Monday, July 1, 2013

SDS Pizza and Subs in Oxford, OH

The Facts:

Pizza: SDS Pizza and Subs
Business Category: Locally-owned
Location: 7 E. Chestnut Street in Oxford, OH
Date of Review Visit: June 19, 2013
What I Ordered: Small Chicago-style pizza with sausage
Price: $12.58 (includes tax but not drink)

The Micro:

Crust: For once a pizza actually lives up to its name: the crust is at least 2 inches thick around the edge, just as it should be for a Chicago-style pizza.  The texture of the crust is quite good, namely crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside.  The size and texture make up for the lack of flavor in the dough and the slight underbaking of the pizza.  The fact that I was sitting and waiting on the pizza might have led to the underbaking as well.  Score: 8/10.

Sauce: SDS uses its own “special” sauce, but I can’t say I particularly like it.  On the bright side, the sauce has a nice fresh taste and bright red color.  On the down side, there are almost no spices, and the sauce contains chunks of tomatoes.  There is nothing I hate more in a pizza sauce than chunks of tomatoes (except maybe too much garlic).  Score: 7/10.

Cheese: This pizza has so much cheese that it falls off the pizza when you pick up a slice.  I always end up with a glob of cheese and toppings sitting in the box when I am done eating.  The quality and taste of the cheese are quite good too.  What’s not to like?  Score: 10/10.

Toppings: The sausage comes in huge chunks, as it should on a Chicago-style pizza.  Also, the sausage has good flavor without tasting overspiced.  The quantity of toppings is decent given the size of the pizza.  Score: 9/10.

The Macro:

Appearance/Atmosphere/Service: The pizza has good appearance except for the too-white underbaked crust.  The atmosphere and service are purely functional and nothing more.  Score: 7/10.

Value: The price here is rather steep, but the quality is pretty good.  The quality/price ratio grades out above average here, but only above average.  Score: 7/10.

Taste: The taste is very good save for the chunks in the sauce and the underbaked crust.  Score: 17/20.

The Final Judgment:

As a Miami student, SDS was my favorite pizza.  I still eat SDS every time I find myself in Oxford these days.  Give this one a try and see if it meets your taste palette too.  Score: 65/80.