man, that crust.  What the hell happened there??