Attempt #3 - Miguels

The Venue

Miguels

175 Jacolyn Dr.
Cedar Rapids, IA 52405-4201
(319) 396-3434

It takes a local to find this place, as it is tucked in a strip mall hosted by an anchor store, the Dollar General on the west side of Cedar Rapids.  No doubt, this is how we found the venue, through some machinists at work.  We ordered an appetizer of fried Chicken Gizzards, not the greatest choice since they were very chewy and tough.  Coke products are $2, and have free refills…not too bad of a deal. 

The Pizza

The pizza wasn’t Chicago style, but they did an excellent job of having an even spread of cheese and toppings.  The sauce was a little thin; I felt more would have helped bring out a little more flavor to the pizza.  The dough was made earlier that morning in house, and most of the ingredients were purchased from Sam’s Club.  The thing that stood out was how the cheese had a nice layer consistently around both of our pizzas…it was a mixture of mozzarella (primary) and cheddar (secondary).  The crust had an average thickness; however, it had the consistency of a thick pita that was baked on the bottom.  It did not rise, to give a noticeable spongy breaded texture where the crust and sauce meet—this is somewhat common for some pizzas.  Another benefit was that no grease leaked through the crust, so it was firm and crisp.  For a 16” (large) pizza, the individual pieces were cut a bit larger than you might except.  Our table had five of us and we finished off all but three pieces from two 16” pizzas and felt satisfied. 

The Verdict

For me, this pizza is of better quality than Sip ‘n Stir’s pizza; however, the 16” cheese pizza was $12 and the 16 all meat pizza was $15.  If you are in the area, Miguel’s is not a bad place to stop by and try a pie.  Otherwise, if you are crazing that thick, deep dish pizza, then Miguel’s isn’t your place.  One special bonus about Miguel’s, the staff was very helpful and they provided excellent service.  So far, this is the best place in terms of service that we have received.

Note:  Their Taco pizza is their most popular among patrons.  We did not try this pizza, as most of us are not fond of this style of pizza.

Attempt #2 - Sip N Stir

The Venue
Sip N Stir
1119 1st Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402-5005
(319) 364-3163

On Sunday’s, they have a 2 topping, 13” pizza special for just $7, with one condition—you must eat it at the establishment.
Unfortunately, they do not serve anything but Pizza and Appetizers on Sundays. The bar was peaceful at 5:00 on a Sunday, and they had a lot more table room than I would have guessed for a little place next to Zio Johno’s.

The Pizza
Although, their pizza wasn’t Chicago style, by any means, they did pretty good job of having an even spread of cheese and toppings.
Everything that was prepared was made in-house, from the dough to the sauce.
The dough had a salty, crisp taste, with a fair amount of cheese grease to soak it in, as to soften it up (yummy). I found myself easily finishing off four pieces (1/2 of a single 13” pizza).
I found that the size was a bit small, however, the toppings were fresh and the cheese was very good.
We ordered two pizza’s, a Sausage and Onion, and a Ham and Pineapple.

The Verdict
For only $7, you can’t go wrong with the Sip ‘N Stir; However, if you are looking for something with a bit more substance and you are crazing that Deep Dish Flavor, head elsewhere.

Attempt #1 - Sam's Pizza

The VenueSam's Pizza & Deli
824 6th Street Southwest
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
(319) 366-8406

This restaurant gets their ingredients straight from Chicago…and for their specialty—the Chicago style pizza, this is very fitting. Part of the restaurant is organized to be a pick-up-and-order counter, but there is a passageway to the other side, where tables and chairs are located. It’s very laid back. They have been around for nine years, and their pizza shows.

The PizzaThis pizza was a true Chicago style type of pizza. A firm, salty crust, loaded with TONS of cheese. The largest size (costing $27), takes about 30 minutes to cook, and weighs in at around six pounds. It certainly fed our group of six, with one piece left over for the missing seventh person. They were generous with the cheese, so much so that they mixed in the other toppings amongst the intense overflow of cheese. We were impressed that given the shear amount of cheese, there wasn’t more grease at the bottom of the pan after taking a slice. Overall, the pizza was still was very good. Considering we had a group of six, we ordered two batches of breadsticks, which were delicious. A blend of spices (parmesan cheese and garlic salt) were baked on to them, which enhanced their unique flavor.

The VerdictI would have liked this pizza a bit more if they had more sauce and a thicker curst. To me, the crust seems a bit on the thinner side for Chicago style. Compliments were given with the unique mixture of parmesan cheese and garlic salt that was provided to spice up the pizza and breadsticks.