Foods from Ricardo's Pizza
Comments
2012 Feb 11
We ordered from here again last night. These guys love me and I swear he was trying to be my wingman, setting me up with the group of young ladies sitting in the front waiting for their wraps.
He looked at me quizzically, then the light dawned and he said, "OH! I'm not used to seeing you with pants on!" I wasn't wearing my kilt like I usually do. This got me quite a few admiring smiles.
Anyway, our regular order of donair with extra veg and a small thick-crust Ricardo's Super Special wasn't quite ready yet and we got to talking.
He had wanted to know why Gabriel's was doing such a booming business over his, so he asked his supplier to bring him some of the product that they order. We did an experiment.
He had sliced the pepperoni the same as his own and asked me to examine both. Gabriel's had a stronger scent of anise, was slightly smaller and had a much more processed look to it. It is also $2 cheaper per kilo. At this point, it wasn't so bad. Then he put them onto a piece of brown paper towel and into the oven. You can see the result in the picture. Gabriel's brand shrunk a markable amount and grease had really soaked the paper. The smell characteristic had changed as well, and not in a positive direction.
I've put this pic on my site if you want a better look. rizak.info/PIX/pepperoni.jpg
His supplier also told him that they had switched the type of cheese they used to use as well. More brick and less mozzarella. I suppose that once you have a dedicated clientele you can change your recipe and just hope that nobody notices.
Anyway, he gave me a deal (as he usually does). I think he just can't be bothered to figure out the taxes. "That'll be twenty, twenty-one and ... uh ... just make it twenty. Okay, see you later my friend!"
;)
He looked at me quizzically, then the light dawned and he said, "OH! I'm not used to seeing you with pants on!" I wasn't wearing my kilt like I usually do. This got me quite a few admiring smiles.
Anyway, our regular order of donair with extra veg and a small thick-crust Ricardo's Super Special wasn't quite ready yet and we got to talking.
He had wanted to know why Gabriel's was doing such a booming business over his, so he asked his supplier to bring him some of the product that they order. We did an experiment.
He had sliced the pepperoni the same as his own and asked me to examine both. Gabriel's had a stronger scent of anise, was slightly smaller and had a much more processed look to it. It is also $2 cheaper per kilo. At this point, it wasn't so bad. Then he put them onto a piece of brown paper towel and into the oven. You can see the result in the picture. Gabriel's brand shrunk a markable amount and grease had really soaked the paper. The smell characteristic had changed as well, and not in a positive direction.
I've put this pic on my site if you want a better look. rizak.info/PIX/pepperoni.jpg
His supplier also told him that they had switched the type of cheese they used to use as well. More brick and less mozzarella. I suppose that once you have a dedicated clientele you can change your recipe and just hope that nobody notices.
Anyway, he gave me a deal (as he usually does). I think he just can't be bothered to figure out the taxes. "That'll be twenty, twenty-one and ... uh ... just make it twenty. Okay, see you later my friend!"
;)
2011 Jul 21
That logo is a riot. Creepy onion eyes!
A friend living a block away introduced me to them, also praising its qualities. Walking in, well, I could be excused for not thinking much, but the pizza was definitely tasty. I tend to prefer thicker crust for the Ottawa/lebanese style (piz'za'za thin crust cuts my gums every single time), and they're only medium-greasy. I forget what we had, but it was tasty. This only means I need to confirm my opinion with another trip. :)
A friend living a block away introduced me to them, also praising its qualities. Walking in, well, I could be excused for not thinking much, but the pizza was definitely tasty. I tend to prefer thicker crust for the Ottawa/lebanese style (piz'za'za thin crust cuts my gums every single time), and they're only medium-greasy. I forget what we had, but it was tasty. This only means I need to confirm my opinion with another trip. :)
2011 Jul 21
A month ago, I moved down the street from Ricardo's Pizza and I didn't ever consider ordering from the place until I read the rave reviews online. The outside is, well, unassuming--not that I have high expectations of pizza places. So, once I read Rizak's review (and a few on Google), I became really, really excited by the prospect of living a few-seconds walk away from a great pizzeria.
So, I ordered some take out for pick up last night with bated breath. Delivery would have officially cemented my status as Ottawa's Laziest Woman, and I couldn't have that.
ONTO THE FOOD, ALREADY: Tried the Maui and Canadian pizzas. Both great. Although I'm a lover of thin-crust pizza, Ricardo's makes a wonderful case for the thicker-crust stuff. It's "greasy pizza" without being greasy. The sauce and the cheese and the toppings taste great. Bonus: It's not so sloppy that the pieces wilt, because the crust is just crispy enough to support it. I sum it up by calling it "balanced." It's just plain good.
HOWEVER, there is a twist: When on the phone, I carefully mentioned that I wanted the special: two large pizzas with three toppings. I confirmed the price, including tax, at $39.50, before hanging up.
When picking up the pizza, the dude tried to charge us more, saying we didn't explicitly use the ingredients to describe the large pizzas, and instead said "one Maui, one Canadian." Apparently, I should have said, "One with bacon, ham and pineapple and one with bacon, pepperoni and mushrooms." It was a bit ridiculous, because I had clearly said "the special" on the phone.
