I happened upon putting together an article about pizza after I was invited by one restaurant to sample some of their new pizzas, which then followed by another inviting me in to try some of their pizzas which are now on the menu, which then lead another restaurant to inviting me in along with a few my friends for a night of pizza tasting and more.
There are hundreds if not more restaurants that specialize in Pizza around the Vancouver region and one would be eating pizza nightly for years in order to attempt to taste them all, so my article is not about the best pizza in the city, it is about the different types of crust and toppings these 3 restaurants in the 3 different areas of the city make. Here is a compendium if you will of 3 restaurants that I visited within a week in West Vancouver, Vancouver and Burnaby.
Beachside Forno
They served 8 different pizzas during the dinner and I had 2 or more pieces of each, my favourites are noted below the photos. The pizzas here are made in a Forno Oven and usually baked around 550 F degrees. Executive Chef/Partner Dino Renaerts told me that he experimented with all types of dough when creating his perfect crust and what makes this crust delicious is potatoes, yes he uses Russet Potatoes in the dough for the savourie pizzas. Not to worry you won’t find potatoes in his dessert pizzas, as that dough is sweet. I thought the crust was delicious with the toppings these pizzas were even more tasty.
This pizza tasting lineup went like this,
#1 Breakfast Pizza ($14) topped with cheddar cheese, herb scrambled eggs and salsa fresca.
#2 Pizza ($16) was topped with Roasted tomato, garlic, chilies, fresh bocconcini, drizzled balsamic reduction and arugula.
#3 Pizza ($16), was topped withProsiutto, pecorino, pesto, drizzled balsamic reduction, fresh arugula.
#4 Pizza ($16) was topped with Smoked salmon, crisp capers, arugula, mascarpone and dill sour cream.
#5 Pizza ($16) was topped with Portobello mushrooms, arugula and truffled ricotta.
#6 Pizza ($18) topped with Forno roasted chicken, chorizo, caramelized onions, provolone cheese and chipotle bbq sauce.
#7 Dessert Pizza ($8) was topped with Fresh Okanagan peaches, blackberries, orange ricotta spread, and orange reduction.
#8 Dessert Pizza ($8) was topped with Organic banana, Melissa’s house-made marshmallows, dark chocolate, and graham cracker crust crumble.
#1 Breakfast Pizzas topped with cheddar cheese, herb scrambled eggs and salsa fresca,
#2 Pizza topped with Roasted tomato, garlic, chilies, fresh bocconcini, drizzled balsamic reduction and arugula.
#3 pizza topped with Prosciutto, pecorino, pesto, drizzled balsamic reduction, fresh arugula
#4 pizza topped with Smoked salmon, crisp capers, arugula, mascarpone and dill sour cream
#5 pizza topped with Portobello mushrooms, arugula and truffled ricotta.
#6 pizza topped with Forno roasted chicken, chorizo, caramelized onions, provolone cheese and chipotle bbq sauce.
#7 Dessert Pizza topped with Fresh Okanagan peaches, blackberries, orange ricotta spread, and orange reduction
#8 Dessert Pizza topped with Organic banana, Melissa's house-made marshmallows, dark chocolate, and graham cracker crust crumble.
My favourites were the #2 Roasted tomato, garlic, chilies, fresh bocconcini, drizzled balsamic reduction and arugula; the #6 Forno roasted chicken, chorizo, caramelized onions, provolone cheese and chipotle bbq sauce and the #8 Organic banana, Melissa’s house-made marshmallows, dark chocolate, and graham cracker crust crumble.
Beachside Forno is located at 1362 Marine Drive in West Vancouver and they are open for lunch and dinner daily as well as Saturday and Sunday Brunch. The menu is online at www.beachsideforno.com
Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co
They served 4 different pizzas during the dinner and I had a few slices of each, my favourites are noted below the photos. The pizzas here are handcrafted flatbread made in an Artisan Oven with lots of local and organic ingredients. The crust is thin and crisp, the toppings have so much flavour and you taste those vegetables.
This pizza tasting lineup went like this, to start,
#1 ($15.95) was the Farmers Market Pizza (all vegetarian) $15.95 topped with three seasonal vegetables, three herb nut free pesto & caprigny goat’s cheese.
#2 ($16.75) was the Mexicali Pizza topped with Chocolate tomato chili sauce, red onions, roasted peppers, marinated cherry tomatoes, jicama, corn, free range organic chicken, caprigny goat’s cheese, herbs and creme fraiche.
#3 ($15.95) was the Ocean Wise Pizza topped with in-house orange maple cured wild salmon, fresh shrimp, artichokes, red onion, nut free three herb pesto and asiago cheese.
#4 ($15.45) was the Flank Steak Pizza topped with organic tomato sauce, sprinkled with premium mozeralla
Mexicali Pizza
Farmers Market Pizza
Ocean Wise Pizza
Flank Steak pizza
My favourites were the #1 Farmers Market Pizza topped with three seasonal vegetables, three herb nut free pesto & caprigny goat’s cheese; and the #3 Ocean Wise Pizza topped with in-house orange maple cured wild salmon, fresh shrimp, artichokes, red onion, nut free three herb pesto and asiago cheese.
Rocky Mountain Flatbread is located at 1876 West 1st Avenue in Vancouver and they are open for lunch and dinner daily. The menu is online at http://www.rockymountainflatbread.ca
Romana Pizza
They served 8 different pizzas (all Medium size) during the dinner and I had 1 slice of each of 6 pizzas (2 of the pizzas had ham which I don’t eat) , my favourites are noted below the photos. The pizzas here are made in a traditional Oven and done in the same way since opening in 1973. Jenny Siormanolakis told me that her parents had and still makes the pizzas in the very same way since opening.
This pizza tasting lineup went like this,
#1 ($20.50) Rustica topped with Melizano, olive, sun dried tomato, artichoke heart and feta.
#2 ($17.50) 46 Sixty was topped with Chicken, mushroom, feta and extra sauce.
#3 ($19.50) Gourmet was topped with Chicken, spinach, garlic, olive and sun dried tomato.
#4 ($19.00) Supreme was topped with Beef, capicoli, spinach, onion and feta.
#5 ($18.00) Cooks was topped with Beef, feta, onion and tomato.
#6 ($21.00) Veggi was topped with Mushroom, tomato, onion, olive, pineapple and green pepper.
All Meat (l) & Burnaby Heights (r)
Veggie (l) and Rustica (r)
Cooks (l) & 46 Sixty (r)
Gourmet (l) & Supreme (r)
My favourites were the #3 Gourmet was topped with Chicken, spinach, garlic, olive and sun dried tomato; and the #1 Rustica topped with Melizano, olive, sun dried tomato, artichoke heart and feta.
Romana Pizza is located at 4660 Hastings Street in Burnaby and they are open for lunch and dinner daily. The menu is online at http://www.romanarestaurant.com
By: Richard Wolak
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