Happy Joe's Pizza and Ice Cream Parlor - Cedar Rapids, IA

3419 16th Avenue SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Phone: 319-396-0626
http://www.happyjoes.com/

Sunday - Thursday 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.;
Friday and Saturday 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Styles of Pizza: Traditional Thin-Crust, Deep-Dish Pan, Chicago-Style
Sauces: "Original", Deep-Dish Pan Sauce, Taco, Italian, BBQ, Alfredo, or Nacho Cheese
Of note: Most locations also serve liquor (helps to deal with the kiddie birthday parties in the next room).

Tasty Tidbit: You say it's your birthday? Happy Joe's believes that all birthdays are special. Let them know and you'll get a giant ice cream sundae for dessert.

Review: My most recent trip to Happy Joe's was about a month ago and I have been putting off writing this review ever since. Why? Simply because I don't have enough words in my vocabulary to describe what it feels like to walk through the doors and into pizza heaven.

Happy Joe's Pizza and Ice Cream Parlor is a fairly common midwest chain with over 60 locations in six states (Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota and Wisconsin). As a child, Happy Joe's was the first pizza I ever tasted and it's thanks to them that I'm such a zealot today. Birthday parties, family events, and ordinary pizza nights were all celebrated with the help of Happy Joe's. In fact, in the early days of dating my future husband, I took him to Happy Joe's on his very first visit to Iowa. The jury's out, but I'm pretty sure the allure of returning twice a year for great pizza was a primary factor when he proposed.

Recognizing the fact that we have such a long history together, I thought my Happy Joe's review might be a little biased. So, I returned with an open mind, a notebook, and a camera to determine once and for all - is it REALLY the best pizza ever?

The menu at Happy Joe's touts your typical pizza fare, but has some lovely surprises as well. "Traditional" pizza lovers might be taken aback to see such specialty pizzas as Happy Joe Special (ham and sauerkraut), Taco pizza, or a Spaghetti Pizza, but every 'za here is done deliciously.

Our most recent visit took us to one of two locations in Cedar Rapids. Being closer to the airport (and our first stop after we arrived in town) it's not the location we'd typically go to, so I was excited to try my objective review on a new joint. We ordered a large Happy Joe Special, a staple for any of our visits, and a Little Joe with onion, pepperoni and sausage. We got there a little after 1:00, right when the all-you-can-eat pizza lunch buffet was ending, and had our choice of tables. (You read that right - an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet. Did I say this is pizza heaven or what?) Soda is served at a do-it-yourself fountain and refills are free and unlimited, so I filled up on Cherry Coke and waited patiently.

The pizzas were delivered in about 20 minutes, and looked (and smelled) as delicious as ever. Real cheese is used and the toppings are always fresh (although some are sure to debate how "fresh" sauerkraut really can be). The large, 16" 'za was cut into 12 narrow slices - perfect for having "just one more piece" no matter how stuffed you are.

The buttery crust was perfect; crispy but not over-cooked. The sauce, cheese, and toppings were all evenly dispersed, not allowing one taste to over-dominate the others. Even my mom, who doesn't like sauerkraut, took a bite and commented on how tasty it was.

I have no complaints when it comes to this pizza, and wish all could be this good. The only drawback to dining in comes when you walk by the ice cream parlor at the end and are too darn full for dessert.

Skeptical? Try for yourself. For a $50 delivery charge with a minimum of three large pizzas (it's cheaper than gas and worth every penny!), you can have Happy Joe's delivered right to your door.

Zippity-do-za,
SupaCoo

Anthony's Pizza and Pasta: Colorado Blvd.

700 Colorado Blvd
Denver, CO 80206
Phone: (303) 316-8651
Website

Styles of Pizza: New York style thin crust, Sicilian thick crust
Service: dine-in counter service, delivery, carry-out

Standout Tidbit: Can't find it? Can't blame ya. Anthony's is tucked away in some sort of odd mall at 7th and Colorado near the CU Hospital. Park in the back, off of 7th Ave, and waltz right in.

Review: I have a problem with pizza.

In the past three months, I have eaten pizza on three continents. I have eaten a myriad of odd toppings. Thousands of calories consumed. And each time I eat pizza I say "Sure Gavin, I'll write a review." But the astute reader will notice that this is my first review.

Yes people, I have been eating pizza and NOT reviewing it. Until, that is, I went to Anthony's Pizza on Colorado Blvd. in Denver this week. Now, my song has changed. The pizza I enjoyed was too good to not review.

