Finally I went to a little place called Casa Bianca. It is a pretty cool Italian restaurant inside, a nice cozy interior. This is a fairly highly rated pizza. Hailed as one of the best pizzas in LA. It is not the pizza place itself that is saying this, it is the actual customers, for once. I ordered my usual, a large cheese. It was 16 inches 15 dollars. 
The first thing I noticed when I opened the box, was that it had a sloppy appearance. Sauce and cheese swirling around with no direction. Also the cuts of the pizza, the slices, seemed to be every which way. The man with the pizza cutter went on a wild rampage. After looking closer, there was a system to it. They didn't cut all the way to the center, instead they cut smaller pieces around the perimeter, leaving diamond shaped pieces in the center, with no outer crust. This might appeal to people who don't like the naked crust. I feel like that part is somewhat necessary to the experience. No complaints their however, since I was the only one eating it, I ate all the crust pieces.
The next thing you notice is how flat the crust is. It is extremely thin and stays thin all the way to the edge. The thin crust can barely hold the weight of the sauce and cheese. Anyway, I can see why people like it. It has a great, full flavor with hints of basil and oregano, yet still having a sweet tomato base. Everything works together, there is the right amount of cheese on the right amount of sauce, on a thin crispy crust. The cheese isn't all that amazing, it is just there. My main complaint was the crust, as it is usually. The outer edge was good, crispy and slightly charred. But the rest, while thin, didn't get all that crispy. It had a strange texture to it, similar to cardboard. It instead was chewy and tough with a bland taste.
This pizza is good don't get me wrong. I just don't think it is worth all the hype, and it is certainly not worth a 30 minute drive. There are 2 other notable places in this area, Folliero's and Brownstone. Brownstone is a very similar style to Casa Bianca, where as Follier'os is a thicker, heftier pie, both are just as good as the White House.
here is a video of my review if you wish:
Also a few thing that you might want to know. It is cash only, and there can be quite a wait on the weekends.
Casa Bianca - 1650 Colorado Blvd. Eagle Rock 90041
Price: $
Overall:
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Meh, not worth the long wait then? I have yet made it here bcs all my friends say they don't want to wait in line ... Maybe I don't need to go after all.
ReplyDeleteAh, you finally went. It's good, but not to die for.
ReplyDeleteLC
I agree with your review. A friend of mine is a real fan of this place, he suggests this place a lot. I'm not a big fan of this place and I do not agree with the "best in LA" hype I have heard. However, it does not mean that it's bad. It's decent, but not worth the drive even from the Burbank area.
ReplyDeleteI still think it is one of the best. In my opinion, you need to order 1/2 sausage/1/2 cheese -- well done. THe sausage is real italian sausage with fennel seeds not the soy rabbit pellets or sliced sausage that tastes vapid. I've tried Brownstone and it is not similar to Casa Bianca. It is more New York style, is bland and misses the mark.
ReplyDeleteFirst trip to Casa Bianca tonight, Oct 2010: Excellent old school Italian decor, cool young busty waitresses, every table full . . . Meatballs and garlic bread were v good; sauce the real deal; minestrone was home made and as good as it gets; ironically, the pizza was the weakest thing--A hawaiian with the good sauce and cheeze, but as mentioned above the thin crust did have a chewy texture. When I got back, I think I'll actually pass on the pizza and go for the Italian dinners with the sauce. Could of just been a bad tossing night for the pizza chef, but I wouldn't go back just for the pizza. Great service! Great atmosphere!
ReplyDeleteThe keys to getting a life-changing pizza at Casa Bianca are:
ReplyDelete1. Do not order a large pizza. It's too big to cook evenly. Order a small or a medium and request "easy well done".
2. Ask for a little extra sauce. Do not ask for "easy extra sauce". I once got "easy sauce" by accident that way. Bummer!
I've been eating there for at least 28 years and here is what I would order as my last meal on earth while sitting in the electric chair:
Medium pepperoni pizza with green olives, extra pepperoni, a little extra sauce, easy well done. I defy anyone on earth to have that pie and tell me that wasn't the best thing they've ever had in their whole life! Period, end of story.