Papa John's

www.papajohns.com

Mom and I have been talking about ordering pizza from Papa John's for a few days now. The reason? We're not that crazy about it. Now I know that sounds strange, but both Mom and I like to give everything a fair shot, even if we've been let down in the past. Since we'd never officially reviewed Papa John's, we decided to be brave and order a couple of pies for dinner. She called the Broadway location at 5:35 p.m. and spoke with a very friendly, knowledgeable man. By 6 p.m., the pizzas had arrived.

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Mom had ordered a large white ricotta cheese pizza ($14.99), and something called a Meatza pizza ($14.99), which was topped with bacon, sausage, ham, and pepperoni. Since Papa John's always runs the half price special (buy one, get one half off), her total came to:

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Subtotal - $24.37

Delivery charge - 1.89

Sales tax - 1.22

TOTAL = $25.59

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Now, since the subtotal comes to more than one and a half pizzas, I figured out that they must have charged us for the garlic dipping sauce ($.59) and banana peppers ($1.50) that they stuck inside each pizza box. Thanks, but we didn't ask for these and shouldn't have to pay for them. After Dad gave the delivery guy $27 in cash, he brought the pies inside. When we opened the boxes, we thought that both pizzas looked and smelled delicious. With paper plates in hand, we all sat down to dinner.

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We tried the white ricotta pizza first, which had a blend of four cheeses and a ricotta cheese sauce. After trying it, we all came to the same conclusion - it was blah. For having so many different kinds of cheese, we expected it to have more flavor. We've had multi-cheese topped pizzas before and they were usually quite tasty. The pizza didn't taste bad, it just didn't taste as good as we'd hoped.

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The Meatza pie had a lot of flavor due to the four toppings, but the sauce was a little overwhelming. It was as tangy as we remembered from the first time, which is why we didn't care for Papa John's originally. Mom found the pizza to be a little on the greasy side, but that's to be expected when it includes four extremely fatty meats. The Meatza was tastier than the white, but had a bitter aftertaste because of the sauce.

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On the whole, we feel that the crust of the Papa John's pies are quite doughy. In fact, the dough makes it almost impossible to eat more than two slices - even though we tried. It is strange how Mom, Dad, and I all came to the same conclusion when we all have very different palettes. Both Mom and I agreed that Papa John's offers some pretty good deals, but you have to make sure to read the fine print. For example, they have a new promotion where you can buy one large pizza and get the second free. However, it is for pickup customers only. Also, there are some coupons circulating with great deals, but they are for a limited time (sometimes only 30 days). There is a fantastic deal that is going on through the rest of the summer called the 4-4-4 Super Value Deal. You can order three 10" one-topping pizzas; three medium subs; or one 10" one-topping pizza, cheese sticks, and garlic Parmesan bread sticks all for $4.44 each.

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Papa John's isn't a sit down pizza place. The chain is along the same line as Domino's - strictly delivery and carryout. They offer several types of pizzas ($12.99-17.99) including chicken Alfredo, garden veggie, BBQ chicken, rustic Italian, Smokehouse bacon, spicy meatball, and many others. They also have a wheat crust option for those who are trying to stay away from carbs. Papa John's offers sandwiches staring at $4.99 such as meatball, chicken Parmesan, veggie, Italian, and chourico and peppers (local only). Appetizers include wings and chicken strips ($6.49), cheese sticks ($5.99), bread sticks ($5.49), and a few dessert choices.

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Although we didn't hate our dinner, I think we're done with our taste test of Papa John's. We've had their pizza about four times now, and each time we keep hoping that it will be better. Mom and I definitely feel that Papa Gino's is the best delivery pizza chain in the area, with Domino's coming in second. Unfortunately, that leaves Papa John's pulling up the rear. If it weren't for the doughy crust and tart sauce, we may have felt differently. However, I think the Papa John's recipe is here to stay, and that is probably why this will be our last time ordering this pizza.

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This particular Papa John's restaurant is located at 167 Broadway in Fall River. For more information, call (508) 674-5500 or visit the Web site at www.papajohns.com.

Plaza Pizza II

544 Milford Road

Swansea, MA 02777

(508) 673-2626

289 Winthrop St.

Rehoboth, MA 02769

(508) 252-4307

When I was working part-time at a store in the Swansea Mall a few years back, sometimes the girls and I would order in from Plaza Pizza II, located just across the street from the mall. Since most of the girls had fallen in love with their pizza - and the guys who delivered it - I got to taste a few different pies and topping combinations. I hadn't been to Plaza in years, so when Mom mentioned that she had read good things about their pizzas on the Internet, it was almost certain that we would be stopping by some time in the week. Well some time came today when Mom asked me to pick up an order after I got out of work. She called in the order - a large cheese, large chourico, and large veggie pizza - and they told her that it would be ready in about 20 minutes and the total would be $33.08. At 6 p.m., I pulled into the parking area.

