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November 19, 2008

Italian Fiesta Pizzeria: The Obamas' Chicago Pizza Favorite, Reviewed

Daniel Zemans, our man in Chicago, checks in with another piece of intel on the Windy City pizza scene. Daniel also blogs about Chicagoland pizza with his friends on the Chicago Pizza Club blog. —The Mgmt.

But President-Elect Appears to Favor St. Louis Pizzeria

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Italian Fiesta Pizzeria

1400 East 47th Street, Chicago IL 60653 (map); 773-684-2222 to order; 773-924-5339 to reach restaurant
Getting There: Metra to 47th Street or 6 Jackson Park Express bus to 47th Street and Lake Park
Pizza Style: Tavern-cut thin crust
Oven Type: Gas
The Skinny: Greasy thin-crust pizza
Price: $19.70 for a large pizza with one

When reports started trickling out in July that Barack Obama's favorite pizzeria was Italian Fiesta Pizzeria, I took it a little personally. By that time, I had already given time and money to his campaign, and despite my cynical nature, I had already had so many glasses of Obama Kool-Aid that my former neighbor and state representative could do no wrong in my eyes even as he surprised me by voting for FISA and shown cowardice political pragmatism on gay marriage. But now came reports that he favored pizzas from Italian Fiesta Pizzeria, which I knew served far from top-notch pizza.

Italian Fiesta has been in the South Shore neighborhood on Chicago's south side since 1951. Even as the neighborhood changed dramatically (read: blacks moved in and whites ran away), Italian Fiesta stuck around, eventually adding locations in Hyde Park and a couple of southern and southwestern suburbs. Michele Obama grew up in South Shore and, presumably, she gets the credit for introducing it to the president-elect.

After the jump, find out whose pizza Barack Obama really craves. [He] "wouldn't shut up about my pizza," the joint's owner said.

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Pizza on the 'Sarah Silverman Program'

20081118-silverman.jpgOn the Sarah Silverman Program, "Steve and Brian threw their backs out in the bathroom (for reasons I don't want to get into). And they're hungry. And there's a pizza in the other room." Video of the scene at Eat Me Daily.

Two Boots Rock Center Closing; Two Boots Hell's Kitchen Imminent

bug-qb-two-boots.jpgThe Two Boots location in Rockefeller Center (in the weird mall-like area belowground) is closing. But when a door closes, a (pizza) window opens. The mini chain will open a branch at Ninth Avenue and 45th Street. So sayeth Midtown Lunch.

Best Pizza in Boston?

Where's the best pizza in Boston? Jacqueline of the Leather District Gourmet says she's found it at Emma’s, ordering a hot sausage, caramelized onion, and kalamata olive pie. It's her favorite in the Kendall Square part of Cambridge.

Flour, Cheese Prices Drop; Pizza Prices Remain High, May Yet Climb

20081117-99-cent-pizza.jpgA cheap slice to stave off hunger used to be a given. That all changed earlier this year with the skyrocketing price of flour and cheese. But, but ...

Now, not only is the cost of a 50-pound bag of flour half the $36 it cost nine months ago, mozzarella cheese is down 15% from its summer high, and fuel prices, which affect nearly everything, are way down.

Yet most business owners have a million excuses for sticking with menu markups made when wholesale prices were sky high.

Here's how Sal's on Court St. in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, explains its $3 slice, on a note taped to the wall: "Due to increase in price of floor and cheese and all other items."

Our hero in this story from the Daily News is Abu Nasser of 99¢ Fresh Pizza near Grand Central:

... He knows other pizza makers charge up to three times more than he does for slices. He disapproves. "They are hurting the customers," he said.

99¢ Fresh Pizza

151 East 43rd Street, New York NY 10017 (b/n Third and Lexington avenues; map) 212-922-0257

Related: Cheap Pizza Slices in NYC

Order Domino's via TiVo

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As of last night, broadband-connected TiVo subscribers can now order Domino's pizza via the device using the TiVo Domino's widget. So far, there's no scheduled ordering—your order is placed for delivery right away instead—but if you were planning that far ahead, you'd probably get your lazy ass off up the couch. [Tip o' the hat to: Nick Solares]

Facebook-Fan Papa John's, Get Free Pizza

bug-qb-papa-johns.png"Beginning today, any Facebook user who becomes a 'fan' of the official Papa John’s Facebook page will receive an online redemption code for a free medium pizza with any online pizza order." [bizjournals.com]

Dear Slice: Ridiculous Pizza Snowman

Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got ...

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Dear Slice, Letters From Our ReadersSaw this stupid thing in the paper this morning and had to send it to you. Sorry about the cheap-o scan.

Hope you dudes are doin good,
Andy

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