FOOD REVIEW: The Original Giorgio's

Anyone who has had the pleasure of being dragged out to eat with me can testify that I am a huge proponent of supporting the little guys. 

Some of the best meals of my life have been eaten in corner shacks that looked like they may or may not have been converted laundromats. This is especially true when it comes to pizza. For me, pizza is all about attention to detail, and in my experience, chain restaurants just can’t quite match the love that those independent dough tossers put into each slice.

That being said, my “off the beaten path method” has from time to time led me astray, and this week unfortunately that was the case as I headed for .

I probably should have seen the red flags from far, far away as soon as I called in my order. In case this is news to anyone, traffic on the beltway around dinnertime can be an adventure, so I decided to place a carryout order. When I asked the nice gentleman on the phone for one 12-inch Sicilian pizza (an item very clearly listed on Original Giorgio’s Specialty Pizza menu online), his response was “Okay, um, what’s on that?” 

I’ve never run a pizza joint, but something tells me that knowing what comes on each pizza might be one of those little details that might come in handy.  Nevertheless, I went ahead and let it slide and placed the rest of my order.

When I arrived at Original Giorgio’s I have to say it was pretty much what I expected. The dining room was small, a handful of tables at most, and the décor was limited to a few neon signs and a hanging menu. While the menu listed online has a good deal more options than the in-house hanging menu, the kitchen does serve all items on both, Aside from a few novel sides such as “pizza fries,” both menus keep things rather simple. Along with the 10 or so specialty pizzas, Giorgio’s offers both 12-inch and 16-inch pizzas with a selection of toppings, as well as a standard selection of sandwiches and subs.

The formula for a great pizza comes down to a simple checklist. 

First, get the crust right, then top with a subtle sauce. Make sure all your toppings are fresh and properly proportioned. Finally, cook it right. While I will admit the folks at Original Giorgio’s did execute step one fairly well—the crust was flavorful with just enough crisp on it to give the pizza enough bite—unfortunately as far as the checklist goes, that was about all they got right. 

A good pizza sauce should be balanced, with the tartness of the tomato being cut by the sweetness of the oil and the aroma of the herbs. At Giorgio’s, the sauce was sickly sweet and totally took over the flavor of the whole bite. While the cheese and toppings tasted relatively fresh, the proportions were way off with so much cheese that there was no way to cook it long enough without burning the crust. 

Anyone who has picked up a slice of pizza only to realize you're holding a soggy slab of crust and the cheese has decided to skip the journey knows that when the cheese isn’t given the time to reach that nice bubbly golden state, you are in for an adventure that involves a lot of napkins.

I wish I could say the sandwiches at Giorgio’s are the saving grace, but again I was just let down by the lack of care. My meatball sub was slapped together like a cafeteria Sloppy Joe, and again slathered with that same overly sweet tomato sauce, and the cheesesteak we ordered came out soggy and tasted primarily of grease.

I want to be clear here that I’m not attacking Giorgio’s for not trying to be a four-star joint. My favorite pizza place in Maryland is a tiny little hole-in-the-wall in West Friendship with broken tile walls, torn leather booths and a handwritten sign on the wall that just says “Voted Best Pizza.” But the difference here is that that little shack takes the time to make sure the food speaks for itself. Original Giorgio’s has a prime location and a really great opportunity to become a go-to stop for a very food-savvy Timonium community.

They simply need to focus on the food. Hopefully the folks at Original Giorgio's will turn their attention toward the fundamentals, but until they do, I’ll be heading elsewhere when the pizza cravings hit, and I suggest you join me.