Apache Pizza...and franchise pizza in general...

OU812

Papa johns is my personal favourite, with dominos a close second.

Was in nyc last year & practically lived on "Street Pizza" - a walk up window of a pizzeria where you could buy a slice the size of my head (and I've a big head) for a dollar.

Custardpi

Personally I much prefer the fresh pizzas (Milanos, Tesco/Lidl/Aldi own brands etc) one gets in the supermarkets to the chain versions. Both mass produced of course but the former are much better value & not as heavy for the most part. If you want proper pizza of course you have to go to a smaller place using fresh dough, fresh ingredients & a proper stone oven. Best pizza I ever had was from a tiny place run by an Italian in Dubrovnik - mainly catered for locals as it was away from the Old Town tourist area. Perfect dough consistency in the thinnish base, generous slices of local sausage & a marinara sauce to die for. That's the way to do it.

Ush1

Four Star have the spiciest I think, the inferno pizza, turns your arseh*le inside out the next day.

Calibos

I am amazed there is any love for Apache. Maybe my local Apache is just crap then but if you are lucky, its just tasteless, if unlucky it'll actually taste off and make you nauseous.

FourStar in our house if we're getting a franchise Pizza.

Ciaran_B

I find the Apache sauce way too sweet. Like they've tipped a bag of sugar into it.

Four Star thin base for me, if I'm ordering a chain pizza. Russo in Kimmage for an indie shop.

theteal

Yamanoto wrote: »

I've had Papa Johns in the States many times as it's terrific & decided to order pizza from Supermacs a couple of times, consisting of precisely the same ingredients.

What I received on both occasions was a piss poor imitation of it's US cousin & I think it was a real misstep for them to co-locate with Supermacs - who consistently fail to get even their own core product right.

Ahhhhhhh that explains it. I was confused at the papa johns hate. It hadn't merged with supercacks yet when I upped sticks. On the rare occasion we'd get a pizza over here it would be an xxl carryout for a tenner from PJs - just can't be dealing with the Domino's grease

chopperbyrne

Alf Stewart. wrote: »

All of the big franchises pizzas are muck compared to the small independent guys (imo)

Bulk bought ready made dough, sauces, all the toppings (I swear that ain't really chicken they put on top) are again, bulk bought, mass produced and processed crap too.

Now don't get me wrong'that could be heaven for others, but it don't float my boat.

Don't even get me started on the other shìt they do. Wedges, chips and onion rings, all frozen muck too.

The dipping sauces are muck.

Can't beat the local bloke near me, hand made pizza bases, hand made sauces and nothing but fresh toppings.

His chips are proper hand cut thick cut chips too. (And not a frozen wedge in sight)

And surprisingly enough he's cheaper than the other shysters.

Think Dominos is made to order pizza bases in-store, though it may be from frozen dough.

Worked in Pizza Hut years ago and their pizza bases were brought in frozen and then put in a pan with a bit of oil and crumbs and left to thaw overnight in a fridge so they could be used the next day. They'd flatten out to fill the pan.

Still bloody delicious though.

daRobot

Unfortunately, the pizza chains are operated with convenience and profit in mind, and they don't care much about the end product as the majority of the public doesn't know much better and pays a premium for it.

Once you eat really well made Pizza, you'll know exactly how bad the chains are.

Myself and the wife were travelling well off the beaten track in Southern Sicily, and out of pure hunger, stopped at this dodgy looking take-away place on a busy road. Two guys flying through kneading the homemade dough, and a huge open stone oven.

The most amazing pizza we've ever had, and all for 4.50 for a 12". That's what it's all about - not the bastardized versions we tolerate here with hot dog stuffed crusts.

eviltimeban

Used to love Domino's, got it once a week religiously. Tastes change though, and I just stopped enjoying it. Moved to the Italian place close to me (Il Fornaio), good pizza, just tasted better and fresher of course. Also Brezzi's in Portmarnock does good pizza and they deliver too.

I also loved Chicago Town but the calorie content is off the chart. Eating the whole pizza gives you just about your total calorie intake for the day. If you add in your other meals, then perhaps the beers or wine that you'd have with the pizza, it adds up to a terrifying amount if you are watching the calories.