When I arrived, I noticed a young lady bolting out the door with a stack of pizzas that smelled amazing. Once inside the restaurant, the intoxicating smell of the cooked food was overwhelming. I gave my name to one of several young men behind the counter, who then retrieved my three pizzas from the top of the pizza oven (placed there presumably to keep them warm). He quoted me the same total that Mom heard over the phone:

Large plain - $9

Large chourico - 10.25

Large 4 way combo (veggie) - 12.25

Subtotal - $31.50

Tax - 1.58

TOTAL = $33.08

Before leaving, I asked the older gentleman behind the counter if he had a menu. He very politely handed me their list of available foods while I received my change from the younger worker. I managed to snap a photo of the soda coolers and few scattered booths (no tables) that were empty at the moment. Although Plaza Pizza II does have seating, there really isn't much of it. I'm guessing that they have a large take-out and delivery business versus customers that stop by to eat inside. The interior isn't very glamorous - wood paneling and a few Greek-inspired posters - but the restaurant was very clean and the service was great, both on the phone and in person.

Although the highway exit is located just ahead of the restaurant, I decided to drive down Route 6 since I spotted a huge traffic jam on I195 on the way up. I was home in about 10 minutes and was glad to see that all three pizzas were still piping hot. I brought them upstairs and Mom opened all the boxes to reveal the gorgeous pies inside. They looked and smelled amazing, and we couldn't wait to dig in. Mom and I let my father and sister choose what they wanted first because we know how impatient they can get (a.k.a, they're pigs and can't wait their turn, ha, ha). When we finally got a chance to get near the boxes, Mom grabbed a slice of cheese and a slice of chourico, and I grabbed the same plus a slice of veggie.

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veggie

chourico

The pizzas were so good! You can tell that they were homemade, and that only the freshest ingredients were used. In all our experience with pizza-eating, Mom and I have come to realize that Greek people make a mean pie. The cheese was perfect - not stringy and gooey - and the guys at Plaza were quite generous with the toppings. The crust had a nice crunch to it, and all in all we were happy with the amount of food we got for our money.

Plaza Pizza II has a lot to offer. From grinders ($4.50-6.75) such as grilled chicken, roast beef, and chourico and chip, to pizzas ($6.26-14.25) like eggplant, BLT, and steak, everything on the menu sounds fantastic. They even have a Chicago-style stuffed pizza ($12.75-16.25) with cheese, mushrooms, olives, pepperoni, sausage, and sauce. I'd love to try their spinach pies ($3) and I've heard good things about their grilled chicken salads ($6.25). They also feature Greek items like cold Syrian pockets and gyros ($5.50). Seafood is also available, but only on Fridays. Mom read great things about their fish and chip platter ($7) and cannot wait to try it.

Stuffed from eating all that pizza, Mom wrapped up the leftovers and put them in the fridge for us to have later on. I am pleased to say that everyone in my family enjoyed our dinner from Plaza Pizza II, and the only downside is that we fall outside of their delivery area. Damn that Braga Bridge!

Plaza Pizza II is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 12-10 p.m. on Sunday.

Aquidneck Restaurant & Pizzeria

27 Aquidneck Ave.

Middletown, RI 02842

(401) 849-3356
www.aqpizza.com

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Aquidneck Pizza used to be one of my favorite summer haunts. An old friend of mine first turned me onto this place and their delicious pizzas, and in turn, I got Mom and my sister on the bandwagon as well. We were all great fans of Aquidneck, even if the place wasn't too pretty to look at. To me, it made dining there more charming. I just adore little hole-in-the-wall places with good food. A few years ago, however, the owners of Aquidneck Pizza shut it down and did a complete remodel. They expanded the restaurant (which was hard to do since it sits on a very tiny island between two busy streets), added a second floor, and gave the whole dining room a more "upscale" appearance. Because of this, the cost of the food went up, and the size of the food went down. After returning to Aquidneck after the remodel, Mom and I - although we still loved the food - were a little disappointed with the change. It just seemed that our little pizza dive down by the beach was now "the AQ" - a trendy restaurant with an upstairs bar and plasma TVs. Missing the taste of their delicious pizza, Mom suggested that we visit again. We pulled into the incredibly small parking lot (maybe fitting about 10 cars) at about 3:30 p.m.

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A redheaded waitress, who we later found out was named Megan, greeted us as we entered and told us that we could sit anywhere. With a choice between the bar area, two tables, and three booths (the fourth one was taken), Mom and I decided to take the solitary booth situated between two large windows facing Aquidneck Avenue. Megan left two colorful menus at our table and asked us what we would like to drink. After both choosing to have a Diet Coke, Megan quickly returned with the drinks in real glasses. During Megan's absence, I noticed a stack of take-out menus on the counter at the front of the restaurant. I snuck over to grab one for our collection. Since Mom and I had been to Aquidneck before, we pretty much already knew what we were going to order. We chose a large pizza - half extra cheese, half Greek ($13.48), and an order of steak fries ($2.99). After Megan left to give the chef our order, she soon returned to bring us two large plates for our fries/pizza. Waiting for our meal gave us plenty of time to notice all the differences between the new and the old Aquidneck Pizza.

