Smashing Tomato Pizza in Lexington, KY

The Facts:

Pizza: Smashing Tomato Pizza

Business Category: Regional Chain (2 locations, both in Lexington, KY)

Website: http://smashingtomato.com/

Location: 3801 Mall Road, #195 (beside Old Navy and Lifeway Christian Stores)

Date of Review Visit: May 18, 2017

What I Ordered: 12” Americano pizza with sausage and pepperoni

Price: $11.02

The Micro:

Crust: Smashing Tomato makes wood-fired oven pizza, so the pizza comes with the expected blackened areas on the crust.  This pizza does not have too many blackened areas, so they do not overpower the overall taste.  The crust is thicker than you would expect for wood-fired pizza, and a cornmeal-like coating adds nice texture.  Overall, this is the best crust I have ever eaten on a wood-fired oven pizza.  Score: 10/10.

Sauce: I think tomato sauce ought to taste like tomatoes, so I like this sauce’s fresh tomatoey taste.  The sauce also has a nice thick consistency.  This pizza is slightly undersauced, but what sauce is here is excellent.  Score: 9/10.

Cheese: This pizza is somewhat undercheesed, and the cheese “blend” is just bland mozzarella.  The cheese kind of lets this pizza down.  Score: 5/10.

Toppings: The pepperoni is nice (not too spicy with a little flavor), but the sausage really makes this pizza.  The sausage comes in nice large chunks with a fresh unspiced taste.  Both toppings appear in excellent quantity.  Score: 10/10.

The Macro:

Appearance/Atmosphere/Service: The pizza appears like the high-quality wood-fired oven pizza it is with plenty of toppings.  I ordered carry-out, but the restaurant features a nice casual dining area with TV’s showing scenes from Italy.  The service was helpful and friendly.  If I gave bonus points, I would give a bonus point for the restaurant’s name.  Score: 10/10.

Value: The price is a little expensive for just a 12” pizza with no drink, but it is pretty reasonable when you consider the pizza’s high quality.  Score: 7/10.

Taste: The sausage and tomato sauce really steal the show, and they work great together.  The overall taste may be a little on the sweet side, but I like sweet tasting pizza.  Score: 19/20.

The Final Judgment:

Smashing Tomato is a smashing success in my book.  If I lived in Lexington, I would smash the accelerator to come here often for a smashing good time.  Score: 70/80.

Nacoochee Village Tavern and Pizzeria in Helen, GA

The Facts:

Pizza: Nacoochee Village Tavern and Pizzeria

Business Category: Locally-owned

Website: http://www.villagetavernpizza.com/

Location: 7275 South Main St. in Helen, GA

Date of Review Visit: May 2, 2017

What I Ordered: 12” The Carnivore pizza; Coke to drink

Price: $17.21 (includes drink and tax but not tip)

The Micro:

Crust: Nacoochee Village’s crust is thinner than average, but it still has some body.  The crust has a nice crispy-but-chewy texture. Overall, this crust is not the best ever, but I like it.  Score: 8/10.

Sauce: The sauce has fresh tomatoey taste.  The sauce’s consistency is a little thin, but it is applied in just the right amount.  The sauce is probably the strength of this pizza.  Score: 9/10.

Cheese: This pizza is somewhat undercheesed, and what cheese does exist seems to be bland 100% mozzarella.  The cheese also produces a decent amount of grease.  Score: 4/10.

Toppings: All-meat pizzas usually shine on the toppings criterion, but Nacoochee Village really falls flat.  The sausage, meatball, and ham toppings add a little spice but nothing more.  Only the pepperoni stands out: it is tasty with just a smidge of spiciness, but it comes in small thin slices.  In hindsight, I would keep the pepperoni and lose the other toppings, thereby ordering a one-topping pepperoni pizza.  On the bright side, all toppings do appear in good quantity.  Score: 6/10.

The Macro:

Appearance/Atmosphere/Service: The toppings dominate the pizza’s appearance, as you would expect for an all-meats pizza.  The dining room has some unique stump-like tables, and true to the tavern in its name alcoholic beverages take center stage on the menu.  The service was OK but not spectacular.  Score: 8/10.

Value: You can tell that Helen is a tourist town, because even for a 12” all-meats pizza this pizza is very overpriced.  If you are on any kind of a budget, go anywhere but here.  Score: 2/10.

Taste: The spiciness from all of the toppings really overpowers everything else.  Some odd shreds of basil scattered atop the pizza only add to the herby/spicy taste, and they add to it quite a bit.  Score: 13/20.

The Final Judgment:

Nacoochee Village’s pizza is unique and different, so I can see why some people would like it even though it does not suit my palette.  Score: 50/80.