Went to Joe’s Pizza (16th Street between Walnut and Sansom) on Tuesday with my man D-Mac from Philadelphiawilldo. First off, the ordering process at Joe’s challenges Pat’s steaks in intimidation. Surly looking Italian people give you a hard stare as they wait for you to place your order, letting you know that your diddling is costing them and everyone behind yuo in line valuable time. But Joe’s isn’t known for it friendliness, it’s known for it’s pizza. I got two slices. I started with a bruschetta slice. Big chunks of sliced tomato and mozzarella on top of a regular slice. It went down quickly, and I started on slice number two. It was a variation of the “Hawaiian pizza” theme, with pineapple and pepperoni instead of ham. This, this was the best slice I’ve had so far. The pineapple was juicy, the pepperonis brought a little kick that I don’t think you get from ham. The ambiance of the place has also improved since they rebuilt after the fire last year. Still a sort of generic pizzeria, but the red booths make the place seem much less “cafeteria-ish” than it used to. They also gave me a chance to invent the word cafeteriaish. Here is D-Mac’s take: I’ll give Joe’s 3 pepperonis out of 5. I know lots of people love the place, but I wouldn’t put it in my Top 5. It’s kind of hit or miss, and sometimes overcooked. Nonetheless, the cheese is good, the slices aren’t too greasy or cheesy. (Cheesy meaning “too much cheese that slides off” not “lame” — but the slices aren’t lame, either.) I liked it a little more than D-Mac did. I’m gonna give it the illustrious three and a half pepperoni mark (out of 5). Alright, now I’m off to NYPD pizza. I’ll have a report this afternoon.

First off, I have to admit, I have probably eaten at Lorenzo’s ten times as many times as I have eaten at any other pizza establishment in the city. When I first moved to Philly and was dirt broke, I lived on 6th and South, so I regularly ate a $2 dinner down the block. And on Tuesday nights, after I finish at O’Neals, I grab a quick slice for dinner before I head to the Bards. So obviously Lorenzo’s has to have something going for it. But I’m not sure what it is, besides the cheapness and the swiftness of the purchase, as well as a little nostalgia (It was, after all, where he was accosted by the paparrazzi while out with Jersey Girl). I mean, the pizza itself is good, and on some occasions it is great. But it can be a little inconsistant. Palestra Jon and I went on Monday night. The line was short, and we each grabbed a slice and went to the back, where they have placed giant mirrors so you can watch yourself eat. I don’t like watching myself eat.

Of course, part of the charm of Lorenzo’s is the fact that you cannot have anything on your pizza. Anything. At all. Got it? I’ve heard people say that the employees are rude, but I’ve never found that to be the case. Of course, I’m usually there on a Tuesday night, when things are kind of slow. But the dude is always nice to me. Back to the pizza itself. On Monday it was fine. Not amazing, but perfectly good. Here was Jon’s take: I gave it 3 burps….same standards as pepperonis. My evaluation….consistent above average pizza…good cheese, sauce too sweet. Jumbo slice perfect for heavy drinking. If I am just sitting down and eating a slice, this is decent but not great pizza. I think John hit the nail on the head. Three pepperonis it is.

On March 21, 1980, JR Ewing was shot by an unseen assailant. That assailant turned out to be a character named Kristin Shepherd, who was played by the daughter of what famous singer?

Hey gang, as you know I am in the midst of THE GREAT PIZZA HUNT 2006. But this is not a mission I can accomplish all by myself. I need people to assist me in eating and judging various pizza spots (I’m only asking you to join me for one spot, not for all of them). Believe it or not, this is not a pathetic attempt by me to troll for dates. I am looking for guys, gals, groups, and even Jerseyites to help me find Philly’s best pie. If you are free at lunch any time and wanna grab a slice, drop me a line. And don’t say no just because I look like a total toolbox in the above photo.