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The old Aquidneck Pizza had a variety of booths lining three sides of the dining area. Although the vinyl on some of the booths was starting to tear, the seats were quite cushy and comfortable. There was also quite a few tables in the center of the room that were accompanied by old-fashioned chairs. There was a rug, a tiny television which sat on top of a cooler, and a lack of interior lighting which, in my opinion, made it very cozy. The new Aquidneck Pizza is quite different, and although it's not the old dive I fell in love with, it is very pretty inside. The walls are painted a bright red, while the floor is blanketed with a heavy stone tile. The pale wooden booths are very comfy, the tables are accompanied by black chairs, and the white mini blinds - which were open today - allowed the sun to pour in and customers to look out onto one of the busiest areas in Newport/Middletown. Although the variety of dead plants on the windowsill was quite disturbing, the skinny hanging lights above each booth were quite attractive. Music played softly in the background, lighted beer signs hung in some of the windows, and a large flat-screen TV hung above the trendy, black bar area. A shelf that held a variety of gourmet chips sat in the corner next to a large set of stairs which leads to the upper level, which I've never seen. From what I've noticed when I've driven by at night, I'm guessing the upstairs is used for parties. We even overheard Megan telling another customer about a Confirmation party scheduled upstairs the very next day.

Megan brought over our fries first, accompanied by a bottle of ketchup. The fries here have always been crispy and delicious, and although Mom was able to shove a few in her mouth, they were just too hot for me. I had to cool them down with some ketchup, but they were excellent. Apparently, the fries were so hot that I chugged down my Diet Coke. Megan noticed this, grabbed my glass, and gave me a free refill.

While we were still drooling over the yummy fries, our pizza arrived. Mom's half was topped with extra cheese, and she told me that although she hadn't had Aquidneck Pizza in a long time, the taste of the pizza reminded her of why she enjoyed coming here. She had forgotten how good the pizza was, and this one was no different. Although the pizza seemed smaller than it used to, fortunately the taste hasn't changed. The crust is very light with a nice, crispy edge with almost a pastry-like texture. It is delicious. The sauce is very fresh, more sweet than bitter, and you can tell the chef uses real cheese instead of the fake stuff (i.e., Domino's). The pizza always arrives piping hot, which is a plus for both myself and Mom. My side was covered with Greek toppings - feta cheese, onions, and spinach. The greens were extremely fresh, the feta was tangy, and I've always said that Aquidneck's Greek pizza was one of - if not the best - Greek pizzas I have ever tasted. Now that we've reacquainted ourselves with Aquidneck Pizza, we cannot wait to go back.

You can get pretty much anything you want at Aquidneck Pizza. With a Greek influence, everything we've ever had here has been excellent. Appetizers include buffalo chicken wings ($6.99), potato skins w/various toppings ($6.99), and calamari ($6.99) served with hot peppers and marinara sauce. Soups and salads include the soup of the day (cup - $2.49; bowl - $3.99), chili with mozzarella (cup - $2.99; bowl - $4.49), antipasto ($7.99), and Greek salad ($7.99). You can top any salad with grilled chicken breast or homemade tuna salad for an additional $2. All sandwiches come with lettuce, tomatoes, and your choice of cheese. They are served on your choice of a roll or wrap. Varieties include the Italian ($6.49-7.49), tuna ($5.99-6.99), pastrami ($5.99-6.99), sausage Parmesan ($5.99-6.99), and a gyro on pita bread ($6.99). Burgers include the hamburger ($5.49), mushroom burger with cheese ($6.99), and the Aquidneck Burger ($7.99), which comes topped with bacon, onions, cheese, and BBQ sauce. Club sandwiches include the turkey ($7.99), cheeseburger ($8.49), and BLT ($6.49). If you're looking for something a little heartier, you can order a plate of pasta. All pasta is served with garlic bread and a tossed salad. Choices include the pasta with garlic and oil ($6.99), shrimp scampi ($12.99), lasagna ($10.99), ravioli (cheese or meat - $9.99), and stuffed shells ($9.99). There is also a list of Aquidneck specialities like the baked stuffed eggplant ($11.99) and the teriyaki sirloin ($15.99). Aquidneck also has a list of desserts, and a long list of their speciality pizzas such as the veggie ($10.49-14.99), Hawaiian ($8.49-11.99), the "no cheese please" ($9.49-13.49), and the chicken Florentine ($9.49-13.49). The great thing about Aquidneck is that they also serve breakfast! You can get anything from eggs ($3.29-7.99) and omelets ($5.99-7.29) to breakfast sandwiches ($2.99-4.99) and pancakes ($4.99-5.99).

