Pizza Profile: Palermo’s Whole Wheat Pizza

by Third Ave Hooligan

I’m not one who believes pizza could be (or really should be) a healthy meal.  Then again, I am also a firm believer in the ideology that pizza should only be made by Italians (see our Liberty Square’s Mediterranean pie review).  I’ve heard some great reviews by others about a whole wheat pie made by Palermo’s, so the missus and I decided to be adventurous and give it a whirl.

Just upon calling for a pick-up order, the voice on the other line was friendly and inviting.  I could sense a smile on the other end of the phone.  When I picked up the pie, it was piping hot and the gentleman on the other side of the counter was kind enough to double-check that my pizza was properly topped with peppers and onions.

Upon initial inspection, you can’t even tell that the super-thin crust is made of healthy whole wheat.  The gang at Palermo’s also does a great job at piling on the toppings, but not adding too many that they’re falling off your slice when you liberate it from the rest of its compadres.

The sauce is slightly sweet, but in no way overpowering, and the cheese is plentiful.  The wheat-yness of the crust is unnoticeable until you get to the very end of the slice.  Sadly, that’s where the pie lost me.  One of my favorite parts of pizza is getting to crust and the dryness of the wheat flour did not make me want to eat the whole slice.  So, dare I say, I didn’t eat the whole slice of pie.  My wife, on the other hand, ate my crust AND ate the man-imum (3 slices for those of you who don’t know).

Another drawback is the price, the whole wheat is not cheap ($16 with 2 toppings) and only available as a large.

IMHO, there’s nothing better in life than a slightly greasy slice of ‘za and a cold beer, but I have to say that Palermo’s whole wheat pizza made me a believer that a restaurant specializing in Isreali and Mediterranean cuisine can make a fine pizza that has some healthy qualities.  I’d suggest that rather than having a beer with this pizza, you have a glass of red wine.

Six out of eight slices, because it’s heart-healthy.

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admin, February 28th 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Pizza Profile

Big Green Limousine at the Bistro on Bridge (2/27)

by Washington Washington

Phoenixville’s own Big Green Limousine will bring their old school pop punk assault to the Bistro on Bridge this Saturday at 9PM. It’s a $5 cover, but you’ll also be treated to special guest Metal J.

Back in 1994, BGL began playing shows in basements and wherever they could find an ear (or two). After recording a demo, the quartet quickly gained an impressive following of fans and friends. The following several years were challenging as BGL sought to find their own sound and maintain permanent members. Guitar and bass players came and went…each leaving their individual mark on the evolutionary process. Skip ahead to 1999, where the remaining original members (Chris Noecker and Corey Reid) found their connection with local musicians Tom Woods and Andy Miller, fusing their line-up and forming a collective vision.

Big Green Limousine’s live show is a flurry of hard rock pop songs, laced with a driving, melodic, punk edge. Music, stage props, and the occasional costume rental have made BGL one of the area’s premiere hard rock acts. Every performance is different from the last, due in part to the band’s absolute demand for attention. Irreverent humor, audience participation, and loud, fast music are all staples of a BGL show. Their enthusiasm for performing has enabled them to sell thousands of demos, t-shirts, and other merchandise in nine different states.

To further promote the Big Green Limousine experience, the band decided to enter the studio and cut an album. With the help of producer Frank Phobia, mixer Joe Mattis of Pumptown Studio, engineer Matt Edgecomb of LVC Studios, and mastering by Tom Volpicelli, Big Green Limousine recorded their first release 40′s, Beef Jerky and Porn.

Big Green Limousine’s shameless self-promotion and attention to detail on a shoestring budget have gained them an ever increasing following and respectable sales. Their latest release, Title Track Conspiracy, can be purchased here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bgl

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admin, February 26th 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Craft Brew Night @ the Pick: Cleveland’s Great Lakes Brewing Co. (2/25)

by Third Ave Hooligan

Cleveland was recently deemed the nation’s most miserable city (see http://tinyurl.com/yldp7oa), maybe it’s because they haven’t hosted MTV’s Real World yet. Personally, I don’t know why they could be so miserable, I mean, its got King James, Shaqtus (despite his new crappy Comcast commercials with the humungous head of Ben Stein) and Antwoin Jamison on the Cavs, who can make a serious run at the NBA crown, the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, the Drew Carey show and it was the birthplace of the Cleveland Steamer.  Regardless, the Pick will be featuring three brews from the Forest City’s finest Great Lakes Brewing Co. this Thursday night (2/25) starting at 6.

The featured trio seemingly runs the gamut with n lager, an IPA and a porter.  Great Lakes’ Dortmund Gold Lager is the brewery’s flag ship beer and is made in the same manner as beers in 19th Century Dortmund, Germany.  The beer’s name “reflects the unprecedented accolades and recognition it has earned in major worldwide beer tasting competitions” and is neither too hoppy nor too malty, according to the brewery.  More specifically, the company describes the 5.8 % ABV Dortmund Gold as “a smooth lager that strikes a delicate balance between sweet malt and dry hop flavors.” Ziggy zaggy ziggy zaggy oy oy oy!!!

The Commodore Perry IPA is described by Great Lakes as a pale ale that was exported to the multitude of British soldiers, colonial administrators and settlers in India. This pale ale style was a strong candidate for shipping due to the high potency and high level of attenuation.  With an ABV of 7.5 %, this sounds like a tasty brew if you’re a fan of IPAs.

Lastly, the dark selection is the Edmund Fitzgerald Porter.  For those of you who don’t know about the Edmund Fitzgerald, the freighter sunk while in Lake Superior in November 1975 without first sending a distress signal.  According to Wikipedia, the vessel’s crew of 29 perished with no bodies being recovered and when the wreck was found, it was discovered that the ship had broken in two. The ship was also immortalized in a 1976 song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Canadian folkie Gordon Lightfoot. The Fitzgerald beer is a British-style porter with a 5.8 % ABV.

Well, depending on how Great Lakes’ selections taste, Cleveland could at least have good beer to drown their sorrows.  Hopefully the snow blizzard won’t interfere with this bi-monthly event.

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admin, February 24th 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , ,
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