Does a place have to be well-known to be any good? How about those hole-in-the-wall joints? Are they worth trying?
Pequod's Pizza is a hole in the wall if there ever was one. If you're wondering, what's up with that name, "Pequod" is actually a fictional whaleship that appears in Moby Dick. Well, step inside Pequod's and you feel like you're in someone's basement, circa 1970s. The small dimensions and wood paneling decor help maintain that retro feel.
That being said, there's nothing shabby about this pizza. Try both the thin crust and their special deep dish. The thin crust is actually closer to a medium crust. It's slightly thicker with more of a bread-like texture than most thin crusts. The pizza is topped generously with cheese, spicy sausage, pepperoni, and a sauce that is thankfully not sweet. Without that medium crust. all that goodness would have fallen off.
But deep dish is the star of this show. The bottom of the crust is thick and crispy on the outside, and soft with a bread-like texture on the inside. Often with deep dish, the bottom crust gets soggy from all the toppings, but this one holds up wonderfully. The toppings are very generous, and the spicy sausage is a winner.
But what makes this deep dish special is that they caramelize the crust. The outer crust is covered with cheese and then browned around the edges.
Don't let the looks deceive you. Pequod's Pizza may feel like a '70s throwback, but once you taste this pie, Happy Days will be here again.
Pequod's Pizza has a Chicago and Morton Grove location. Click here for more information.
Read more of Hungry Z's reviews at Hungryz.com and the NBC Chicago Street Team blog.
