Semper Pi Pizza
Following a comment in TBLC's internal blog, I checked out Semper Pi Pizza (map) in Brandon.
If the website doesn't convince you, the decor will: SgtMaj Juan Carranza is a Marine (retired) and he's damn proud of it, by Jingo.
Photo resized as a courtesy to readers, without permission.
Original picture, © Semper Pi Pizza, available here.
In my opinion, he can also be proud of his pizza. I took advantage of the "second pizza half off" special to try two pies, the Marine (ricotta, mozzarella, American, provolone, and cheddar) and the Leatherneck (refried beans, ground beef, onions, black olives, and cheddar, with lettuce and tomato on top after baking, and salsa and corn chips on the side).
"The Marine" is sloppy in a way that SgtMaj would never have tolerated in his days as a drill instructor, though that's to be expected with five cheeses piled on top of each other. The crust does a laudable job of supporting the filling, which is the cheesiest thing I've seen since 1987's "I Learned It From Watching You" PSA. It's well-balanced and enjoyable (the crust, not the PSA).
The same crust does a bang-up job holding up a creamy layer of refried pinto beans and assorted nacho-type yummies in "The Leatherneck". The pizza is also known as a "Tijuana Taco" (don't search for that phrase in Google Images unless you've got SafeSearch turned on), though I think it's more like a nacho pie. Since I can't eat corn, I skipped the chips and enjoyed the closest thing to all-the-way nachos I'm likely to have outside of the A1A Ale Works' boniachos.
I'm looking forward to the leftovers.
And SSgt
whispersessions, if you're ever in Tampa, let me know and we'll go over there together. I think you'd get a kick out of it.
If the website doesn't convince you, the decor will: SgtMaj Juan Carranza is a Marine (retired) and he's damn proud of it, by Jingo.
Photo resized as a courtesy to readers, without permission.
Original picture, © Semper Pi Pizza, available here.
In my opinion, he can also be proud of his pizza. I took advantage of the "second pizza half off" special to try two pies, the Marine (ricotta, mozzarella, American, provolone, and cheddar) and the Leatherneck (refried beans, ground beef, onions, black olives, and cheddar, with lettuce and tomato on top after baking, and salsa and corn chips on the side).
"The Marine" is sloppy in a way that SgtMaj would never have tolerated in his days as a drill instructor, though that's to be expected with five cheeses piled on top of each other. The crust does a laudable job of supporting the filling, which is the cheesiest thing I've seen since 1987's "I Learned It From Watching You" PSA. It's well-balanced and enjoyable (the crust, not the PSA).
The same crust does a bang-up job holding up a creamy layer of refried pinto beans and assorted nacho-type yummies in "The Leatherneck". The pizza is also known as a "Tijuana Taco" (don't search for that phrase in Google Images unless you've got SafeSearch turned on), though I think it's more like a nacho pie. Since I can't eat corn, I skipped the chips and enjoyed the closest thing to all-the-way nachos I'm likely to have outside of the A1A Ale Works' boniachos.
I'm looking forward to the leftovers.
And SSgt
whispersessions, if you're ever in Tampa, let me know and we'll go over there together. I think you'd get a kick out of it.