Nowadays, I make my own. I buy the stone baked base from the supermarket, lash a tin of chopped tomatoes into the pan, add onion basil, oregano, balsamic vinegar, spoonful of sugar, red wine vinegar, salt & pepper, and let it simmer for 12 minutes. Then I slop it on the base, add mozarella, pepperoni, and coat with grated parmesan, cook for 10 minutes, Best pizza hands down.

Polar101

daRobot wrote: »

The most amazing pizza we've ever had, and all for 4.50 for a 12". That's what it's all about - not the bastardized versions we tolerate here with hot dog stuffed crusts.

Yes but do they deliver to my door in 15 minutes like Domino's?

Duggy747

Dominos is a clusterfúck of a business, I don't deal with them anymore and if I were a vegetarian I definitely wouldn't trust them too much in getting a pizza from them (GF and other veggies kept finding meat on theirs from various stores too many times in the past few months)

On their Irish social media sites you can see from people posting up their orders the kind of absolutely disgusting shít some of the stores have been handing out, it's genuinely rank.

murphy01

I seriously don't understand how people pay 20 quid for the likes of Domino and Apache and the rest... they are really cleaning up as the quality of their ingredients doesn't match the prices they're charging. I really don't see or taste much difference in an Apache pizza and a frozen one from the supermarket...and even they are expensive! I used to always buy the Ristorante range whenever it's on offer but I discovered recently a Tesco own brand (not the value range) and it's about 1.60 I think and seriously, it's the nicest. I get the pepperoni one. And trust me I am very picky when it comes to food and I wouldn't be a Tesco fan by any means but I have to admit this one is nice and great value. It was on offer recently for 1.13!

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

Duggy747 wrote: »

Dominos is a clusterfúck of a business, I don't deal with them anymore and if I were a vegetarian I definitely wouldn't trust them too much in getting a pizza from them (GF and other veggies kept finding meat on theirs from various stores too many times in the past few months)

On their Irish social media sites you can see from people posting up their orders the kind of absolutely disgusting shít some of the stores have been handing out, it's genuinely rank.

Balls, really? Never happened me, I'd tend to trust big chains over small chippers and places for things like that.

Apache's grand I find, only really interested in it when I'm drunk or hungover but it's perfect drink food

Duggy747

Rosie Screeching Statement wrote: »

Balls, really? Never happened me, I'd tend to trust big chains over small chippers and places for things like that.

Apache's grand I find, only really interested in it when I'm drunk or hungover but it's perfect drink food

The stores we used to deal with were truly hopeless, constantly wrong orders in a row and just randomly putting things on pizzas that weren't asked. "Didn't want peppers?................here's double peppers because fúck you!"

The GF was just finding bits of beef / pork amongst the other toppings. Her and the other vegetarians that it happened to made complaints but not a single one of them got a response from the stores, Facebook, Twitter, email, etc.

So yeah, fúck 'em.

maudgonner

eviltimeban wrote: »

Nowadays, I make my own. I buy the stone baked base from the supermarket, lash a tin of chopped tomatoes into the pan, add onion basil, oregano, balsamic vinegar, spoonful of sugar, red wine vinegar, salt & pepper, and let it simmer for 12 minutes. Then I slop it on the base, add mozarella, pepperoni, and coat with grated parmesan, cook for 10 minutes, Best pizza hands down.

I do that, except I'm lazier and just use pasatta for my tomato sauce. Takes less than 5 minutes to assemble and quicker to cook than a frozen pizza, so it's just as handy really.

I do sometimes make my own bases and it's worth the effort, but I can't always be bothered

eviltimeban

maudgonner wrote: »

I do that, except I'm lazier and just use pasatta for my tomato sauce. Takes less than 5 minutes to assemble and quicker to cook than a frozen pizza, so it's just as handy really.

I do sometimes make my own bases and it's worth the effort, but I can't always be bothered

I'm the opposite, dough is something I've yet to turn my hand to, but that might be the next thing.

Passata is grand but if you add basil, oregano and balsamic you'll up the flavour quotient by 100%. Try it next time. And if you're a meat lover you could add small bits of pancetta to your sauce (you can buy it pre-chopped up in the supermarket).

