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Everyone has a favorite pizzeria. There we find happiness, stability and sweetness. So what happens if you move or go on a trip? You suddenly need pizza and are not sure where to get it. Choosing the right pizzeria is important, but knowing where not to go is just as important. While it is always possible to get information online, nothing compares to actually going to check out the area. Here are some warning signs before buying pepperoni slices the next time you’re in an unfamiliar place.
To identify these flags, Chowhound visited Alta Irpinia’s owner, Angelo Competillo, in the Lower Hudson Valley village of Suffern, New York. Competiello’s pizzas, as well as Alta Irpinia, a salumeria/pizzeria hybrid, are already getting great reviews. The restaurant that appeared in “Beat Bobby Flay” Season 33, Episode 1 (and yes, beat Bobby Flay) specializes in making great pizza.
More importantly (at least for our purposes) he’s aware of the warning signs to look out for when you first enter a pizza place. In addition to Competiello’s expertise, we’ve also included some comprehensive guidance on identifying inadequate pizzerias. Here are the top 9 red indicators of a pizza store that will make you run for it.
Read more: How Restaurant Steak Tricks Your Tastebuds
9 Pizza Shop Red Flags
The Shop Looks Like It Hasn’t Been Cleaned In Ages
Before placing your pizza order, examine the surroundings of the restaurant. Are the corners covered in dirt? Are there a ton of slices on the glass cabinet holding the supposedly fresh pizza? Is the toilet seat scary or does the toilet make you cringe? Is a mop just resting in a bucket of dirty water in the main area of the shop? If such dirt is visible in public spaces, consider how it looks in areas you cannot see.
A greasy counter, a dirty restroom that looks like it hasn’t been cleaned in a long time, and dirty nooks and crannies in a pizzeria are all signs that food preparation is being compromised. After all, if the toilet is without soap, what are the cooks and staff washing their hands with?
Additionally, a dirty pizza joint is more likely to attract rodents such as cockroaches and rats. These disgusting creatures release excrement that can cause illness. It looks like the pizzeria put a neon welcome sign in the window to entice the creepy crawlies to come in and hang out a while if there’s food poop all over the place and bits left out for a few days. We shouldn’t stay, but they can!
The Ingredients Look Like They’ve Been Sitting Around All Day
If you watch pizza maker preparing pizza, it’s awesome. It is a sight to behold as flour flies through the air. On the other hand, refrigerated meats and cheeses, as well as sauces that have just been left out, are warning signs that could make you sick if you eat them. According to the Meat and Poultry Hotline, food should never be left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours. This is due to the fact that food left in the “danger zone” – between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit – can harbor germs.
If the pizza and its ingredients don’t feel fresh, they may have been left at temperatures that could expose the dish to germs for a long time. This may indicate that the food was not properly prepared before cooking, or that it was not properly stored after cooking. Food poisoning is nothing you want to deal with. Ignore such areas under any circumstances.
The Veggie Pie Looks Soggy
Pizza with vegetables is surprisingly friendly. Onions, broccoli, peppers, and eggplant all taste great on top of a cheese-topped crust. However, if it is not made fresh, the vegetables can become mushy. Pizza that’s been left out on the counter so long that the vegetables wilt or turn to gelatinous mush is something you never want to eat. Another thing to watch out for is a slice that looks slanted.
This often indicates that the vegetables on top of the cooked pizza are undercooked, causing the pizza to fall off when you try to eat it. For pizza toppings, fried or grilled vegetables work best in terms of consistency and flavor.
Another cause for concern is that veggie slices often remain in stores. Pizzas that are left out for too long are likely to develop bacteria that make them unsafe to eat. If a piece of vegetable appears to have been left for a long period of time, you should reconsider. If you want a real slice of fresh vegetables, a freshly made pie is the way to go. Even if it takes longer, it’s worth the extra time.
The Pepperoni Is Curling Up, And Not On Purpose
Pizza with pepperoni is a timeless favorite. The mouth-watering combination of cheese, sauce, bread and spicy salt always makes me drool. But this well-known pizza also holds the secret to determining if the pizzeria is warning you of anything. Ask what kind of pepperoni is on the pizza if you see it curling. “Cups and chars are very popular,” says Angelo Compitiello, referring to the type of pepperoni that curls on purpose. A once-uniquely popular dish in Buffalo and the Midwest is cup and char pepperoni. Nowadays, you can find them almost anywhere.
