Pizza Quest Houston: Pizza Rome

PIZZA ROME

My quest continues. Let me start by saying that this search for the best slice in Houston isn't to restate what we already know. Star Pizza is tops. Barry's Pizza downtown has a great deep dish! I'm searching for the places we don't have on speed dial. These might not be new to some, but there is just too much out there.

.............

I come across Pizza Rome by accident. Formerly Pizza Venise, Pizza Rome is a small sliver between a Smoothie King and probably a tanning salon at Montrose and Hawthorne. To be honest, I am turned off when I first see it. Then I remember that one of my all time pizza eateries is located in a little strip mall in San Marcos, TX (Zen's Pizza WHAT!). I will give it a go. The parking lot is tiny. I don't understand what these property owners were thinking when they developed the parking situation. I bail and plan on ordering via delivery.

First thing first: It's f-ing 2009. Get a website! That is my only beef with Pizza Rome. I appreciate taking me back to 1995 when I would only rely on word-of-mouth when it came choosing restaurants, but for realz. So I called up the other members of Pizza Pizza Pi to gather at my place for the second leg of Pizza Quest 2009. {Editors Note: Pizza Pizza Pi is a two-man pizza fraternity created in San Marcos, Texas in the Fall of 2003} My Pizza Pizza Pi man comes over with a couple people bearing gifts in the form of New Belgium Abbey. I accept.

With no menu to chose from, I dial and have the poor girl go over every specialty pie the restaurant offers. She goes over the basics and continues to rattle off recent custom orders. What a sweetheart. As she runs through her list, blue cheese catcches my ear's eye. I order the ROME PIZZA and the SUPREME PIZZA.

The Rome Pizza is where its at. The blue cheese and artichoke heart combo, on its own, make me want to vomit each slice up and eat it again. It is packed with black olives tomatoes, purple onions and mozzarella. I can't get enough...and I have to share. Sucks. The Supreme is the typical supreme. It's a good pie, but nothing special: sausage, pepperoni, black olives, green peppers, onions and mozzarella. The crust is a little droopy for my liking, I wish both had more time in the oven. But where the crust lacks, the toppings deliver, pun intended. Both are fresh and plentiful. I appreciate the top heavy pizza. Don't we all.

I hear the lunch specials are great. Need to tap that. If you live near or around the Montrose area and you are planning a night in, call up Pizza Rome and have her read you the menu.

Pizza Rome
3407 Montrose Blvd
Houston, TX
713.520.9090

P.S. I promise better pictures from this point forward.