With some fries and a slice of cheese and Greek pizza still left on the tray, Mom and I decided to take it home with us. Megan kindly placed the extra food in Styrofoam containers and brought over the check. The bill came to:

Large 1/2 and 1/2 - $13.48

Fries - 2.99

2 regular Diet Cokes - 3

Subtotal - $19.47

Tax - 1.56

TOTAL = $21.03

I left $25 on the table for Megan, which included a 20% tip. She was a great waitress. Before we left, Mom and I decided to check out the restroom to see how different it was. This was one change that we both LOVED. This bathroom was out of this world! It had the same black slate color scheme as the bar and the floor, automatic hand blowers, and a button that a handicapped person could use to open the door. What a state-of-the-art facility! It was so large and roomy; I didn't want to leave! Mom felt the same way, but before she went in I warned her to be careful which door she chose. The wooden "M" and the "W" on the wooden doors were a little difficult to see.

With our extra pizza slices and fries in hand, Mom and I headed back to my car. Although the look of the place may be different, the taste of the food brings us back to the Aquidneck Pizza we first fell in love with. I've since gotten rid of the friend who turned me onto this place, but I could never see myself breaking up with this pizza. It's too fantastic.

Aquidneck Restaurant & Pizzeria is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

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RANDOM HISTORY LESSON: In my new favorite book, Weird New England by Joseph A. Citro, there was a page devoted to an ancient structure that stands in Truro Park, Newport, RI. After coming from Aquidneck Pizza, which is in the neighboring town, we decided to drive by and take a closer look at this mysterious landmark. The book describes it as a "maybe" windmill, a.k.a., no one has any idea as to what it really is. Apparently it was standing when the pilgrims first arrived, and even appears on a map of Rhode Island dated 1630. What do you think it is? Mom and I think it could have been an ancient watchtower. Cool, huh?

New England Pizza

North End
345 Robeson Street
Fall River, MA 02720
(508) 675-7100

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South End
210 Tucker Street

Fall River, MA 02721

(508) 675-7459

www.nepizzaonline.com

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UPDATE: UGH! Where do I begin? Should I talk about how I waited almost two hours for a crappy pizza, or should I talk about the rude manager refusing to give me my money back? How about this - I'll start from the beginning.

At around 7:45 p.m. I decided to order myself a pizza. No one else in the house wanted anything, so I decided to place a delivery order from New England Pizza. Since I'd had their BLT pizza once before, and thought it was great, I decided on that. I called the South End number and placed my order. The guy on the phone sounded a bit out of it, but he was polite. He verified my number and then asked for my address. Once that was settled, I ordered a small 10" pizza ($8.99) and my total with tax came to $9.96. Although he kept telling me to hold on a lot, he eventually told me that my pizza would be delivered in 20-30 minutes. I was getting anxious, so at 8:30 p.m. when my pizza hadn't appeared, I called New England Pizza again. I spoke to a man with a heavy accent that apologized for my delay, but informed me that the driver had already left and I should have my food soon. Enough said.

Cut to 9 p.m., and I'm still waiting for the pizza. By now I have perched myself upon my window sill like a gargoyle. Since I live on the third floor, I wanted to make sure that I was able to meet the driver at the door the second he or she arrived. Still, no one came. I gave New England Pizza another call. I ended up speaking with the first gentleman with whom I placed the order. He told me that "someone" wrote the address down wrong and then went to the right street, but the house number didn't exist. Since he didn't want to go around banging on doors, he decided to just go back to the restaurant. He also told me that he didn't have a cell phone. I verified the address with him, and asked him if my pizza would still be hot. After telling me that he wasn't sure, he told me that if it was cold, he would stick it in the oven for me. Fantastic. I had a feeling that my pizza was either going to be ice cold or burnt. The man on the phone said that the pizza would be coming "soon."

At 9:10 p.m., my phone rang. I didn't recognize the number, so I figured it might be the delivery person outside with a cell phone and my pizza. When I answered the phone, it was the guy from New England Pizza. First, he told me that the number he tried to call was not the number I provided him with. Umm ... then how could he have called me? Second, he verified my address as 1266 South Main Street. WRONG! It's not only the wrong house number, but the wrong street! Again, he said the pizza was on its way.

At 9:20 p.m., I called New England Pizza. Guess who answered? That same guy. With Mom and my friend Scott yelling at me to give it up, I canceled my order. I told the dude I didn't want the pizza. The guy then told me that they had already gone ahead and made me a second pizza, and that the driver had already left. Feeling like perhaps this actually may work out, I decided on seeing it through. I told the guy on the phone that I would wait another 10 minutes before canceling. As I hung up the phone, I removed the tip from the $10 that I had sitting near the door. There was no way I was going to pay extra for this meal. You want a tip? Here's one - deliver on time.

