stevez wrote:

abqandrea wrote:I'm looking forward to it - the only other great 'true Italian' pizza I've had is Chris Bianco's, and it was long enough ago I don't have to directly compare the two.

Two different styles. Apples and oranges. The only similarity is that they are both cooked in a brick oven. Bianco's is more traditional by-the-book Neapolitan like you would find at Spacca Napoli (and cooked in a wood fired oven). Coalfire is more a cross between New York and Chicago thin crust (and cooked in a coal fired oven). It's one of my favorite places in the City.

Ah, that explains it. I looooove the chewy crust of both NY style and the thinner type of Coal Fire. Crisp and crackly doesn't seem to be my style right now.

Just for a quick report (much delayed after some mixup with my registration here - I had a duplicate account I forgot about!), I had both the margherita pizza and the prosciutto. Wowee wow.






I have absolutely no regrets about choosing to visit Coal Fire over one of the deep dish havens. At least for the moment.

Andrea

I finally visited Coal Fire last night and found it good, but not a pizza I would drive across town to have again. The space was warm and inviting and the service friendly and attentive. The house salad was boring but fine: romaine lettuce with thinly sliced mushrooms, tomatoes and red onions and a simple oil and vinegar dressing. The marguerita pizza had a nice proportion of sauce to cheese for my taste, meaning not too much cheese. The sauce, though, tasted like crushed tomatoes flavored only (and overwhelmingly) with oregano. I loved the chew of the crust but was disappointed by the burnt ends. I think this is deliberate but am not sure it's necessary and in any event don't like it because the end crust is my favorite part of the pizza. Who knows, maybe some people like the taste of burnt crust.

Spacca Napoli is a much better restaurant and turns out a better pizza in my opinion. Their house salad features better quality mixed greens, two types of olives and a wonderfully tart balsamic vinegar dressing. And they serve good bread with the salad while Coal Fire serves no bread. I'm a carb addict and appreciate good bread so this matters to me. I prefer the cheese used at SN, meaning their default mozzarella as well as the delicious bufalina mozzarella option. I also prefer SN's sauce, which is simple and not overspiced, as well as the crust, which they do not burn whether by design, their oven or their style of cooking. As to service, as has been well-documented on this board, it is outstanding. I sometimes dine in and sometimes show up for take-out in my workout clothes but no matter: the service is so warm and inviting (offered prosecco while I wait or cheese or a pizza slice) I would return even if the food wasn't as wonderful as it is.

Anyway, I'm glad I tried Coal Fire and liked it fine. I'm not from Chicago and CF's style of pizza is the kind I prefer, much better than Chicago-style thin crust and deep dish, both of which I find too cheesy. I would not balk at returning if I was in the neighborhood, there was no wait and someone else really wanted to go. But I count myself lucky that I live near the pizza and restaurant I consider much better, Spacca Napoli.

We were also at Coal Fire last night. We didn't have a salad since we were just eating and running on the way to the Bulls game. I liked the pizza, although I wouldn't exactly call it revelatory. I did particularly appreciate the cheese (it tasted creamier and "gooier" than other pizzas I've had) and the crust. I actually liked to bits of burnt crust, as I thought they gave the pizza a little more character.

Like Fraggle said, I'm not sure if I would go out of my way for a trip to Coal Fire (to be fair, I'm not sure if there's any pizza out there that I would go out of my way for...maybe Burt's, maybe Spacca Nappoli). But I'll happily add it to my pregame meal rotation.

amyliz wrote:Coal Fire hiked up their pizza prices by about $1.50 to $2.00 per pie...Like I said, it probably has a lot to do with the economy...

I think the economy has started to force prices in the other direction, actually, as more and more people become price-sensitive, and more and more restaurants know it. Pompeii, for example, now touts a menu of new lower-priced options as soon as you walk in the door.

Coalfire has raised prices, and I thought we were in deflation!!

Seriously though, now an individual pizza, cheese and sausage, is now $15.50 and with tax it's over $16.00 .

If that's what they need to do to stay in business and stay viable, I'm all for it. They produce a quality product into which they put quality ingredients and a lot of care.

=R=

For the great product they turn out I'll pay. With how much flour, cooking oil, etc have gone up in price over the past year I do not begrudge anyone trying to cover their operating costs.

Gas may be $1.38 a gallon(thats what I payed this morning), but trucks using diesel is how goods are transported, and diesel is still well over $2.00 a gallon

jimswside wrote:Gas may be $1.38 a gallon(thats what I payed this morning), but trucks using diesel is how goods are transported, and diesel is still well over $2.00 a gallon

Or about HALF the price that diesel was earlier this year.

As long as people will pay the price, prices will remain high. Commodity prices are down substantially from six to twelve months ago.

