Food Review: Cafe 22

Café 22

823 Corydon Ave 

      
Update (August 2012): Cafe 22 has changed its menu sometime this spring. They decreased the size of the pizzas (to 10 inch), increased price, and didn't change the pizza quality. At this point I don't really think the price is worth what you get. You'd be better off ordering the pizza as delivery. There are some intriguing new dishes: the fig, caramelized onion and Gorgonzola was especially tasty sounding, but it isn't the same home-town pizza cafe it once was. 

     I have gone to Café 22 more times than I can remember in the last five years. That’s not to say I am a regular, but if I do not want to spend a lot of money and I want a quieter place to eat, this is my number one choice.  The reason for this is threefold: 1) they do not charge you extra money for toppings on custom pizzas, 2) there is a patio which is wonderful for people watching 3) the pizza is reliable.

                The atmosphere is wonderful. Two large artificial trees reach the roof and spread their branches around the middle of the room which effectively muffles the sound. The lights are dim. The music is never too loud. The only thing that retracts from the mood of the place are the paintings in the booths, which look at you with very vibrant eyes. I find them unnerving.

                The servers might be a mixed bag, but when I go there I am not expecting someone professionally paring tastes, or catering to my whim. I am there for pizza that is cheesy, and satisfying. Having ordered out pizza hotline’s garden veggie, I can tell you that it is pretty much the Greek pizza with pineapple. It is an honest attempt to be better than most pizza place’s veggie pizza, only, it doesn’t really succeed. The Greek is tasty, but you can make one that is better using your own pizza making genius in the comfort of their restaurant.

                Here are some favourite custom pizzas:

-          Flat crust with jalapenos, roasted red pepper, green pepper, garlic, and mozzarella cheese.

-          Simple Mediterranean: Regular crust with sundried tomatoes, spinach, garlic (never forget the garlic), and roasted eggplant

-          Mushrooms, eggplant and basil.
-     Mushrooms, eggplant, garlic, feta, mozzarella

-          Feta cheese, black olives and artichoke hearts          

And so many more!

I have also tried the calzones and they are fine. The pasta is also not too bad. The tomato salad is unexpectedly spicy. The Greek and Caesar salad is pretty much what you would expect from a pizza place, reliable but nothing special.

The truth is I come to pizza hotline because it is the best middle-of-the-road pizza in the city (based on a limited sample). The crust is nice too! If you need a place to go with friends for pizza that doesn’t cost tonnes, this would probably be a place I would suggest. There is also a fairly good drink menu and a reasonable selection of beer.  I like it.

Until next time!