Charred to Perfection

Last month I applied my vast wisdom to describe . In a follow-up, I’m going to apply my criteria to review the recently opened Coal Fire Pizza in the still-developing Waugh Chapel South in Crofton.

I’m not qualified to rate the actual restaurant experience, because I was only there for takeout. But the place does have a nice air of sophistication above a standard pizza joint. Nothing to the point of being stuffy or snooty—just the right amount that makes it inviting and cozy.

The young lady at the takeout counter helped me figure out the difference between their classic and signature pizzas. She described the classic as more the traditional tomato-based sauce and the signature a bit more sweet. Armed with that information, it was an easy decision as I ordered a 12” classic pepperoni—my standard choice for toppings. I grabbed an empty seat and patiently waited the approximately 10 minutes it took for the guys working the oven to bake up my pizza. I guess a more curious guy would have watched the coal oven being used, but I chose to just fiddle with my phone. Such is the life of an introvert.

With the pizza in hand, I made the drive from Crofton back to Seven Oaks—the whole time smelling the delicious smell oozing from the box in my passenger seat. At one point, curiosity did get the better of me as I took a peek inside. The pizza had all the perfect pizza eye candy: great looking crust with just a hint of being flame kissed in the oven, heavenly melted cheese, a good spread of pepperoni and the glimmer of its glorious grease (not dripping grease, but the right amount that reminds us why we are carnivores).

Standing at my kitchen island, I tucked in. I separated the first slice from its family and admired the crust. The slice stood erect as a guy on prom night. The crust was crispy and flakey—just the way it should be. No gumminess and not brittle like some of the other thin crust pizzas out there that just fall apart like the Capitals in the playoffs. The cheese was amazing and the sauce was ever so subtle as to not overpower the delicate balance between toppings and crust. The pepperoni was meaty and delicious. Overall, the slice was fantastic.

Later in the evening, after the rest of the pizza had chilled out in the fridge for a few hours, I gave it the ultimate test—how well it does as cold leftovers. Here again, Coal Fire Pizza did very well. And, I’d honestly say, it moved to the top of my list for this. The crust holds up. The cheese, sauce, and pepperoni were just as tasty cold as when they were warm. While I didn’t (actually, I couldn’t resist finishing it off) let it sit overnight to see how it would do as a delicious breakfast treat, I have no doubt that it would.

The bottom line and the sign of any satisfied customer is that I’d return and recommend this place to friends and anyone else willing to read my blog post. Check it out and let me know what you think.