However, when people find out that they can make a pretty decent pizza at home for half the price, restauranteurs will be forced to bring their prices back in line.

HI,

I inquired with Cookie Monster, who owns Delightful Pastries bakery, about flour prices. Last year she paid $8 a bag, she is now paying $14, which is substantial drop from a high of $48, but still 75% higher than a year ago.

Regards,

jlawrence01 wrote:

jimswside wrote:Gas may be $1.38 a gallon(thats what I payed this morning), but trucks using diesel is how goods are transported, and diesel is still well over $2.00 a gallon

Or about HALF the price that diesel was earlier this year.

As long as people will pay the price, prices will remain high. Commodity prices are down substantially from six to twelve months ago.

However, when people find out that they can make a pretty decent pizza at home for half the price, restauranteurs will be forced to bring their prices back in line.

When I can make a pizza half as good as this one, I'll gladly stay at home. Until then, I'll pay the going fare.

Pompeii, for example, now touts a menu of new lower-priced options as soon as you walk in the door.

Not low enough!

jlawrence01 wrote:Or about HALF the price that diesel was earlier this year.

As long as people will pay the price, prices will remain high. Commodity prices are down substantially from six to twelve months ago.

However, when people find out that they can make a pretty decent pizza at home for half the price, restauranteurs will be forced to bring their prices back in line.

You are correct about diesel costs, but alot of companies took the brunt of those fuel costs through the year unable to change prices based on contracts that were written the year before(I am in the transportation/trucking business).

As soon as I can build a coal fired oven in my home I will make a pizza at home, until then I will gladly pay the going rate for what I consider to be the best pizza in Chicago without a second thought.

deesher wrote:When I can make a pizza half as good as this one, I'll gladly stay at home. Until then, I'll pay the going fare.

There are options.

California Pizza Kitchen: Sicilian - $13.79
Domino's: Two meat medium - $12.59

Coalfire: Fiorentino - $15.50

I ate here...once. It was good, my friend and I ordered 2 or 3 pies, but still I did not go back. It did not have that must return quality, like Ann Sathers for cinnamon rolls, where I am almost frightened by gluttony.

I am stuck on Spacca Napoli. Ate there last week. The house salad was divine. Those tomatoes, those yummy, not too salty olives ( I asked for extra), and the reduction balsamic dressing.--that's just the salad. The pizza was fantastic, I am almost always stuck on the mushroom pizza, even when I listen to the specials and consider trying something else. The owner, Jonathan sent us out with teeny, tiny cannoli's. How's that for service on top of everything else.

I think I will have to try Coal Fire again, just to make sure I am not missing out on something. I actually think I prefer Pizza Doc to Coal Fire.

Will try again in the next few weeks and report back.

I went to Coal Fire with my family and we enjoyed it very much. I haven't been to Spacca, but will definitely give it a go. I think the price hikes are fair. I'd pay $20 for a Coal Fire pizza before I'd eat at Pompei or Gino's, Giordano's et al for free. But then the only three pizza places I really enjoy in chicago are Coal Fire, Pizza Metro and Piece. Well let me add the thin crust pie from Pizano's.

I went to Coalfire on Wed. after going to the Reader Book Exchange at Bottom Lounge.

I tried the Pesto Pizza. I have never really had Pizza without the sauce before, so I ordered with some trepidation. The pizza was terrific. Pesto Base, Mozzarella Cheese, Ricotta sprinkles and olives; all topped with a really fragrant extra-virgin Olive Oil. I enjoyed it thoroughly, but I did end up ordering a side order of sauce to dip the crust in.

My only quibble is that the toppings need to be weighted towards the edges rather than the middle. To quote (either the Fascist or the anti-Semite), "Things fall apart, the center cannot hold...". When I mentioned it to the owner; he recognized me from before, and said that he will look out the next time I am in and spread the toppings that way I want them!

I've made two trips to Coalfire so far. I was much happier with my first visit, where we sampled the Margherita and the Pesto. We tried a White Pizza on my second visit, which does not have fresh mozz like the Margherita, and I was sorely disappointed -- the crust was still great, but the cheese lacked flavor and quickly became gooey and unwieldy (almost choke-worthy in its stringiness?). I'll be sticking to non-mozz (e.g., Pesto) or fresh-mozz at Coalfire in the future. Other than that, it continues to receive my enthusiastic two thumbs up.

For the record, I haven't been to Spacca, but I've been to Pizza DOC and definitely prefer Coalfire. I'm also a born and bred Brooklynite (grew up just blocks from Di Fara), so I'd like to think I know a good pie (thin-crust, that is!)

ak

Had the Margherita and the White when I went for the first time last week. Definitely agree about the White's tendency to become gooey, but both were still great. Having been to Spacca Napoli before, however, I'd still have to give that the slight edge because their crust is a little crispier.

