California Pizza Works
This is the Ozone, the Polo mint of the pizza world. Yes, pizza. At the California Pizza Works at 25B Tran Cao Van street in District 1 you can order from a wide selection of pizzas, even make your own from the central self-service section, or plump for a theme-topped pizza or, in the Ozone's case, theme-filled. The Ozone is more bread cake than pizza. Themed fills are named after cities on the menu. This Ozone pizza is filled with Rome; roasted garlic, roasted eggplant, roasted onions, roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh oregano, olive oil, mozzarella and fontina cheese on ricotta cheese sauce. It's topped with poppy seeds and carraway seeds - way too many of the latter on this visit.
This is the medium size. It's a novel take on a pizza, but I found it mucho heavio. I guess the weight problem is because the pizza-with-the-hole has a higher dough quotient. And on a blisteringly hot Saigon day that's like taking a couple of valium for lunch. More satisfying, less doze inducing, is the design/build/eat section of California Pizza Works.
The ingredients list is immense. The overhead signage advises you against 'piling high'. The pizza above is topped with chorizo, roasted tomato, roasted onion with mozzarella and a 'classic' tomato sauce base. It's enjoyable, but the bread base is lacklustre. Overall, it's fresher tasting than the other Saigon pizzerias we've sampled, but it's not noticeably any better. But this pizza is very quick to arrive - from finish building to finish cooking took about ten minutes by my reckoning. Wow. The deisgn-your-own theme is fun and I'll be back for that alone. Plus it's a very kiddie friendly dining option - the only kiddie friendly joint I can think of in Saigon - there's drawing paper, crayons and a wee playground outfront. Here's a review from the local press. And more snaps.
NB: Just browsing through the Tran Cao Van Street tagged photos, reminds me there are some wicked dining venues on this wee street. La Phong, Bun Cha, Chao Long, Bun Bo Hue. All excellent.
I'll never order from that place again. Twice now I've grabbed a home delivery and the pizza was like eating a slab of baked dough.
Posted by: disgustedcustomer | February 13, 2006 at 03:02 PM
yes! an Italian-American cuisine invade Vietnam. Here's comes the chopper
Posted by: anonymous | February 13, 2006 at 08:07 PM
Oh gawd! Those pizzas look terrible. Looks worst than the oil drench stuff they serve here! Hope u have more luck with pizzaria. But the other stuff is superb especially the shrimp on sugar cane...YUM!
Posted by: Duy | February 13, 2006 at 10:10 PM
I didn't know these guys did home delivery. You know the more I think about it, the more I think the bread base is really rank. As you imply, I'm not sure it would survive the delivery time. but, you know... kiddie friendly joints are as rare as rocking horse shit in Saigon. So, I will be back.
Oh and I forgot to add. we also ordered a "Minestrone soup with pasta shells" from the pasta menu. It arrived sans pasta and looked and tasted like no other minstrone soup I've ever come across. The toad liked it, but he doesn't really know much better. Overall I can put up with fairly half arsed nosh for a child friendly resto.
Plus, any crappy looking pizza can also be attributed to me and noodlegirl. We built it, Cali cooked it. But, I didn't do the bread...
Posted by: pieman | February 14, 2006 at 03:56 AM
Looks like a good pizza to me.
Posted by: Justin | February 14, 2006 at 04:50 AM
The Big O looks interesting. Kinda reminds me of a calzone - dunno why. Anyway, looks good from here.
Posted by: FatMan Seoul | February 14, 2006 at 05:31 AM
Noodle Dude,
i had a great pizza in DaNang at Green Town by the Han River. If you ever get up that way try it out. Can't wait to get back and try some of your faves. Do you need some Heinz Ketchup or Malt Vinegar?
Posted by: drifter1dc | February 14, 2006 at 02:18 PM
I like Cali Pizza works. The Rome and Paris pizza are delicious. Love the crust too. I like the olive oil & garlic crusts. Oh well, suppose I'm in the minority here. As for kiddie friendly joints, another is GM Villa in District 2. It's a bit nast though. We ordered grilled mozarella over veggie's and got grilled mozarella over lettuce. Ugh.
Posted by: Mr.NoStarTravels | February 15, 2006 at 06:40 AM
I decided to check out California Pizza Works after reading this article:
http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=01RES080106
I figured the reviewer liked it, maybe I would too.
When I got there the server talked me into getting their New York Style pizza with pepperoni, onions, with a tiny bit of anchovy and chili flake. It was AWESOME. I am a fan of the thin crust pie myself anyway, but my friend (who usually goes in for the gooey chewy thick crust pizzas) got way into it and ate more than I did. It was a little crispy, a little floppy when I folded it over, and just salty and cheesey enough to take me back to that last trip to NYC.
I've since been back and found that I like the regular pizzas too. I find the crust fresh and a little spongy, but not too doughy. It's a great base. Last time I impressed my local friend by making a Vietnamese Curry Chicken Pizza, complete with potatoes and carrots. Yum.
Posted by: MrThang | March 07, 2006 at 10:47 AM
its a good i want 2 eat this pizza now :)
Posted by: soemtimes | July 02, 2008 at 03:00 PM