EagererBeaver

I love how snobby some people can get about bread with a bit of sauce and toppings on it. There's bad pizza and there's fine pizza. "Outrageously good, mouth watering pizza of your dreams" is a myth.

eviltimeban

EagererBeaver wrote: »

I love how snobby some people can get about bread with a bit of sauce and toppings on it. There's bad pizza and there's fine pizza. "Outrageously good, mouth watering pizza of your dreams" is a myth.

Not really. Italian food is famous for having very few ingredients as it's more about the quality of the ingredients.

Dr Crayfish

I'm not a fan of any of the chains mentioned. Always thick bases and way too doughy. There are a few good independent places popping up in Dublin though. The one in Portmarnock is one of the best I've had in Ireland.
Also if you're ever in Strandhill Co. Sligo, the Strand bar has lovely pizza, really good.

rainbow kirby

They're all crap, pizza is only worth it from an Italian restaurant. Bases need to be thin and they need to be not overloaded with toppings. Proper mozzarella too.

Dr Crayfish

rainbow kirby wrote: »

They're all crap, pizza is only worth it from an Italian restaurant. Bases need to be thin and they need to be not overloaded with toppings. Proper mozzarella too.

Am I the only one who thinks Milanos, or Pizza Express pizzas are really good?

Dyr

Alf Stewart. wrote: »

All of the big franchises pizzas are muck compared to the small independent guys (imo)

.

Havent eaten pizza in ages but Firehouse Pizza was better than any of the main franchise pizza places

There was another american franchise popped up called little caesers and that was some nasty stuff.

If you left the pizza overnight the sauce congealed into a rubber frisbee that you could peel off the base in one go

chopperbyrne

Independent Pizza Company in Drumcondra is very nice and the best I've had in Dublin, but Eco in Gorey is the best I've had in Ireland.

theteal

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

I'm not a fan of any of the chains mentioned. Always thick bases and way too doughy. There are a few good independent places popping up in Dublin though. The one in Portmarnock is one of the best I've had in Ireland.
Also if you're ever in Strandhill Co. Sligo, the Strand bar has lovely pizza, really good.

:D We stayed across the road for my stag and lived on the stuff for the weekend. It's a running joke now with slagging one of the lads coz he bought so many. . .you're not him are you?!?!?!?! :pac: :pac:

Dr Crayfish

theteal wrote: »

:D We stayed across the road for my stag and lived on the stuff for the weekend. It's a running joke now with slagging one of the lads coz he bought so many. . .you're not him are you?!?!?!?! :pac: :pac:

Unless I was on some booze and drugs bender with a bunch of guys in Sligo on a stag that I wasn't invited to and can't remember, no.

beach_walker

chopperbyrne wrote: »

Think Dominos is made to order pizza bases in-store, though it may be from frozen dough.

Local Dominos have their pizza prep area facing onto the street, full window wall so you can see the lot. It's a hoax on the scale of the Moon landing if half the nonsense spouted by their haters here are true

Yeah a takeaway one is a treat once in a while, obviously done with some deal/code. Actually I think today may be the day!

intune

DontThankMe wrote: »

I don't really like Apache Pizza had it a few times and they don't give a dip with their pizza's
If i I had to rank my favorite pizza places it would be:

1. Dominos
2. Four Star
3. Pizza Hut
4. Mizzoni's
5. Papa Johns

The only frozen pizzas that are decent is Chicago Town pizzas.

Totally agree to this one...

Easca Peasca

I'd give Dominos my first vote in the line of franchises. There Texas BBQ pizza is a beaut!

Turquoise Hexagon Sun

OP, you never had a freshly made pizza? Wow. You are missing out. Frozen doesn't even come in to the equation. Sad times when we start freezing food like that.

If you are perhaps in Dublin and fancy a nice slice of Pizza before you go wild and ever decide to purchase one from a chain, I would kindly recommend Ray's Pizza at the Central Bank. They have pre-made or they can make one there for you.

I would also recommend Dominoes Pizza for ordering. I like Mizzoni too. I remember if you used a voucher, they would always give it back, lol.