At 9:30 p.m., while I was on the phone with Scott, a call came through from a number I didn't recognize. When I answered, the person hung up. In the meantime, I ran to the window to see if it was the driver. There was a car out there, so I decided to run downstairs to see if it was my pizza. While I was running, the call came through a second time. I answered - it was New England Pizza. I told them I was on my way downstairs. When I got there, I exchanged the $10 for my pizza. I shut the door on him before he had a chance to see that his tip was nonexistent. I ran upstairs, opened my pizza, and ... well ... it didn't look like it did before. It looked really, really messy. The lettuce and tomatoes were everywhere like it had just been thrown together about five minutes prior (which is probably true). Either way, I was hungry and decided to give it a shot.

Although I did eat most of it out of pure hunger, I did have to throw a few slices away. The pizza was not that good, and I was totally looking forward to it after a) waiting almost two hours, and b) having it before and really enjoying it. I was angry at myself for even having ordered it in the first place. I decided to do something I never usually do - call and complain.

When I called New England Pizza, I spoke to the man with the accent. I explained the whole story, and he apologized profusely. He then told me that he could give me something free, but it would have to be another time because they were very busy. I told him that, although I never do this, I would appreciate it if he returned my $10. He said no. I asked for the manager, and he told me that he was the manager. He explained that the reason he could not give me my money back was because he already used the ingredients to make me not one, but two pizzas. I told him that it wasn't my fault he had to make two, and I also informed him that the pizza was not good and I had to wait almost two hours for it. He basically told me that was too bad. He kept pushing the free food on me, but informing me that there was no way he was going to deliver anything to me tonight because they were too busy. I told him that all I wanted was my $10 back, and he said he couldn't do it. I corrected him by saying, "You can do it. You just don't want to." He, again, told me that he wasn't going to do it because I already had the pizza. Once again, I asked for my money back. He replied, "I want my pizza back!" After telling him to go in my trash and get it himself, I decided to end the call because it was going nowhere. I hung up the phone now totally furious and took a picture of one of the remaining slices. Compared to the photo below, it looks completely different. There was no delicious layer of cheese holding it all together. This pizza looked like it was put together on the car ride to my apartment. MESS! I will never, ever order from there again.

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Date: 7/5/2007

We first came across the menu for New England Pizza when it showed up mixed in with our regular mail. The menu looked pretty extensive for your average pizza place, and we had been looking forward to trying it one day. Well, that day was today!

Mom didn't feel like cooking, Mallory wasn't feeling well, I'm completely useless in the kitchen, and Dad had fallen asleep after a long day of working, so we decided to order in. Mom and I proceeded to reach into our "menu drawer," which contains various take-out/delivery menus from local area restaurants. After some price comparisons, we decided to try something new and go with New England Pizza. After all, their menu was so well done. Hopefully the food was just as good.

The three of us (Mal opted out) had chosen what we wanted. I went with the 7" personal B.L.T. pizza ($4.49); Dad chose the large (12") chourico and egg grinder ($5.99) with a side of wing zings, which are spicy chicken wings, ($5.49); and Mom selected a 10" extra cheese pizza ($6.99). The total (without tax) was $22.96. Mom called to place an order at 6:30 p.m. Although there are two New England Pizza locations in Fall River, one of the phone numbers (for Robeson Street) had been blacked out, so Mom called the one on Tucker Street. A gentleman quickly answered the phone, but apparently that lightening-speed ended there because Mom told me that he seemed to go into a coma while taking the order. After she mentioned each item, he would say, "Wait a minute." Perhaps he was talking to someone else in the kitchen (she did say he kept leaving the phone), or he was writing it down - word for word. Does it take that long to spell cheese pizza? Aside from that, he was very polite and quoted her a price of $24.46.

While we waited for our food to arrive, I reviewed the menu again. Delivery is free at New England Pizza (minimum $10 order) and, right now, they accept all major competitors coupons (limited time only). The accept all major credit cards and honor their business customers with 15% off on orders of $20 or more. Their appetizer list ranges from a $.99 bag of potato chips, to a plate of buffalo chicken fingers for $5.99. They have salads, grinders, wraps, calzones, pasta, seafood, gyros, dinner entrees, and, of course, pizza. There are 24 different toppings to choose from along with several types of specialty pies. Lunch combo specials are available (nothing over $5), and they also offer catering services as well. New England Pizza is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. The last order is taken a half hour prior to closing.

Our food finally arrived at around 7:10 p.m., which was perfect because we were all very anxious. Dad gave the delivery man $27 and brought the food upstairs for us all to dig into. My B.L.T. pizza was just the right size and was stuffed with bacon, mayo, tomatoes, lettuce - all baked inside the crispy cheese topping. The taste was very smokey and delicious, and the crust was just crispy and buttery enough to compliment the soft filling.

