New Pizza Place Coming to Pasadena - Blaze Pizza Fast Fire'd

[WildSwede]

This should be interesting. It is very close to Settebello (one restaurant and a street away) in the space that used to be Vroman's Fine Paper on the NE corner of El Molino and Colorado. The workers are working hard at getting it ready. Sign says "Coming Soon". Wonder if they will be any kind of competition for Settebello.

http://www.blaze-pizza.com/

[lapizzamaven]

Yeah, this do it yourself, genius concept...wtf! whenever i order a pie, i tell them what i want on it...I dont remember any of these joints asking me to come behind the counter and roll some dough! pathetic and not really impressed with 800 Degrees...I'll take Settebello anyday!

[lad1818]

What's next, Blowtorch Pizza?

This speedy, top-your-own pizza craze does not tempt me to try it. What am I missing?

[WildSwede]

They are now open. There are tables outside and I spotted flames inside while driving by today.

[mocro]

We had a delicious Margherita DOC pizza and insalata Friday night at Settebello. I wouldn't mind if Blaze siphons off some of Settebello's patrons as it can be a bit of a wait sometimes, but it would have to be amazing pizza to affect my love affair with Settebello.

[Will Owen]

My sole experience of Settebello was refrigerated leftovers, which I consider to be the ultimate test of good pizza. It flunked; the outer crust was all but impossible to chew, kind of like wheat jerky. Flavor was good, but this crust had been worked to death. That's wrong. Mrs. O said it was really good when fresh. Too bad about failing the Breakfast Test.

[zack]

I don't think that test applies to neapolitan style pizzas. They must be eaten fresh out of the oven, not to go, not reheated next day. Give it a fair shot and dine in next time.

[Jack Flash]

Will, you really owe it to yourself to eat AT Settebello. That's a pizza that MUST be eaten fresh out of the oven. Even a 10-minute wait is too much, IMHO.

[WildSwede]

Definitely agree. You need to eat it at super-speed, too, I have found. I had the Margherita DOC and found it was too wet - although delicious. I much prefer the regular Margherita (which is also cheaper!). LMK if you want to meet there, Will. It is so good!!

[Will Owen]

Okay. If I can defend Pizza Bianca's use of canned mushrooms, I guess y'all can defend a pizza that is all but inedible within half an hour out of the oven, heretical though I hold that to be. Give me a window, WS - you have my email. A plain Margherita is as close to perfection as pizza gets, so I'm game.

[judybird]

Hi, Wild Swede and Will, it's your Altadena neighbor. Will, the others are right, there's nothing like fresh Settebello pizza. We've eaten there approximately 10 times this year, will probably be there again next week. Hope to see you guys there.

[chowchi1]

Tried out PizzaRev in Studio CIty last night. Very crowded -- but free pizza will do that. Found it very average -- just in the middle. Crust is ok but sauce and toppings are bland. 800 Degrees is much better than this and in it's own class -- and at same price point. If Blaze is like PizzaRev -- Settebello has nothing to worry about.

[js76wisco]

They opened one in the UCI plaza where Trader Joe's is a few weeks back. Big lines the first week or so but I haven't managed to try Blaze yet.

The owners/founders of Blaze are also the founders of Wetzel's Pretzels.

[Searching4Dunny]

I tried the branch near UCI. A complete joke of a pizza. Toppings were half step above Pzza-Hut if that. The crust is completely generic. I've haven't been to 800 Degrees yet but from what I have heard, it is much better than the pizza at Blaze.

[js76wisco]

Thanks for the heads up. That is disappointing to hear as I've heard good things about 800 degrees and was hoping Blaze was on par. I heard a similar operation across the street from Disneyland that opened recently. Can't remember the name but I'm still partial to Pieology in Fullerton. Been there twice and thought the pizza was very good for this type of concept.

[BrewNChow]

Second. I am at UCI now for grad school, blaze sucks

[Tripeler]

When I think of the name of the shop, I can't help but be reminded of Blazing Saddles.

[Novelli]

Interesting.

This type of concept seems to be going gangbusters. In addition to 800 degrees and Blaze, I know of PizzaRev in Studio City that's doing the exact same thing.

In fact, the pizzas looks EXACTLY the same at both Blaze and PizzaRev!

http://www.pizzarev.com/

[Servorg]

This looks like an 800 Degrees clone...

[PaulF]

So does this:

http://la.eater.com/archives/2012/08/...

But this time it's sourdough.

[Will Owen]

Oooh, I love that. "REPLACING Le Saint Amour " … with a pizza parlor? Even a high-end pizza parlor?

Oh, don't mind me, it's just that I'm still in mourning, and this piece kinda ripped the Band-Aid off. But come to think of it, I miss that Vroman's shop too, even if they did put a smaller version inside the bookstore.