That said, this is certainly a nice alternative when you don't feel like trekking out to SN.

I enjoyed my first-ever visit to Coalfire quite a bit.

The crust is really terrific, managing to be light-as-air, yet substantial enough to almost hold up to the toppings. I say almost because I think the crust would be perfect if the "right" amount of topping were used, but I thought Coalfire overtopped all of our pizzas. The white pizza had a bit too much cheese for my taste, the pesto pizza had way too many olives, which overwhelmed everything else, and the sausage pizza had too much sauce - I prefer just a relatively thin film to the more substantial ladling on the Coalfire pizza.

That said, the ingredients in the toppings were quite good. Our server suggested adding fresh mozzerella to the white pizza, and she was dead on. It was very good. On the pesto pizza, the pesto itself was excellent: very garlicky and a nice texture. I liked that the sausage was relatively mild, and therefore didn't take the pizza out of balance.

That word balance is probably the second most important thing to me in a pizza, right after the quality of the crust. While I thought Coalfire's pizza was very good, I wish the cook used a lighter hand with several of the toppings.

I’ll happily return to Coalfire whenever I’m in the neighborhood and in the mood for pizza.

Kennyz wrote:The crust is really terrific, managing to be light-as-air, yet substantial enough to almost hold up to the toppings. I say almost because I think the crust would be perfect if the "right" amount of topping were used, but I thought Coalfire overtopped all of our pizzas. The white pizza had a bit too much cheese for my taste, the pesto pizza had way too many olives, which overwhelmed everything else, and the sausage pizza had too much sauce - I prefer just a relatively thin film to the more substantial ladling on the Coalfire pizza.

. . .

While I thought Coalfire's pizza was very good, I wish the cook used a lighter hand with several of the toppings.

Funny, Kenny, because if you read through this thread (and others) you'll see a fair number of complaints about the toppings at Coalfire being skimpy (not a criticism with which I've ever agreed). I guess no matter what you do, it's nearly impossible to make everyone happy. Glad you liked it, though. I think it's really distinctive and I count it in the upper tier of pizza places in Chicago.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

Kennyz wrote:The crust is really terrific, managing to be light-as-air, yet substantial enough to almost hold up to the toppings. I say almost because I think the crust would be perfect if the "right" amount of topping were used, but I thought Coalfire overtopped all of our pizzas. The white pizza had a bit too much cheese for my taste, the pesto pizza had way too many olives, which overwhelmed everything else, and the sausage pizza had too much sauce - I prefer just a relatively thin film to the more substantial ladling on the Coalfire pizza.

. . .

While I thought Coalfire's pizza was very good, I wish the cook used a lighter hand with several of the toppings.

Funny, Kenny, because if you read through this thread (and others) you'll see a fair number of complaints about the toppings at Coalfire being skimpy (not a criticism with which I've ever agreed). I guess no matter what you do, it's nearly impossible to make everyone happy. Glad you liked it, though. I think it's really distinctive and I count it in the upper tier of pizza places in Chicago.

=R=

That's in fact, what was discussed last night. I had suggested that Coalfire overtopped its pizzas in an effort to appease those who believe that a properly topped Coalfire pizza to have too little topping. (And, therefore, they feel cheated for the price paid.) In my opinion, the average Chicago-style thin crust is all about being heavily topped. Thus, people used to that type of pizza probably think that Coalfire's pizzas don't have enough topping. But given the structure of the crust, as well as the topping:crust ratio per bite, I agree with Kenny that Coalfire's pizza could use less toppings.

Mies got it right.... Less is more.

Especially with olives

Kenny, glad to hear you enjoyed your first visit to Coalfire; it's far and away my favorite pizza in town.

I have to agree on the overtopping remark, especially when it comes to the cheese. When they first opened, I felt like the balance of crust/sauce/cheese was just perfect, but definitely feel like it's a bit out of whack now. I think aschie30 may have hit the nail on the head about accommodating (intentionally or just through an organic evolution) the tastes of Chicago's audience.

Typing this up reminds me that I posted about the cheese issue last Spring. Perhaps I should remember my own advice and ask for lighter cheese/topping application when ordering.

-Dan

dansch wrote: I think aschie30 may have hit the nail on the head about accommodating (intentionally or just through an organic evolution) the tastes of Chicago's audience.

Nahhh... I was one of those that had an issue with toppings at Coalfire when they opened and my tastes, if anything, are based around New Haven, CT (I really try not to compare one style with another but we all have our bias). I have never been one to complain about price or "value" if something tastes right but for a while after they opened I was getting pies every week or two and more than a few topped pizzas were pretty much Margarita pies with a few dabs of topping... then I start to wonder where my (then) $3 went. Keep in mind, this was a few years ago and I don't live around the corner anymore so I haven't followed their evolution very closely. I just don't think wanting to have topping on at least half of the bites of your pizza is a "Chicago thing".

