Son of a Bianchi Pizzeria
5463 Lyons Rd. (Winston Park…read morePlaza, corner of Lyons and Winston Park Blvd. The shop is located on the northern side of the plaza, next to Urbanpawz)
Coconut Creek
Three-word review:
Old school pizza
Son of a Bianchi Pizzeria is one of the newest sources of carryout pizza in my end of Coconut Creek (known locally as North Creek). The location is somewhat obscure and has previously housed several failed Italian-themed spots. One of the biggest hurdles for that location is visibility. Tons of people flood in and out of Publix, at the opposite end of the plaza, but not many have a reason to go past this semi-hidden corner.
I've been meaning to try it, so after looking over the menu, I called them on Wednesday evening to order a pizza. The phone was answered promptly and the cheerful voice on the other end said, S.O.B!
Way back in the 70's when I was working multiple jobs to pay for college, I worked as a barmaid in a very busy nightclub in the Baltimore suburbs. I only worked on Fridays and Saturdays, although they occasionally called me in during the week. My shift did not start on weekends until 6PM and I worked through the 2:00 AM closing, alongside 3 other girls. We all wore tiny costumes which made the most of our assets and resulted in an overflowing tip cup.
Even though it was always 3 deep at the bar with customers, when the phone rang, we all dove to pick it up first. Why? The name of the club was The Frigate. This meant that when we answered the phone, we got to yell, FRIG-IT! Just like that. Drove the owners crazy.
So, I smiled when I heard the girl say, S.O.B!
I ordered a large cheese pizza for pickup. The menu features a zillion toppings and hand tossed thin crust pizza (which is the type I ordered) as well as a big selection of Chicago-style deep dish pizza. They also have meatball subs, chicken parm subs, wings and a few other items.
What sets them apart from some of the previous tenants in this spot is that it's first and foremost, a pizzeria. No warmed-over lasagna or tepid spaghetti. Just pizza and hot subs.
I should have looked more closely at the online menu because "large" at S.O.B. is 18 inches. Far too big for 2 people. A 16-inch medium would have been a better choice. The cost for the 18" was $22.99 + $1.61 tax=$24.60. I paid cash and ordered directly, so there were no fees. There are a handful of tables, but it's primarily set up for takeout.
We got home and it was still hot. I am used to being underwhelmed with pizza, so I typically do not have high hopes. But we had glimpsed it as it was taken from the oven and placed in the box and it looked like a winner.
It was, for both of us, love at first bite. I was instantly transported back to 1965 when every pizza my dad brought home was lovingly made by the owner of the shop and there were no ubiquitous chains in my end of east Baltimore.
It's the style of pizza that has a great crust-but not hard and burned (oh, excuse me, charred). The cheese is melted but not the brand that stretches out and ends up chewy and plastic-like. There is a bit of a 'flop', but not as much as greasy pizzas. The bottom is perfectly cooked but, again, no trendy char, just a light dusting of what I think was cornmeal.
Oh, and about that gigantic size? We polished off the entire 18" pizza. The last slice, while cooled down, was just as good as the first slice. A testament to the quality of the ingredients and the skill of the pizza maker.
Clearly, I loved it. There are a few places near me that are okay, but NOTHING and I mean NOTHING like this pizza.
If you do not live in Coconut Creek, I doubt this review interests you. It's a carryout pizza place. To be sure, it's a truly magnificent pizza place, but probably not a destination unless you live nearby.
I try not to dwell on the past. I accept that I am most likely nostalgic for a time and place that never really existed anywhere but in my mind.
Therefore, I am grateful that S.O.B. more than lives up to my idealized and romanticized memories.
NOTE: This review also appeared in LESF.