Man, I love Pizza.

Keane2baMused

I went to Italy for the first time last year.

Sitting in a little 'fast food' pizza place called Gusta Pizza in Florence ,where everyone shares tables, you get a number and pick it up and eat off paper plates.

I have never in my life had pizza like it. The freshest tastiest pizza made in less than ten minutes and all for 6 euro with a little glass of white wine.

Dominos and all the rest are muck in comparison, and I liked it before that!

murpho999

I don't like these franchise pizzas . Just full of bad stuff and dough is too thick.

You can't beat a proper Italian pizza with thin dough and fresh ingredients. We make them at home mostly as it's so easy to do.

Also, chicken should NEVER be on a pizza.

PARlance

Keane2baMused wrote: »

I went to Italy for the first time last year.

Sitting in a little 'fast food' pizza place called Gusta Pizza in Florence ,where everyone shares tables, you get a number and pick it up and eat off paper plates.

I have never in my life had pizza like it. The freshest tastiest pizza made in less than ten minutes and all for 6 euro with a little glass of white wine.

Dominos and all the rest are muck in comparison, and I liked it before that!

Domino's et al are American Pizza. The serve a purpose if your purpose is to pay 20 quid to feel crap. I'll do that from time to time myself.

Proper fresh Italian Pizza is a favourite of mine.

Custardpi

murpho999 wrote: »

I don't like these franchise pizzas . Just full of bad stuff and dough is too thick.

You can't beat a proper Italian pizza with thin dough and fresh ingredients. We make them at home mostly as it's so easy to do.

Also, chicken should NEVER be on a pizza.

If you're talking about the dehydrated balls of mystery meat found on most franchise "chicken" pizzas then I'd agree. On the other hand I've used shredded leftover roast chicken a few times on homemade pizzas I've done & it's amazing. I'm sure there's some Sicilian pizza makers guild who have a law against that or whatever but it tastes pretty good to me.

Keane2baMused

PARlance wrote: »

Domino's et al are American Pizza. The serve a purpose if you're purpose is to paid 20 quid to feel crap. I'll do that from time to time myself.

Proper fresh Italian Pizza is a favourite of mine.

Oh I agree! For a hangover or such it's grand, but when you feel absolutely woeful after eating dinner instead just full and happy you know there's something wrong

murpho999

Custardpi wrote: »

If you're talking about the dehydrated balls of mystery meat found on most franchise "chicken" pizzas then I'd agree. On the other hand I've used shredded leftover roast chicken a few times on homemade pizzas I've done & it's amazing. I'm sure there's some Sicilian pizza makers guild who have a law against that or whatever but it tastes pretty good to me.

Go to Italy, and you just won't get chicken on pizza. Just not done.

maudgonner

Keane2baMused wrote: »

I went to Italy for the first time last year.

Sitting in a little 'fast food' pizza place called Gusta Pizza in Florence ,where everyone shares tables, you get a number and pick it up and eat off paper plates.

I have never in my life had pizza like it. The freshest tastiest pizza made in less than ten minutes and all for 6 euro with a little glass of white wine.

Dominos and all the rest are muck in comparison, and I liked it before that!

Same as, except in Naples. Which is a hell of a wild west kinda town, but the food is incredible.

Dammit, I want to book a holiday now, it was bad enough when this thread was just making me hungry!




(I still put chicken on pizza though. And sometimes pineapple)

SarahMollie

Keane2baMused wrote: »

I went to Italy for the first time last year.

Sitting in a little 'fast food' pizza place called Gusta Pizza in Florence ,where everyone shares tables, you get a number and pick it up and eat off paper plates.

I have never in my life had pizza like it. The freshest tastiest pizza made in less than ten minutes and all for 6 euro with a little glass of white wine.

Dominos and all the rest are muck in comparison, and I liked it before that!

Once you taste proper pizza its really hard to go back.
Not that you'll get that exact experience in Ireland, but there are some better options our there than the usual suspects.

It can be a bit pricey for a takeaway, but Base Woodfired Pizza (they've 4 locations in South Dublin) are very delicious.

I actually felt like I was dying inside the last time I ate a Dominos. Never again.