Mom's pizza, although looking a little burnt on top, was just browned enough to contain the extra cheese that she had ordered inside each slice. It worked out well in the neatness factor because she was able to separate her slices without ripping apart all of the other pieces. She also mentioned that there was more cheese than sauce, and that it was very tasty. The crust was crispy, but not hard. Just perfect with the extra cheese.

Dad said that his chourico and egg grinder was delicious. Although his wing zings weren't as spicy as he thought they'd be (which is good for him because he's not a fan of heavy spice), there was an equal balance between chourico pieces and fried egg in his sandwich. He said the bread was great, and we were all glad that everything arrived promptly, piping hot, and accurate.

All in all, we found that New England Pizza is, in our opinion, a lot better than the regular Domino's/Papa John's variety. You can tell that the pizza is homemade, and all the ingredients were extremely fresh. Although we wouldn't put it in our top favorite pizza places of all time, I'm sure this won't be the last time that New England Pizza will be paying a visit to our apartment.

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Tucker Street

Robeson Street

Highland Pizza

797 Robeson St.
Fall River, MA 02720
(508) 675-0591

I had my first taste of Highland Pizza while my sister and I were on a babysitting gig for a cousin. We both fell in love with its crispy crust and the thick, but not stringy, cheese topping. Unfortunately, this place does not deliver, and since laziness runs high in my household, we usually skip over Highland when we're looking for a pizza fix. However, on this day, Mom and I were ready to familiarize ourselves with the taste of this spectacular pie.

Highland Pizza isn't much to look at. In fact, it would be easy to miss were it not for their lighted "Highland Pizza" sign. It's built into a long apartment-esque white building, and I believe they have a shared parking lot a few doors down from the entrance. However, I almost never park in the lot; I always opt for the street parking, which can get pretty cramped as Highland Pizza is on the side of a laundromat and right across the street from a small shopping plaza with a Dunkin' Donuts inside. We Fall Riverites really love our Dunkin', and we'll do just about anything, including double park, to get a sip of that coffee.

Once you step foot through the door, aside from the weird rug with those annoying grooves that make you wiggle when you walk, you will see that Highland is your typical pizza and sub shop. There are orange booths along the back wall and in the middle of the restaurant, and everything is kept very clean by the busy waitstaff. They do a huge take-out business, and when you call to place your order, they give you a pickup number. Today, I was number 98 as Mom had called in an order for a large extra cheese pizza. Although the woman on the phone thought that my mother had said "an extra-large cheese pizza," Mom corrected her and we both hoped that the order was going to be right. The woman on the phone said that the pizza would be ready in 20 minutes.

Cut to thirty minutes later (at 2:30 p.m.), and I was just arriving at Highland after having waited in line to pick up my parking permit for The Great Holy Ghost Feast, which is held right across the street from where I live. I was a bit flustered because I thought that the pizza was going to be cold, but I was happy to see that the pizza had been waiting for me on top of the oven, which kept the pie nice and hot. I gave my pickup number and the cashier told me that the total would be $9.71:

Large pizza - $7.50

Large x-cheese - $1.75

Tax total - $.46

TOTAL = $9.71

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I gave her a $10, took the change (I didn't see a tip jar), and went on my way. I also managed to score a small take-out menu from the cashier. On my way out, I noticed that there were a few people eating inside, and they looked very happy with their lunch choices. When I got the pizza home, Mom and I wasted no time in diving right in.

The pizza looked picture perfect, and tasted just as fabulous. The cheese was just baked enough where it had that crispy texture which helped in holding the extra cheese topping that we had added on. The crust was crunchy and tasty, and the slices were still piping hot, despite my picking it up late. By the consistency of pie, you could tell that this pizza was made with real cheese, and not the fake cheese that gets long and stringy when you try and separate the slices (a.k.a., Pizza Hut).

The prices here are excellent and they range from a $5 small cheese pizza to an $11 large Highland special. Toppings include onion, pepper, meatballs, chicken, pepperoni, hamburg, linguica, pineapple, extra cheese, bacon, chourico, anchovies, sausage, mushroom, ham, Hawaiian (ham and pineapple), and the two- and three-way combos (two-way $6.50-9; three-way $7-9.50). They also have individual slices that you can by for only $1.25. Aside from pizza, they have grinders, hot dogs, hamburgers, spaghetti dishes, and salads, with nothing in these categories costing over $5. Highland also has something interesting that I've never seen before - the pizza cheese salad. Perhaps that will be my next adventure when ordering take-out. Although I do wish that Highland delivered, it is nice to get out of the house once in a while and visit this hidden jewel in Fall River. You won't be sorry!