I am a big fan and proponent of Coalfire (and supporter of its GNR), but don't eat there often for a few interlocking reasons.

- I can eat a whole Coalfire pizza by myself (easily)
- One pizza is not enough for my wife and I to enjoy and be full for takeout
- Two Coalfire pizzas are (generally) not enough for a hungry party of four when there is nothing else of interest on the menu (salads are extremely weak and conpicuously unimaginative given the quality and diversity of ingredients they have to top the pizzas with)
- Coalfire makes pizzas with a diameter somewhere in between Neapolitan and New Haven pies, but at a higher pricepoint than either (adjusted even for the worsening-again currency conversion and taxes)
- $36 for two meat pizzas (or even $28 for two basic margherita pizzas) is simply too much money when you're only feeding 2-3 people, even if they're being more generous with the toppings (which may actually have a gastronomic downside in terms of balance)

Given, all of this is given a Pizza (Professor) context, since $10-18 per person for a high quality meal is not at all unreasonable in other spheres of eating. But come on. The best pizza held in the greatest esteem (ignoring Mr. Richman for the moment) is a cheap Italian street food. Coalfire provides the same materials and joy, and I simply wish it could offer it at a proportional price.

Santander wrote:- $36 for two meat pizzas

To clarify for others who haven't been to Coalfire, the "meat pizza" to which Santander refers is a specific item that includes calabrese salami, Italian sausage & pepperoni. Pizzas with meat, such as the sausage pizza and the prosciutto pizza, are $15.50. The same sized sausage thin crust at Gino's East is $18.95.

Kennyz wrote:

Santander wrote:- $36 for two meat pizzas

To clarify for others who haven't been to Coalfire, the "meat pizza" to which Santander refers is a specific item that includes calabrese salami, Italian sausage & pepperoni. Pizzas with meat, such as the sausage pizza and the prosciutto pizza, are $15.50. The same sized sausage thin crust at Gino's East is $18.95.

True. And you can actually get just the plain cheese for $13. In artistry, it blows Gino's out of the water. In filling value, we're talking apples to kumquats. I may just be very hungry right now.

I do think the sizing is a bit of a challenge for 2 people. One pizza per person is a little too much, but sharing a pizza definitely isn't enough. Thankfully, as my wife can attest, Coalfire pizza reheats very well. Probably because of the relatively low moisture content of the cheese.

Kennyz wrote:Thankfully, as my wife can attest, Coalfire pizza reheats very well.

I happen to enjoy it cold out of the fridge. Nothing like cold anchovy pizza for breakfast*!

Stagger wrote:I just don't think wanting to have topping on at least half of the bites of your pizza is a "Chicago thing".

Well, fair enough I suppose. That said, with certain toppings that's not really an issue. I don't want my pizza covered in the delicious - though very strong - anchovies that they use at Coalfire. One anchovy per slice is more than enough, IMHO. Anchovy in every bite (or even half) very well might be too much, even for this anchovy lover.

There's definitely a balance, and perhaps I end up on the end of the spectrum that prefers less - even in the case of something like crumbled sausage where I'd be perfectly happy with roughly half of my bites having any sausage in it. I want to taste the sausage, yes, but I also want to taste all of the other parts.

It's the same reason why I'm not upset that there's no sauce, cheese and toppings on the outer crust - I like the unadulterated charred crust. I don't want a pizza that's 100% crust-only, but I don't want a pizza that is 100% covered in sauce, cheese and toppings.

-Dan

* One caveat here: does not go well with coffee.

Finally had a chance to try Coalfire last night. Arrived around 7:30pm, all tables full, but we were the only ones waiting, so it wasn't long. I saw two pizzas right away on other tables that I wanted to order - the Margherita and the Sausage. I can only think of a couple of times I had Neopolitan pizza like this (Patsy Grimaldi's in Arizona and Punch Pizza in Minneapolis which was right behind Wells Brothers on that Top 10 places in the USA list. I didn't care for Punch, it was very bland) so I had a good idea of how it might taste and feel. The Margherita came out first and it was very good. Nice char on the end, crisp crust and very thin (except the edges). The basil wasn't as good as I hoped, and ironically one slice had no basil on it, so it was basically a cheese pizza and it had it's own taste that I actually preferred over the Margherita with basil. I'm not used to basil on pizza, and I do like it from time to time, but I might get a basic cheese pizza next time. The sausage pizza was simply amazing. Tons of flavor, good fennel taste with the sausage, not overloaded. If I had one complaint, it was that it became soggy quickly, but that was only at the lip of each slice (but even then, I suppose it was no big deal). The majority of each slice remained crisp and I loved the charred crust. I am definitely returning and I have to say that all the reviews touting this place were right. It's a winner.