Julian's Brick Oven Pizza

[shark_attack]

Opened in Westport near me around December. My feelings about this place seem contradictory, so bear with me.

The pizza is very "tasty". Realize that in the grand scheme, tasty is not the same as being really good. Tasty is what kids like. And kids LOVE Julian's pizza. However, and here's where the review gets into gray areas, the pizza really isn't too good at all. The ingredients are decent, the cheese is ok and the fresh tomato pie is particularly good. The crusts are thin and supple while being a bit chewey. In fact the crust is the best part of this pie. But perhaps none of this matters very much, because Julan's has a secret weapon.

Julian's bakes these ovens in a really nice wood-burning oven. The temperatures are higher than the usual electric oven places and the woodsmoke imparts a flavor that occupies a space where actual food flavor belongs and is in fact missing. You could put Mama Celeste frozens in an oven like this and they would be impressive. You could cook tennis shoes in this thing and they'd turn out ok.

The fresh tomato pies are Probably Julian's best. The sausage is of decent quality. The girl who works days is a sweet thing and it's always a pleasure to see her. When I first found this place I kidded myself I could stop driving all the way to Colony or Pepe's, but alas, it was not to be. I should mention that I once tried a veal parm grinder at Julian's which was truly one of the worst I've ever had. Absolutely zero flavor and totally vacant of deliciousness.

This pizza too has a "sameness" of flavor, consistent with itself day after day but which becomes a bit cloying. The pies you order are much better than the slices for some reason. I know a lot of my neighbors are very enthused about this place, and the pizza is very servicable. Great for kids and many adults. But ultimately, Julians success is relative to the absolute garbage available in most pizzaria's these days and Julian's pizza will never really substitute for a Colony pie, or John the Baker 20 years ago, Or Patsy's of East Harlem was around the turn of the century. How Is Patsy's these days Jim?

[poppy]

old timers long for phil bakers. best pie ever in ff county.

[Ima Foodie]

haven't tried the Westport location, but the original Bridgeport as well as the Monroe locations turn out decernt pies.