PARlance

murpho999 wrote: »

Go to Italy, and you just won't get chicken on pizza. Just not done.

You'll get plenty of eggs on them though.

Keane2baMused

maudgonner wrote: »

Same as, except in Naples. Which is a hell of a wild west kinda town, but the food is incredible.

Dammit, I want to book a holiday now, it was bad enough when this thread was just making me hungry!




(I still put chicken on pizza though. And sometimes pineapple)

Those pesky Italians with their nice food!

Did you notice how slim and beautiful the women are?? They must never eat the pizza

Custardpi

murpho999 wrote: »

Go to Italy, and you just won't get chicken on pizza. Just not done.

I've been to Italy a couple of times & yeah I've never seen it but I think people can be too purist about these things. It's like Spanish people who get enraged at anyone who even dares to suggest putting chorizo in a paella.

murpho999

PARlance wrote: »

You'll get plenty of eggs on them though.

Yes..Pizza Cappriciosa. Delicious

murpho999

Custardpi wrote: »

I've been to Italy a couple of times & yeah I've never seen it but I think people can be too purist about these things. It's like Spanish people who get enraged at anyone who even dares to suggest putting chorizo in a paella.

I'm not so sure.

Before I was ever in Italy, I never liked chicken on pizza, and I love chicken. It just never tasted right.

MarcoAntonio23

Best pizza in the world is from Costa Marina in my hometown of Porto-Vecchio, Corsica.

caille

I have a love/hate relationship with pizza. I really like it but it absolutely does not like me. I bloat up like noone's business after eating it, so I gave up years ago on it. I don't know if it's the gluten or the salt, all I can do now is have one slice of my husband's or a pal's if they are having one. I have to order a gluten free one sometime and see if that makes a difference.

I make my own though, with wraps or potato bases and I've told they are pretty tasty, so it's not all bad.

Custardpi

caille wrote: »

I have a love/hate relationship with pizza. I really like it but it absolutely does not like me. I bloat up like noone's business after eating it, so I gave up years ago on it. I don't know if it's the gluten or the salt, all I can do now is have one slice of my husband's or a pal's if they are having one. I have to order a gluten free one sometime and see if that makes a difference.

I make my own though, with wraps or potato bases and I've told they are pretty tasty, so it's not all bad.

I'm kind of the same with the thick base ones whether frozen or from Dominoes etc. Just too much dough really, too heavy. I'm grand with a decent quality thin crust though.

for me it goes, from nicest to worst:

Pizza Hut
Dominos (deep pan)
Four star
papa johns
..
Don't like Apache or Mizzonis

Got pizza in a chipper before and it was terrible so I was put off trying again and got pizza in a restaurant and there was too much cheese which again put me off

Probably eat pizza about once a month and I find myself almost hungover after it with all the salt/sugar/fat whatever is in it!

Cathy.C

EagererBeaver wrote: »

"Outrageously good, mouth watering pizza of your dreams" is a myth.

No it's not. I've eaten some. Got it at That's Amore Pizzeria in Monkstown.

I've never been in Italy but for the hour or so I spent in that restaurant I felt like I was in a Dolmio advert.

Not just the best pizza I have ever had but in fact the best food I have ever had. Bellissima!

Richard Hillman

I like Apache but would order more Dominos out of convenience. I don't think they are anything special though.

I used to love Dr Oetker frozen pizzas but they have gone downhill massively over the last couple of years. There is barely any cheese on them anymore.

I am visiting Italy in a few weeks. I very much look forward to sampling the pizza.

Custardpi

Never liked Dr Oetker, have tried them a few times as some people love them but they taste really artificial to me, like plasticine or something. Even by the standards of frozen pizza (which let's face it is not great at the best of times) I've always found them lacking.

After reading all posts here, think I'll pass.

Never make it at home as just not into pizza anyway. Only get a frozen one maybe twice a year when hungry, want something quickly and think how bad can they be. Invariably give up half way through, dissatisfied and again pondering just how good the ads make them look. Get the odd nice one if in a restaurant with a rep for them...but wouldn't expect to pay €20. And the thought of a greasy pizza is really off putting.