Some pepperoni is not meant to be curled, although cup and four pepperoni should be. Pepperoni that doesn’t burn too much should ideally be flat Your fresh pizza. It should look glossy or greasy. If it doesn’t meet these criteria, it’s hanging out too long, in which case you should look elsewhere. But what should you check if the pepperoni is covered and burning? “The accumulation or solidification of oil,” Competillo says. This indicates that the pepperoni was left out too long.
They Don’t Make Their Own Sauce
What is the first thing Angelo Competiello looks for when he enters a pizza place? “Materials being displayed, cans of tomatoes to see the quality of the produce.” Such items should be used for the production of sauces made by the pizza shop. There are several methods to do this; While it’s not always necessary to slice whole tomatoes in the back, it’s always a good idea.
As Competillo comments, it’s best to use quality canned tomatoes like San Marzanos, which are always a worthwhile investment. The most important thing to remember is that you don’t want to see ready-made sauce jars used or sauce pots left to cool. If left untreated, bacteria can develop in the sauce Can cultivate microorganisms that can cause disease.
The taste of pizza mainly depends on its sauce. So, if you’re eating pizza from a business that doesn’t make its own sauce, you’re missing out on eating real, fresh food. How does a pizzeria take a chance if it skimps on one of its most important ingredients?
The Menu Is Confusng
Sushi and pizza together in the same restaurant? While these dishes are great on their own, it’s concerning to see them served alongside other items on the menu, such as hamburgers, chicken vindaloo, macaroni and cheese, and pork tacos. “My eyes look for a long list of things,” says Angelo Competiello. Any restaurant that tries to be everything will usually not succeed at anything, so this is a huge warning flag.
When a pizzeria’s menu unintentionally mixes food from other cultures, it’s a sign that the cooks aren’t making pizza. It’s quite possible that they don’t use brand new products or prepare all of these meals from scratch. If you want to take over You’re better off getting sushi from your favorite sushi restaurant, cheeseburger from your favorite pub, and pizza from your favorite pizzeria if you’re dining out with lots of different foods.
They Don’t Heat Up Your Slice
After a wild night, when you stumble upon your fridge and are thankful for that slice of mushroom pizza, cold pizza can be just fine. There’s a valid scientific reason why some people think pizza tastes better cold, so it’s no wonder they choose to eat it that way. But entering a store and serving cold pizza is not acceptable.
Even when a pizza establishment is busy, a cold slice is never acceptable. When one throws a cold pizza at a customer, one does not tend to have much faith in quality, taste or business ethics. Actually, it suggests mediocre customer service. Angelo Compitiello says that when he enters a company, he is constantly looking for “good treatment of customers and employees.”new pizza place, and you should be too. If you order a slice and are quickly thrust a cold one without much care, it’s probably a good indicator that the pizza is not anything special.
They Don’t Offer Extra Toppings
Even with an ideal slice, the extras won’t hurt. This can be anything from a basic seasoning sprinkle to surprisingly tasty pizza toppings like potato chips and lemon wedges. Pizza isn’t better by itself just because you reach for a box of red pepper flakes—we all like to add our own special touches to our cuisine.
When a pizzeria makes garlic powder, chili oil, oregano, grated Parmesan, pepper and/or spiced honey available for you to use as needed, that’s a pretty good indicator. However, make sure the cheese is fresh. If there are some lumps of cheese in the shaker, it can be left longer. This is a wonderful method to be sure.
Besides letting you experiment flavors, providing a range of alternatives to customers is just excellent customer service. If you enter a pizza place and there are no condiments accessible for you to use, it may be an indication that the proprietors don’t value their clients’ experiences highly enough to provide these last-minute extras.
There’s No Social Media Presence
These days it’s a red flag if a restaurant isn’t on any social media platform. It’s becoming more and more important for restaurants to be online, whether it’s through a personal website, Instagram or Twitter account. A conspicuous absence may indicate a lack of concern. This should make you reconsider whether you really want to check out the place.
You might like to imagine a future where a pizzeria is so awesome that it can show off its pies without needing an Instagram account. However, let’s be honest: this is untrue. Any decent pizza shop would want to post hilarious hash-tagged photos of their awesome pizzas online or via social media. Absence of internet presence says that a pizzeria is lacking in professionalism, just too lazy, or doesn’t really expect to be around for all that long. None of these conclusions inspire confidence.
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