Anthony's has a slew of locations throughout Denver, including the Denver Tech Center, where I often (too often by the looks of it) lunch. However, each location is independently owned, and service (and taste) vary from location to location.

Anthony's za is fairly typical of "real" New York style pizza. A large pizza features eight flop-over-your-plate sized slices. The cheese pizza we had this visit was darn near perfect. The crust is thin and tasty (although I thought the butt of the crust was a wee bit dry for my liking). I found the sauce not too sweet, not too bland, and most importantly not too chunky. They top the pizza just right - not weighted down, but definitely not skimpy - an evenly-layered temptation of treats for your tongue.

But alas, nothing's perfect. The bottom of the pizza was so floury (is that a word?) that I had flour all over myself. (I wasn't the only one who thought that.) It's a no-frills joint - the paper plates soak up the grease nicely, but otherwise seem cheap. You order, take a number, fill your own drink, and sit in bright, garish booths to wait. But with this price and a taste that is tough to beat, I'd say they're putting enough effort into the things that matter.

In spite of its chain status, Anthony's serves up a piping hot, grease-laden, delicious pie time after time. For a consistently good pizza, I'd recommend it is one of the better options in the Denver area.

Viva la za!
SupaCoo

Anthony's Pizza & Pasta: Denver Tech Center

6860 S. Clinton Way
Englewood, CO 80112
303-706-1281
Website

Styles of Pizza: New York style thin crust, Sicilian thick crust
Service: dine-in counter service, delivery, carry-out

Standout Tidbit: Obligatory mural of Manhattan skyline with very creepy, giant-sized, ghost twin towers of the World Trade Center super-imposed over the cityscape. The Statue of Liberty holds an Anthony's pizza box.

Review: I find it quite appropriate that the first entry into the Zealots of Za blog is about a pizzeria that is first in the hearts of many a core Zealot. Although the first Anthony's opened in downtown Denver back in 1984, we did not discover it till the fall of 1995 when several of us were working together nearby. When taking a new job south of Denver near the Tech Center back in 2002, I was overjoyed to learn there was an Anthony's not too far away. Soon I had a regular group making weekly pilgrimages.

Now, about the pizza... Anthony's bills themselves as serving New York style pizza. Based on my very limited exposure to real NY pizza in the Big Apple, I think they do a pretty good job even though they aren't using a coal or wood-fired oven (what many would consider a crucial element for true NY-style). Anthony's dough is tossed high and laid out very thin. When cooked, the crust is slightly crispy on the bottom while still a bit chewy inside. The slices are large and best eaten folded to counter occasional floppiness. The application of toppings is usually generous without burying the pie. The sauce is slightly textured and flavorful with spices, but not to the point that it stands out above the other layers. The cheese is very tasty, and we have been told that it is the high butterfat content that causes the random pools of orange fluid on top of the slices. Fellow Zealot, Robin, calls it grease and tries to pat it away with a napkin, while I simply call it "dippin' sauce". The toppings are generally fresh, with the use of non-canned mushrooms being a good indicator. I should also state here that Anthony's also offers a Sicilian pizza (thick crust) and pasta, however, in my ten years of frequenting various Denver metro locations I have never sampled anything beyond the signature thin crust pizza.

The staff during the day at the DTC location is young and friendly, even during the stressful lunch crowd when the line can reach the door. During these busy times there may be the odd missed order, or a sub-par slice (re-heated too much, or not up to proper "big-as-a-plate" size), but if you mention your dissatisfaction, I have found they are more than willing to rectify the matter. This is NOT the case at all Anthony's locations, as I have heard from other Zealots who will hopefully post their findings here as well.

Based on the occasional inconsistency with slices, I have recently (the past 9 months) taken to ordering a whole pie whenever visiting the DTC location for lunch. This way, my slices are always fresh and I get the pick of the pie for size. The only requirement for me to do this is that I have at least one other person eating with me who is willing to go in on a non-meat pizza. I usually say the leftovers are going home to Robin, even though I conveniently "forget" that she isn't a big fan of the shrooms.

As far as the setting, this location is almost 2 years old (they moved from another spot in the shopping center) and it is kept rather clean. There is quite a bit of seating with about 10 booths and again as many small tables. During the warm times, there is also seating on a patio outside.

To sum up... far more often than not, the DTC Anthony's serves up great slices and outstanding whole pies. I'd rather be downtown at location #1, but this is a fantastic alternative in the meantime.

Gavin