Firehouse - Visit #22

This post is brought to you by Veggie Doughboy:


         If we were to give out an award for ambiance this year, Firehouse Restaurant near the Dekum Triangle would be at the top of the list.  Roughly two weeks ago, we visited Firehouse with our partners and had a great time; the pizza was pretty good too.  When the evening has called for it, in addition to ordering our sampling of 3-4 different pies, we have also ventured to try an appetizer or house cocktail on the menu as well.  The grilled artichokes, martini's and chocolate pot de creme dessert were all thoroughly enjoyed.  PDX Doughboy and I challenge each other constantly to help ensure these additional items don't influence our opinions of the pizzas themselves.  They do however influence our decision of whether or not we will go back to visit with family or friends in the future. We will definitely be back to visit Firehouse.  

Salami

               Now, on to business.  All the pies are cooked in a beautiful wood fired oven that is visible from a large portion of the restaurant.  The three pies we ordered were a Margherita, Chanterelle Mushroom, and Salami. The outer crust of each of the pies had great flavor, crisp and a slight char which made for a nicely balanced crust.  One limitation of each pie however was the lack of structural integrity of the crust underneath the toppings of each pie.  A good example of this was on the roasted mushroom pie.  Not only was the weight of the toppings too much for the slice to hold but in some slices appeared to be soggy more towards the center, possibly from the moisture in the toppings or sauces soaking through the crust and not cooking completely. It also likely has to do with the pizza style they appear to be going for (Neapolitan). Each slice fell apart when picked up or had to be rolled in order for us to get a good bite out of the slice.  As a result, it was sometimes difficult to truly taste the pie.

Chanterelle Mushroom

           A definite bright spot of the pizzas was the Margherita.  Of all of the Margherita's we've had this year, this one had to be among those with the least amount of sauce, something I prefer.  The purpose of any sauce on a pie is to support the flavor of the toppings and the crust; the sauce should never be the center of attention, '....always the bridesmaid but never a bride...'  The lack of sauce allowed the chunk's of mozzarella on the pie shine.  As the cheese was able to bake more directly on top of and melt into the crust, a subtle saltiness perforated into the entire pie which presented a great salty/sweet combination that we all agreed was delicious.  

Margherita

        Overall the pizza was solid. They were Very close to cracking into my Top Ten! But next time we visit, it will likely be for the cocktails and ambiance. Who are we kidding? I am sure we will order a pie or two as well!