Pieology- customized pizza, customized salad (revisit)

Pieology has closed

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog, it's been around since 2005.  Kirk, Ed (from Yuma) and Cathy continue writing about the mundane as well as the interesting meals they've consumed in and around San Diego as well as other places in the world.  Today, it's Cathy writing. 

About three years ago, businesses that baked customized pizza in wood fired ovens in about three minutes were a big deal and about eight different franchises were located in the San Diego area.  I wrote only about Pieology and Social Life (which has since closed).  It's not that I didn't like those sort of places: they were so similar in execution, product and pricing that there was nothing unique.  However, now that the chaff has cleared the wheat and only three other franchises plus Pielogy remain, there has been some refining.   The 'system' is the same, walk up, order  (choose a sauce, cheeses and meats and other toppings) and pay; get your own utensils and beverages. Your completed order is brought out to the table.

Pricing has increased only slightly (basically, any pie with an unlimited choice of toppings is $8.45).

 One of the 'Pieologists Favorite Pies' available is 'Alfredo's Alfredo' (this creation of preselected ingredients also shows the highest calorie count of 1080) Olive oil, three cheese alfredo sauce, parmesan, mozzarella, garlic, mushrooms, artichokes, fresh basil, grape tomatoes (then we added on bacon and olives, because at that point it didn't matter). This pie was excellent, rich and flavorful and enough for two to share.    A 'new' item is a custom salad ($9.25). (You can grab a classic or caesar, already made, for $8.45 or a pre-made side salad for $3.95).  In this case, you select your greens, cheeses and meats, fresh produce and toppings.  We asked for a few of each of the greens (Romaine, spinach and mixed), Feta cheese, bacon and then some artichokes, green & red peppers, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, shaved parmesan and a candied walnut topping.  The dressing was the creamy Italian.  The bowl is very large; I used my longstanding 'airplane salad' trick, taking off the lid pouring the dressing over and then replacing the lid and shaking the container instead of trying to delicately mix the packed ingredients.  This, again is large enough to share and , of course, very fresh.Another visit, The Mister ordered a 'Classic Margherita' (because the base is olive oil, mozzarella, parmesan, fresh basil and grape tomatoes) but then added mushrooms and sausage, to make the pizza unique.  This was also a very tasty pie.   The thin crust is just right and properly proportional for the ingredients.  

A good choice for whatever craving you might have.  Hope you are staying dry!

Pieology (The Study of Custom Pizza) 5575 Balboa Avenue San Diego, CA 92111 (858)565-0600 Website

Comments

[caninecologne]

I've not been to Pieology. A few years ago these types of customized pizza places were popping up every few months but only a few remain like Project Pie. I do like the options to "customize" and how fast the pizzas cook (thin crust too).

[Cathy]

I think we stop here because the location ( between Chicken Charlie's Fry BQ and 85C) is on the way home from a medical office, cc. Thin crust style is nice for these ingredients, but 'real' pies are good too. It really seemed over saturated for a while there.