Fall River House of Pizza

1649 South Main St.

Fall River, MA 02724

(508) 672-3992

This place has really good pizza, and Laura's fond of the jalapeno poppers with cream cheese. Since I'm lazy and don't want to go and pick it up, we almost never order from here because they don't have a delivery service. I guess it's just too much for us to put on shoes and go and get it. When we have been energetic, we were always very satisfied with their pizzas. The prices are very reasonable, and the pizzas have a nice pastry-like crust. They are also very generous with the toppings. We've had the extra cheese pizza, spaghetti & meatballs, stuffed quahog, French fries, onion rings, a taco pizza, and my husband has had a sausage and garlic pizza. The best part is, with every two large pizzas you get a free small cheese! If only we had more energy ...

Vazoni's Pizzeria

457 Plymouth Ave.

Fall River, MA 02721

(508) 837-6522

Vazoni's has great pizza, even better grinders and an assorted of appetizers and pasta dishes all ready for delivery. The only problem is you're going to have to wait a while! I don't know why, but the delivery tends to be a little slow (and we're not even far away). Also, they're price quotes always seem to be a few cents off when they get to your house than what they said on the phone. Other than that, you'll enjoy the food.

Sassaquin House of Pizza

4326 Acushnet Ave.

New Bedford, MA 02745

(508) 998-8889
www.sassaquinpizza.com

I won a $10 coupon on Menujoy.com for Sassaquin House of Pizza in New Bedford. After having a bit of trouble finding it, we came across it and went inside. It was a very small place, but they had a good selection of pizzas and grinders. Laura had a small Greek pizza and I had a meatball sub. We took a seat at one of about three little tables and waited for our order. The service was quick, and food was great. While we were eating, two chubby ladies came in (apparently right from the doctor's office). It seemed that they were both on special diets. They drove the poor man behind the counter crazy asking him if the flour was whole wheat, if the tomatoes were canned or fresh, if he had low-fat cheese to go on the pizza, etc., etc. Hey, this is just a little pizza/sub shop. Leave the man alone! The poor guy tried to answer their questions as best he could, but I say if you're on that much of a diet, don't go out for pizza. Laura and I chomped away happily while we were listening to all this. We didn't worry about a diet ... maybe we should.

Salonika Pizza

842 Kempton St.

New Bedford, MA 02740

(508) 991-2120

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Again, I got lucky and won a gift certificate from Menujoy.com. This time, the coupon was for Salonika Pizza in New Bedford. Since Laura and I had already eaten earlier in the day, we decided to take something home for hubby. We found this place right near my favorite little health food store, Down to Earth, on Kempton Street. We went in and looked over the menu that was over the counter. Salonika is a small place, but they have a nice menu that includes pizzas and subs. We decided to get hubby a large Italian sausage grinder and an order of onion rings. Our wait wasn't long, and the sandwich smelled really good when they brought it out. We handed in our coupon and it almost came out even; all we had to give was a little change. Good deal! When we brought the sandwich home to hubby, he was very happy and said it was really tasty. He really enjoyed it. The next time, Laura and I will go here to try something ourselves.

Ronzio Pizza & Subs

www.ronziopizza.com

If it's any indication as to how good the pizza was, I hardly remember ordering it. Ronzio was only in Fall River for a short time, and I can see why. We already have a Domino's, and it's no better than that. It was a little expensive, and it was your typical cardboard tasting delivery pizza. They're gone from this area ... and I don't miss them.

Rainoni's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria

103 N Dartmouth Mall

North Dartmouth, MA 02747

(508) 999-4402

Rainoni's is located in the Dartmouth Mall in Dartmouth, MA. They used to have their own separate restaurant at the end of the mall, but now they are located in the food court which is at the opposite end of the mall at the cinema entrance. It's been quite a few years since I've gone there, but I remember their pizza slices as being huge - although a bit greasy. The taste itself wasn't bad; as a matter of fact, it was quite good. However, those greasy slices were quite hard to manage. This is almost a knife and fork pizza. I love how when they have something in the oven, you can smell it all over the mall. It does entice you to go in. I've had better pizza, but I've also had worse. It's really not a bad place to hit up for lunch when you need a break from all that mall shopping.

Pizza Hut

www.pizzahut.com

Pizza Hut is a large chain, but I'd never been there. Laura and I decided to go one afternoon to have lunch at the Pizza Hut in Somerset. We decided to share a large cheese lover's pizza. The restaurant itself was nicer than I thought it would be; more set up like a restaurant than a pizza joint, so it was nice to sit down and relax. We found this particular pizza to be very good and certainly worth the price. Since Pizza Hut doesn't deliver to my particular area, Laura and I would definitely be making a trip back. I'd like to try something else on their menu.

Peter's Pizza

653 Bedford St.

Fall River, MA 02720

(508) 677-4444

Peter's Pizza is relatively new to the Fall River area and is located on Bedford Street, not far from downtown. We ordered take-out from here one night, and were pleasantly surprised. Even though they have sandwiches, salads and pasta besides the pizza, we stuck with a pizza order. We ordered two larges pizzas: one sausage and garlic, and the other half extra cheese, half vegetarian. They arrived in a reasonable amount of time and they were hot and very tasty. The price was usual for two large pizzas, and we'd definitely order from here again, maybe trying some of their other menu items.