Anyways, I'll be going back again and again, until they know my name and the fact that I like special prices. :)
So, I ordered some take out for pick up last night with bated breath. Delivery would have officially cemented my status as Ottawa's Laziest Woman, and I couldn't have that.
ONTO THE FOOD, ALREADY: Tried the Maui and Canadian pizzas. Both great. Although I'm a lover of thin-crust pizza, Ricardo's makes a wonderful case for the thicker-crust stuff. It's "greasy pizza" without being greasy. The sauce and the cheese and the toppings taste great. Bonus: It's not so sloppy that the pieces wilt, because the crust is just crispy enough to support it. I sum it up by calling it "balanced." It's just plain good.
HOWEVER, there is a twist: When on the phone, I carefully mentioned that I wanted the special: two large pizzas with three toppings. I confirmed the price, including tax, at $39.50, before hanging up.
When picking up the pizza, the dude tried to charge us more, saying we didn't explicitly use the ingredients to describe the large pizzas, and instead said "one Maui, one Canadian." Apparently, I should have said, "One with bacon, ham and pineapple and one with bacon, pepperoni and mushrooms." It was a bit ridiculous, because I had clearly said "the special" on the phone.
Anyways, I'll be going back again and again, until they know my name and the fact that I like special prices. :)
2010 Nov 24
No matter where I move to in the city, I always end up driving to Ricardo's a couple of times a month for a dinner treat.
This is a take-away or delivery only operation as there is no place to sit inside.
The Dragonlady doesn't care for pizza that much, but she loves their donairs. I always ask for extra vegetables and they sure do load them on.
Their special sandwiches like the Joe's Special are made on a thin-crust dough, barely cooked so it is like a thin pita. Yum.
The pizza is the best in the city. I've tried an awful lot of them and I keep going back to Ricardo's. The Texan is fun for a change (ground beef, hot peppers and corn), but I usually end up with the Ricardo's Super Special. It rocks my buds.
I've been going there for about 25 years now and they know me well. When I ask for something off menu, they usually try to accommodate. Garlic bread on a small pizza shell? Sure. Why not. They let me get away with those for a while without paying because they couldn't be bothered to figure out how much to charge me.
I honestly don't know what anything costs there. I just pay it. When you find something you love, you pay what it costs. Of course, now I have to pick up the menu from my kitchen drawer and order out tonight ...
This is a take-away or delivery only operation as there is no place to sit inside.
The Dragonlady doesn't care for pizza that much, but she loves their donairs. I always ask for extra vegetables and they sure do load them on.
Their special sandwiches like the Joe's Special are made on a thin-crust dough, barely cooked so it is like a thin pita. Yum.
The pizza is the best in the city. I've tried an awful lot of them and I keep going back to Ricardo's. The Texan is fun for a change (ground beef, hot peppers and corn), but I usually end up with the Ricardo's Super Special. It rocks my buds.
I've been going there for about 25 years now and they know me well. When I ask for something off menu, they usually try to accommodate. Garlic bread on a small pizza shell? Sure. Why not. They let me get away with those for a while without paying because they couldn't be bothered to figure out how much to charge me.
I honestly don't know what anything costs there. I just pay it. When you find something you love, you pay what it costs. Of course, now I have to pick up the menu from my kitchen drawer and order out tonight ...
2010 Jul 27
Being both consistently delicious and a short walk from my home, Ricardo's is my usual go-to pizza for when I get the craving.
My favourite pizza toppings tend to be somewhat less conventional (e.g. chicken, sweet red peppers, hot peppers), and I am consistently happy with Ricardo's execution of said toppings - particularly the chicken (which, while becoming more common as an available topping, is in many places dried out and tough).
Yesterday I ordered a pizza with chicken, artichoke, and sweet red pepper (a customization of one of the standard off-the-menu gourmet pizza offerings). Very tasty - good sauce, lots of cheese, and good toppings: there was none of the mealiness, toughness, or lack of flavour that I usually find with other pizza places.
Some may find their pizza too greasy. For scale of comparison, it is less greasy than Colonade pizza, but definitely still greasy. My theory is, you want lots of cheesy goodness, a little greasiness comes with the territory.
Only other downside would be the cost. The pizza can run expensive (seems similar in price to ordering from Colonade or the Newport), and they don't do 2-1 pizza (the usual cost reducer elsewhere). But for occasional pizza lovers, it's an oh-so-worth-it treat.
I have also tried the garlic bread in the past, and while pleasant (4 slices, light garlic flavour, not overly loaded with butter), it is probably not any more spectacular than what one could buy at a grocery store bakery.
Older
Pizza 1
2010 Aug 4
Best pizza you'll ever have.You can rally tell these guy make all their own sauces-you can really get hooked on this place. They have these wraps and they bake the bread when you order-A fresh bread and meat or sometimes a greek vegey with feta--oh sooo good.You really get adcted to this place ---got to try it!!!!
Rizak
So much food.
So much good.