Hogan's Goat - Visit #9

        Don't let the name fool you. Hogan's Goat Pizza doesn't specialize in goat cheese pies or anything related to goats. Hogan's Goat is an old saying related to beating long odds. "Hogan's Goat" has been featured in a poem, a play, and several other mentions in history.

       I love the name and the meaning behind it. I have respect for any restaurant owner, and the somewhat long odds they often have to beat to chase their dream. Ok, enough warm and fuzzy stuff. Let's get to the visit...

      Hogan's Goat Pizza is a bit off the beaten path (Sandy Blvd), in a cool little neighborhood pocket on NE Sacramento St. The space is very welcoming, with inside and outside seating, and the staff is incredibly nice. This visit was extra special because Jason (Owner) met with us as we sampled his pies. This gave us a chance to learn more than we do on our typical visits.

     Jason has a ton of Portland restaurant experience having been a chef at Nostrana, Ava Gene's, Bluehour, to name a few. Roughly two years ago he got the opportunity to take over Hogan's Goat Pizza, and he is loving it. Jason is a very nice guy and the service here is reason enough to visit again and again.

Formaggio

          It is obvious the ingredients here are super fresh. They really stand out. They house make their mozza, meatballs, dough etc. Some of their ingredients were the best we have tasted this year (the sheep milk feta, salty parm, and ricotta especially).

          We started with the Formaggio, since a basic cheese pie is always a fair way to judge a pizzeria and ease into some of the more complex flavor combinations. This pie is basic, but as I mentioned already the ingredients stood out. Our only critique is the crust lacked the flavor, chew, and bounce we look for. The crust wasn't terrible and had good crunch, but I think it is an area that can be improved. This is easier said than done. Getting your dough right is the hardest thing to do. I know from experience baking in my backyard brick oven.

Margherita

           Our baseline pie for every visit...the Marga. We felt similar about this pie. The ingredients were excellent, but the crust needs a bit of work. It is a small thing, but I actually preferred the chopped basil versus whole, which is more common on a Marga.

Umami

           The Umami was Veggie Doughboy's favorite of the night. This pie is made up of sheep feta, spinach, crimini mushrooms (sauteed in truffle oil), mozza, and an olive oil base. It was a killer combination of ingredients. We would order this again. With improved crust, this pie could be a contender for best veggie pie in the city.

Ricotta Love

              This was my favorite pie of the night. The Ricotta Love is made up of red sauce, canadian bacon, sausage, black pepper, basil, ricotta, and mozzarella. The combination and quality of ingredients was perfect. The ricotta stood out for me. The texture and flavor was so good. In addition to house made cheeses, Jason make subtle flavor tweaks to them as well. Yum!

            All in all, we loved our visit here and we will be back. Jason and his staff make this place the perfect neighborhood hangout. If we had an award for friendliest pizza place, this would be a clear winner so far. With some improvements to the crust, this place is up there with the best. Definitely pay them a visit! You will not be disappointed!