Pepperoni's

222 County Road

Barrington, RI 02806

(401) 247-4445

380 Cottage St.

Pawtucket, RI 02861

(401) 728-5600

855 Broadway Unit 8

Raynham, MA 02767

(508) 821-3222

51 Court St.

Taunton, MA 02780

(508) 977-9700

3335 Post Road

Warwick, RI 02886

(401) 921-2323

www.pepperonispizza.net

Although I haven't eaten here yet, my daughter Laura orders here when she's at her office in Taunton. She loves their buffalo chicken salad and they have a very tasty stuffed jalapeno appetizer. She's also had a Greek salad and a cheeseburger meal from Pepperoni's and they were both delicious. They have a good sized menu and I'm sure she'll be going back for more delicious lunches.

Palace Pizza & More

499 State Road

North Dartmouth, MA 02747

(508) 997-2288

69 Huttleston Ave.

Fairhaven, MA 02719

(508) 984-1500

587 Tarkiln Hill Road

New Bedford, MA 02745

(508) 995-8837

I've visited both the New Bedford and the Dartmouth locations, and they are both outstanding. Their buffalo chicken subs (no bleu cheese, please) are to die for, as is their grilled chicken sub. I've had many a Greek pizza from here as they were close to my job with the cable company. They have a few booths around the restaurant, but it is mainly used for take-out. The parking lot for the New Bedford location is a bit high, and built on a hill, but I still always found a spot. Their food is excellent, and I miss working so close by.

Millennium Pizza

287 Broadway

Fall River, MA 02721

(508) 672-6699

Typical pizza delivery place, also carrying great grinders. As a matter of fact, we tend to like the grinders more than the pizza. Also have a few typical appetizers and a few pasta dishes. Pretty good for a quick dinner when you're too busy to cook.

Goodfellas' Restaurant

1856 Pleasant St.

Fall River, MA 02723

(508) 678-8181

Typical delivery pizza place. Good food. Good prices. They have a nice system of delivery with separated styrofoam containers so your food arrives in one piece. Food tasted good. All around we were quite satisfied.

Cape Cod Cafe Pizza

220 Winter St.

Bridgewater, MA 02324

(508) 697-3077

979 Main St.

Brockton, MA 02301

(508) 583-9420

995 Broadway

Raynham, MA 02767

(508) 802-6598

www.capecodcafepizza.com

I love this pizza!! My friend Scott turned me on to this place while we were working together in Taunton. I've only visited the Raynham location, but I believe Scott has visited the others and has said that the food was outstanding at each one. I've had salads, pizzas, and calzones here. Although their spinach calzone costs about $8, it's worth it ... and it's HUGE. I had plenty to take home with me after ordering it for lunch one day. Their pizzas are delicious and you can have it any way you like. I usually went with the Greek pizza and, since the place is run by Greek people, they really know how to make a delicious pie. One of Scott's favorites is the linguica, pineapple, jalapeno, and extra cheese. Although it is quite the weird combination, Cape Cod places everything evenly on the slices to make each bite taste extra delicious. They're always friendly when I stop in, and their salads are always fresh. You can eat-in, or take-out. Boy, do I miss working in that area!

A1 Pizza

207 Rhode Island Ave.

Fall River, MA 02724

(508) 675-0323
www.a1pizzaandpub.com

A1 Pizza has been around for quite awhile, but we only recently started ordering from here - and we're not sorry! They have really good pizzas at a really good price. One night we ordered a large linguica, large cheese, and large pepperoni. The whole family really enjoyed them. It has a nice crust, just the right amount of cheese and sauce, and they're generous with the toppings. They have some other foods here which we haven't tried, but I'd certainly like to take a chance and order some. Good pizza for a good price? I'm definitely ordering from here again.

Bristol House of Pizza

55 State St.

Bristol, RI 02809

(401) 253-2550

This is probably my favorite pizza place. I think they have the best tasting pizza around. It's located in Bristol, RI, on a little side street, and good luck with the parking. If you're lucky, you'll get to park in one of the few little spots in front of the restaurant. If you're semi-lucky, you'll find a spot in the little parking area on the side of the restaurant. If you're unlucky, you're going to drive around the block a lot. It's worth looking for a spot. Laura and I usually get a large extra cheese pizza, an order a fries, and a couple of sodas. I can't describe how good this pizza is. The crust is perfect, the sauce is sweet and does not overpower the pizza, and the cheese is real, lightly seasoned, and has a lovely texture. Even the fries are really good here. They are the shoestring variety and they are hot and crisp. Prices are very, very reasonable for such a large pizza. The place itself is very small, and can get crowded pretty quickly. However, it's worth the wait. They also have a variety of grinders, salads, pasta dishes, and appetizers, but I can't get away from that extra cheese pizza! This is the best.