Lately with all the great weather we have had, cooking is more appealing since the stovetop doesn't make the house feel like a sweat box. With the breeze in the windows, air conditioning is now optional. Cool melons, salads and fresh recipes that are no fuss, eating is simplified. Food is ,frankly, either very exciting or simply "of necessity".
However, every once in a while, especially in the summer, it's nice to just order pizza. We're surrounded by many options right in our neighborhood. With the mom and pop style eateries in many communities maintaining popularity, it's no surprise that you likely know a connoisseur of pizza pies. Not just a picky eater, but someone who knows that the combination of sauce, chees and dough is more of an art form than a Monet.
What's even more creative is how to stand out in an economy a lot of people would be wary of in a market that already has a pizza joint (sometimes two or three) on every major street. With a vote of confidence in North Highlands and laughing in the face of a post recession, someone opened a new spot to the neighborhood. Welcome Elite Pizza to the former Domino's location next to Bank of America.
The first time I went in it was going to take way too long for one of their "pizza sandwiches" so I decided I would give them another chance. At a time when I could call ahead and order - which took 10-15 minutes according to the man on the phone - I chose the # 1 Pesto Pizza with artichokes added on.
I'll tell you how the slice was in a minute, but first consider this: Elite Pizza is coming into a neighborhood with an estrablished pizza following. Be it Round Table or Mountain Mike's, everyone has their favorite. However, the steepest competition comes from the long standing "Superb Pizza" on Watt Avenue, near A Street.
A crispy, tender crust with gnerous toppings, Superb's owners deliver a great Combanation, Hawaiian and Chicken with Garlic Sauce. Any pizza can also be made into a calzone. Their salads are fresh and inexpensive, and they have specials running all the time so the price is right.
Here are a couple of things to compare and contrast: Superb -- A calzone special with a soda is 5 bucks vs Elite -- Without a coupon its 5.49 for a personal pizza, no soda.
Superb has been in business more than 20 years.
Elite's owner has been in business 15 years and also runs another pizza place, Millano's near Downtown Sacramento.
Elite & Superb both have chicken wings and strips, Mozzarella sticks and garlic bread. Elite has jalapeno poppers for 3 bucks. Superb carries home made lasagna.
Elite's pesto was yummy, and the crust was also very good. This pizza has no meat so for those of you who are carniverous, you can add meat; but it may not be worth the surcharge. I'll not go so far to say that one is better than the other (I'll leave that to my pizza heroes, those who know a Chicagoan from a New York slice), but I commend anyone who can keep succeeding after more than two decades in business (Superb). And I cheer for anyone (Elite) who will put a step of faith forward and keep our local shopping centers from being victim to blight and for rent signs, and keep the "OPEN" signs on.