Stopped in to pick up a take-out pizza last night at about 6:30 and the place was mobbed. I don't know what the wait was for a table and was in too big a hurry to look around long or ask many questions, but I guess I was just a bit stunned at the high traffic level on an early weeknight for so new a restaurant.

Must be a lot of refugees from the Northwest side and inner ring NW 'burbs out in the AH area needing an Armand's fix.

Anyway, I wasn't expecting much from the pizza on night #2 in a new location, but I have to tell you I was impressed. It was pretty much up to the Elmwood Park store's snuff.

We ordered a large (14") with sausage, garlic, fresh basil and fresh tomatoes. I'd have taken pics and posted them, but I've become intimidated by the quality of GWiv's food photography. Crust was thin, crispy and largely spot-on in quality compared to their other locales, although I think our pie could have stood a minute or two more in the oven. Toppings were just right, except that I thought the dice on the fresh tomatoes was just a little too coarse and overwhelmed the other ingredients just a bit in most bites.

Other than the tomato quibble, I'd say the new store has a lot of promise. I know we'll be back there again soon for a meal in the house.

Between Burt's and Armand's, both my thick and thin crust pizza fetishes are being appropriately sated these days.

Point of information...

The AH Armand's had a problem with me on the first couple of visits, with limp crust specifically, regardless of ingredients on the pie.

I found that ordering the pizza "crispy" resulted in the correct doneness, without further questions or need for explanation, FYI.

When they first opened i ordered the quatro formaggi w/ fresh tomato pizza. All i can say is "luscious". That's all i've tried so far.

Grizzly wrote:Point of information...

The AH Armand's had a problem with me on the first couple of visits, with limp crust specifically, regardless of ingredients on the pie.

I found that ordering the pizza "crispy" resulted in the correct doneness, without further questions or need for explanation, FYI.

The one in Elmwood Park has the same problem - for the last 10 years we've been ordering (along with every one else we know) our pizza's "well done" Don't even get me started on their 18 inch pie. They just can't seem to NOT make it soupy in the middle.

The one in Elmwood Park has the same problem - for the last 10 years we've been ordering (along with every one else we know) our pizza's "well done" Don't even get me started on their 18 inch pie. They just can't seem to NOT make it soupy in the middle.

I've not had the "limp" pizza problem so much at the EP original in the 14" size. The "crispy" order request has really fixed the problem in AH. They seem to know just what I'm looking for.

But in their defense, I've never seen a pizzeria perform "crisp" with an 18" pie.

It may be a physical impossibility.