Super Bowl Pizza Report Card

About 130 million Americans are expected to watch the New York Giants battle the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV on Sunday in Tampa, Fla. This means that sometime between 4 and 6 p.m., millions of Americans are going to be looking for something to eat during halftime. Many will order pizza.

So we conducted an informal, highly unscientific survey of pies around Orange County and prepared this pizza report card. The three judges were picked for their intimate knowledge of the subject. Their qualifications are considerable: They have little money, large stomachs and no patience for slow delivery; they’re college students, not restaurant critics.

Although many mom-and-pop eateries serve and deliver fine pizzas, our judges concentrated on the chains, because they tend to serve all of Orange County. For the survey, they stuck to basics, sampling a large pepperoni and vegetarian pizza from each establishment. In some cases, where the menus were fancier, barbecued chicken was substituted for pepperoni.

1) Pizza Hut

Do they deliver? Yes

Minutes promised for delivery: 35-45

Was delivery late? No; 26 minutes early.

How hot on arrival? A

Overall taste:

Pepperoni: B+; Vegetable: B

Crust: P: B; V: C

Quality of cheese: P: B; V: C

Food value: C+ (P: A; V: D)

Variety of toppings: V: A-

Price for large pepperoni: $13.29

“John Travolta’s hair didn’t have as much grease as these two pizzas,” one of our critics said, although, he hastened to add, “that’s not necessarily a bad thing.” The tasters agreed that the “New York” pepperoni pizza, for all the hype, was decidedly middle American. Meanwhile, the “Veggie Lover” special got more praise for its quantity than its quality: “The only thing that saved it was its healthy variety of toppings and its girth.”

*

2) Domino’s Pizza

Do they deliver? Yes

Minutes promised for delivery: 35

Was delivery late? No

How hot on arrival? B+

Overall taste: P (Pepperoni Thin Crust): A-; V (Veggie Deep Crust): C

Crust: P: B+; V: D

Quality of cheese: P: B; V: D

Food value: B

Variety of toppings: B

Price for large pepperoni: $9.99

Domino’s paper-thin crust pepperoni had our reviewers mixed. One called it “without a doubt one of the best pizzas I’ve had; after having it you’ll be convinced that pepperoni pizza shouldn’t be made any other way,” while another complained, “the crust is annoyingly flaky and there just isn’t much to get your jaws around.” None, however, were very impressed by the veggie offering. “It’s not deep dish, it’s fat crust,” one said.

*

3) Little Caesars

Do they deliver? Yes

Minutes promised for delivery: 40

Was delivery late? Yes

How hot on arrival? B

Overall taste: Pep: C; Veg: F

Crust: P: C; V: D

Quality of cheese: C

Food value: D

Variety of toppings: V: B

Price for large pepperoni: $10.99.

Our critics got creative with their cuts: “This pizza tasted like a soggy piece of cardboard”; “Even their cute commercials couldn’t give me the desire to finish either slice”; “Jail inmates shouldn’t be forced to eat this.” While the pepperoni was passable, the veggie special was remarkably soggy and bland.

*

4) B.J.’s Chicago Pizzaria

Do they deliver? No

Minutes promised for delivery: N/A

Was delivery late? N/A

How hot on arrival? C

Overall taste: B-

Crust: B-

Quality of cheese: B

Food value: C+

Variety of toppings: B

Price for large pepperoni: $12.25

One of Orange County’s most heralded deep-dish-pizza chains, B.J.’s drew decidedly mixed comments from our panel. While one praised it for its homemade quality--”It’s obvious it was cooked fresh in a dish, not unfrozen and nuked”--another found it “cold and undercooked.” The pizza was not very deeply cut, which made it difficult to tear off a slice. However, one critic thought the taste overruled the serving woes: “It’s fresh and spicy, just the way it’s supposed to be. All pepperoni should taste this good.”

*5) California Pizza Kitchen

Do they deliver? No

Minutes promised for delivery: n/a

Was delivery late? n/a

How hot on arrival? C

Overall taste: B (Barbecue chicken): B+; V (Veggie): A-.

Crust: A

Quality of cheese: B

Food value: B

Variety of toppings: A

Price for large pepperoni: $4.99

Those planning to dine heartily and cheaply will not be well served by this place. However, this gourmet pizza drew high marks for its unique flavor. “The sun-dried tomatoes made for the most original taste of any of the pizzas,” enthused one, while another offered a tip for weight-watchers: “If you’re not into grease, this pizza displays less melted fat than any other.” The veggie special here offers many rare toppings (broccoli, parsley, red onions and Japanese eggplant), while the barbecued chicken pizza is a popular favorite.

*6) Numero Uno

Do they deliver? Yes, in some areas.

Minutes promised for delivery: n/a

Was delivery late? n/a

How hot on arrival? B

Overall taste: A

Crust: A-

Quality of cheese: A

Food value: B

Variety of toppings: C

Price for large pepperoni: $12.45

This sparsely topped deep-dish pizza isn’t recommended for gourmets, but our critics rated it as the best thick-crust offering in town. “This would be the ideal pizza for a cold winter day. The veggie is so thick, soft and juicy it warms your entire mouth.” The only downside was that tearing off a piece required some finesse: “There is a ton of cheese,” said one analyst. “You don’t cut a piece out, you rip it out and hopefully it will all come out intact.”

*

7) Papa John’s

Do they deliver? Yes

Minutes promised for delivery: 30-45

Was delivery late? No

How hot on arrival? B-

Overall taste: C

Crust: C-

Quality of cheese: C+

Food value: C

Variety of toppings: D

Price for large pepperoni: $13.99

One critic summarized it as “bland, bland, bland,” while another complained, “It seemed a little soggy, and that didn’t really make me want to finish eating it.” Overall, the highest marks came not for the pizza but for the bonus side dish: “The hot green peppers on the side are a plus. Just don’t eat them during the meal if you want to still taste the pizza.” Bonus: You can order over the Net.

*8) Round Table

Do they deliver? Yes

Minutes promised for delivery: 45

Was delivery late? No

How hot on arrival? C (Chicken): C; V (Vegetable): C

Overall taste: C: B+; V: A-

Crust: C: B; V: B

Quality of cheese: B+

Food value: B

Variety of toppings: A+

Price for large pepperoni: $13.77.

With an eclectic veggie special and a rich barbecued chicken offering, Round Table ranks behind only California Pizza Kitchen for sophistication. One critic called it “the juiciest of all the takeout places; it just melts right together in your mouth.” “If you like onions, like I do,” added another, “you’ll be in pizza heaven; they put red and green onions on the pizza.

--Graphics reporting by CHRIS CEBALLOS, MICHAEL MILLER and JOSE CORONA/Los Angeles Times