May 31, 2007
North Side Review: Crust
Now that Crust has been open exactly one week, we find ourselves strangely late to the reviewers table, as in, you can read others' opinions here, here, here and here. As you probably know by now, Crust is the midwest's only certified organic restaurant, and only the fourth in the country. In order to receive this designation, 95 percent of all ingredients used (measured in volume? in weight?) must be organic. As we sat at the bar, sipping two deliciously fruity cocktails while waiting for our table, Chicagoist wondered if an all-organic restaurant is held to a different standard than a more conventional (heh) one. Do we have higher — or lower — standards for a restaurant that bills itself as offering more than delicious food, a restaurant that sells a good feeling on a plate? And as we finished our meal, we couldn't stop wondering.
While we waited for our table, even though it seemed there were a bevy of open tables, we ordered two cocktails from the bar — a watermelon margarita and a blackberry mint julep. The watermelon margarita may very well be the perfect drink for the summer — light and refreshing, while still packing a significant punch. The bar also offers organic beer and wine, in addition to their signature infused vodkas.
For dinner we ordered a caesar salad to start and then two flatbreads (contrary to what Chicagoist, you, and everyone else in the known world thought, Crust serves no pizza, only flatbread). Flatbread is, apparently, "pizza's big brother, worldly and without boundaries...." We picked the herb and cheese flatbread while our date opted for the basil and tomato. The salad was decent, but nothing special. We have eaten plenty of caesar salads in our day worse than the one we had at Crust, but we also have had better. The lettuce was crisp and fresh, and the parmesan cheese was expertly shaved on top, but the dressing wasn't anything special.
The flatbreads came out shortly after the salad, and again, we were slightly underwhelmed. The herb and cheese flatbread was seriously under seasoned; with the exception of 4 plump, roasted cloves of garlic, we didn't taste anything besides the cheese and crust. The basil and tomato pizza was better, packing more flavor than its basic counterpart. Still, we found ourselves asking the server to bring over red pepper flakes and other condiments with the hopes we could liven it up. The crust itself wasn't bad at all, having a nice yeasty flavor and good chew to it. Perhaps we made a mistake in not ordering one of the more adventurous flatbreads like the one topped with clams. We hope it was a mistake in ordering, and not endemic of a larger problem in the kitchen.
At the end of the day, Crust is a pizza place. Should we be expecting all that much from a pizza joint? When it is organic and has been receiving this much hype, Chicagoist thinks so. Or, maybe our standards might just be too high.
Crust is located at 2056 W. Division St. Phone: 773-235-5511. Sun-Wed: 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Thu-Sat: 11-1 a.m.
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"Crust" *rolls eyes*,
I keep forgetting that you have to come up with a pretentious one word name for your business if you plan on opening up in Wicker/UkVillage I think it's a regulation now.
Flatbread is, apparently, "pizza's big brother, worldly and without boundaries..."
Oh geeeeezz.........Something tells me "Flatbread" is also a lot more expensive then it's scruffier less worldy and more conventional little brother too..
Crust reminds me of what my asss gets after I get sweaty and don't shower for a day or 2.
Darnit, "Piece" and "Crust" are gone. What shall I name my new pizza place? I'm considering "Dough" and "Sauce" but for all I know they're taken. Any suggestions?
As Navin noted these places are prevalent in Wicker Park, so I'll to have to put mine in Ukranian Village or West Town.
Another empty storefront turned into a commercial enterprise providing jobs for people and additional tax revenue for the city, as well as giving all of you another place to eat? Gentrification is truly the worst thing ever!
I don't care what they call the restaurant, and (to a certain extent) I don't care that it's all organic. I love their pizza. I've tasted the pepperoni and pepper pizza (just OK), the sausage pizza (good), and the shrimp and cilantro pizza (very good).
And hey, the Bleeding Heart Bakery (on Chicago Avenue) is also certified organic.
As far as nort side pizza reviews, I'd recommend The Pizza and Oven Grinder, but the wait, the service, and the one shady bartender, would nix any chance of people wanting to go. The food is about 75% worth it, if you have absolutely nothing to do from 6pm to 11pm.
Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder owns my soul.
Another empty storefront turned into a commercial enterprise providing jobs for people and additional tax revenue for the city, as well as giving all of you another place to eat? Gentrification is truly the worst thing ever!
Another d-bag tying to turn a conversation that's currently NOT about gentrification into a gentrification flamewar.
joe@asdf.com: what about "Pizza"? revolutionary, i know, but i'll allow you to have a crack at it.
Slice
Pie
Dish (deep dish only)
Thanks, geekgrrl, a simple "Pizza" could work. "Toppings" is another possibility, though the gentrification rant wasn't necessary. There was a place called Sauce, replaced by Krem (??), so that's out. Still leaning toward "Dough".
Damn, "Slice" is good.
How about Joe's Pizza Palace?
Screw the one word names, and go the other way.
I'd totally eat at "Shove This Up Your Pie Hole, You Ungrateful Troglodytes!"
There's a pizza place in Arlington, MA called "Za". Maybe a Wicker Park franchise opportunity?
Did anyone else read "pizza's big brother" as the contraction form rather than the possessive: Pizza IS Big Brother??
Probably not, huh? Probably I need to get more sleep.
We'll give you a pass, JB. It's been that kind of day all around.
pie hole is the best pizza place name in the city. in boystown. it's really good too.