Slices’ gourmet pizzas
I grew up with homemade pizzas. The crust was always fresh-baked — I would watch my dad hand-toss the dough in our kitchen. For that reason, I can be quite fussy about my pizza. I will not abide Sbarro’s greasy, gooey affront to cuisine and its reckless destruction of everything I hold dear — although, as a poor college student, I have developed a slight fondness for the cheesy, garlicky goodness of Domino’s.
Somewhere on the spectrum of the awful and the sublime, I have found the truly unique Slices Pizza Co. Some say it’s the worst pizza, while others say it’s the best — especially when drunk. For me, it’s a bit too pricey to satisfy the average craving, but there’s no better guilty pleasure in College Park.
The best part of Slices is the range of options. When I want just a simple slice of cheese or pepperoni, Papa John’s or any other chain will do. But Slices stands apart from the masses of College Park pizza joints for its awesome gourmet slice menu. Beyond the traditional meat lovers, veggie lovers, or Hawaiian — a personal favorite — Slices offers exquisite options, such as pesto portobello with sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts as well as the “Mona Lisa,” a pizza with grilled vegetables and goat cheese that looks so good my Italian heart skips a beat.
Then there is the infamous mac ‘n cheese pizza.
The pizza is coated with layers and layers of good old-fashioned macaroni noodles. The pie is simply covered with cheese. Besides a cheddar sauce instead of marinara, there is a thick layer of mozzarella and American slices liberally slapped on top and a little flourish of Easy Cheese to top it off.
Though this monstrosity offends everything I stand for as an Italian (well, half Sicilian), I can’t deny that it’s really dang good.
I haven’t tried Slices’ Coney Island pizza, which the menu advertises as having hot dogs, French fries and condiments on the pie. Nor did I get a chance to snag a slice of what looked like Philly cheesesteak pizza last time I was there. But if I’m feeling especially wicked, I’ll try the buffalo chicken pizza. While definitely not a healthy staple in a balanced diet, this pizza dripping with hot sauce and blue cheese is truly divine. It’s delightfully cheesy and has the right amount of savory chicken, as well as little celery nuggets to shave off a bit of the guilt.
I know pizza is not the healthiest food. I’m sure my Sicilian family members are shaking their heads in shame that I enjoy the mongrel pizza of Slices. I feel more than a little guilt when I pass through the door, knowing I’m going to devour a meal that is a crime against both my diet and my heritage.
But if I’m in the mood for something that I will eat, enjoy and then inevitably regret, I know I’m in the right place.
This piece is part of the diversions section’s Friday package on College Park’s best pizza.
