MOD Pizza

   There are about a million different pizza places out there.  From big name chains (like Pizza Hut and Dominos), to mom and pop places, serving everything from your regular pie to fancy and eclectic versions.  MOD pizza is one of the most extraordinary places I have happened upon this side of Europe.

MOD is a chain, though one that I had never encountered until my trip to Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle, WA.  So what's the big?  Well, let's hit the basics first:  Classically fired in a brick oven.  I never thought much about the difference in how my pizza was cooked until I went to Europe, but this is without a doubt the best way.  No kidding, your pizza goes from a raw pile of dough and topping to a hot crispy disk of awesome in less than 5 minutes. 

So here's the skinny:  My wife, 3 kids and I entered the line.  It was out the door, and we still got to the register to order in less than 10 minutes.  We each ordered our pizza:  Choices ranged from classic Pepperoni and Cheese to outlandish things like Feta Cheese, Basil and Chicken.  My kids are kinda boring with pizza, so they went classic, with one of them adding olives (gasp!).  My wife and I each ordered a special: the Caspian, topped with Mozzarella, Gorgonzola, BBQ Chicken and sauce, and Sliced Red Onion, and I, carnivore that I am, got a Mad Dog, topped with Mozzarella, Pepperoni, Mild Sausage, Crumbled meatballs, and Red sauce.

Okay, they have lots of different toppings, so what?  The what is no matter what you order, the only price difference comes in the size you get. ALL TOPPINGS ARE FREE!!!!  When is the last time you got a pizza with added toppings for free?  Let me save you some time: Never!  Free toppings, brick oven fired, super quick assembly-line style staff, open kitchen (so you can watch them work), and excellent price.  Not to mention a pretty cool décor, which my wife describes as Industrial Minimalistic (artists, go figure).  Exposed ceiling and lots of steel and wood, but still felt cozy and comfortable.  To summarize, an all-around great experience.  If you find one near you, definitely check it out.  Thanks for tuning in, folks.

So, my first review will be of the Mill Restaurant and Pub, located in Seabrook, WA, an newly developing high-end community in northern Washington.  I have a few dishes to review. 

First, let's start with appetizer.  Being in WA, this of course has to be Clam Chowder.  The mill boasts in inclusion of Chase Clams (?) and Pancetta.  The consistency was thick, but not overly so, and we found it to be quite delicious.  The pancetta added a slightly salty flavoring, and the clams were just chewy enough without being tough.  (For anyone not familiar with Pancetta, it's pretty much Italian bacon, usually served super thin sliced, but in this case was cut in to small cubes).  Also, I believe they included a bit of Paprika, which added a slight hint of flavor, but mostly a yellowish tint to the chowder.

Next, the pre-dinner salad.  This was a mixture of "field-greens", or as I refer to them, tree trimmings.  Now I know more and more people like the fancy salads, but I am more of an Iceberg and Romaine kinda' guy.  Anyway, it was pretty much nothing but this pile of tree trimmings, half of a slice of tomato, half of a cucumber slice, and a few pieces of red onion.  Now, the good part: the Ranch.  They admitted it was simply mixed from a powder, but it was thick, tangy, and sweet.  It seemed to me that it had a sour-cream base, which is awesome!  I was totally digging it...until I bit in to a piece of bleu cheese.  That's right, they brought me the wrong dressing.  Now, while I typically hate that moldy crap, I gotta say, it was still pretty darn tasty.

Finally, the main event:  Maple glazed pork loin, with red potatoes and "seasonal vegetable", which in this case meant green beans.  Sounds amazing doesn't it?  True, the pork was some of the most tender I even had, but that was pretty much the end of the 'yay' factor.  The pork literally tasted like solid slices of breakfast syrup, with little to no seasoning besides the glaze.  The red potatoes, while seasoned deliciously with salt, pepper, butter, garlic and rosemary, were very undercooked.  On the other hand, the green beans were cook perfectly, soft, but still with a bit of crispness to keep it from being mushy. However there wasn't a single grain of seasoning to be found.

Now, I don't want my first review to be completely harsh.  The atmosphere was awesome.  It seemed to be centered around prohibition-aged speak easies, with tons of photographs of early mill workers in the area.  Loggers sitting on the giant stumps (sometimes 8 side by side on the top of one stump!), or relaxing on a hilltop enjoying the view.  Very relaxing and inviting.  The waiter was very friendly and helpful, and we never had to sit around waiting for him to check on us, but we didn't feel suffocated or rushed either. So, all in all, I would give it a 3 out of 5.  But be warned, don't go unless you feel like dropping quite a pretty penny.  For my meal, the bowl of soup, and a kids plate of grilled chicken, we dropped over $50.

Well, that's it for my first go-round.  Let me know what you think and feel free to suggest any places in the Ocean Shores area for me to check out for ya!

So it begins...

Howdy fellow food peeps.  Okay, so first of all, I am by no means a connoisseur, heck I needed spell check to even spell that right.  I am simply someone who loves food, and thinks everyone else does to.  So why not let people know where I think the good, bad, and ugly is to be found?  I have a few reviews ready to go, but as this is my first time blogging, it may be a few days until I have everything ready to go so I don't sound even dumber than I usually do.  Well, check in with you all soon.  Happy eating.