September 28, 2023 39.7411764,-84.1819583
It's more likely than you think...
Talk about your dream piece of pizza, and it will tell you all about yourself. The (inter)national factions of pizzeriae will have you believe that one region can be superior to another, but ultimately it comes down to: a good crust, a good sauce, and something on top. If you can do those three things, you can do no wrong. The limitless potential therein, the reason everyone's got an ideal slice in mind.
This week, I shattered the pizza plateau with a pie that did all of the above in numerous ways, and I'm still thinking about it days later. The Wizard of Za is a relatively recent addition to the college-row of fast casual options, but since its arrival, I've been a repeat customer for their Vancian take on the thing we all have opinions about. It's something like a Detroit crust, prepped in a tall pan with all the baked-in cheesy goodness that entails, but they'll also do a Big Slice or two for the to-go crowd.
This week, I was indecisive in my dream pizza. This week, I wanted everything.
I went with the Wizard Style rainbow pie, with stripes of vodka sauce, pesto, and a good ol' red sauce. And pepperoni, because come on. Let me tell you: this was my dream piece of pizza. Several of them, in fact. First: when you get a Square, it's all corners, baby. Each piece held a fragment of the perfect pizza universe, the coveted caramelized crust bites in every slice. Second: each bite of the rainbow pie is wildly different due to the sauce segmentation. I have been the guy who wants the curated, perfect bite. This week, I embraced the color spray of change and was thoroughly dazzled. Between the nutty pesto and the rich vodka sauce, every bite was a journey, an adventure, a quest. Third: the pepperoni, because come on. Somewhere between the slice and the bake, these suckers come out crisp and ideal. Are there fewer than I'd wish? Maybe that makes me savor each one even more.
The wizard is doing true magic. This week, next week, hopefully for a long while after that.