The Iowan Pizza Chronicles: Attempt #96

Thursday, May 9, 2019

Attempt #96 - Cedar Ridge

Venue Outside

The Venue
1441 Marak Rd NW,
Swisher, IA 52338
(319) 857-4300

Cedar Ridge made its way into Iowa with its wines, bourbon/whiskies, and now pizza. They offer cafe style dining. You place your order at the tasting bar and their staff will give you a table number for the food to be delivered wherever you choose to sit— in our large event center, the elegant tasting room, or outside on one of the patios or lawn. Wood-fired pizza is a special on Wednesday: buy one get one half off.

Venue Inside Bar

The Pizza

Chicago Style: No

Crust Thickness: Thin

Menu: https://www.crwine.com/visit-us/dining/

Participants: 7 (plus 2 children)

Pizza Ordered: 6

Sizes Offered/Ordered: 7” Individual

Crusts Offered/Ordered: Thin

Pieces Cut: Triangular

Venue Inside

Classic Margarita - House vodka margarita sauce with sliced fresh mozzarella and pulled field basil ($14)

Four Cheese Pepperoni - House vodka margarita sauce and pepperoni, with shredded mozzarella, muenster, cheddar, and grated parmesan ($15)

CRV Club - Shredded chicken, chopped cherrywood smoked bacon, sliced red onion and creamy herb dressing ($14)

Three Little Pigs - White BBQ dressing with smoked pulled pork, ham, chopped cherrywood-smoked bacon, and fresh mozzarella, dusted with our special spice mix ($15)

Menu

Smoked Gouda & Braised Ribeye - Smoked gouda cream with roasted garlic ribeye and caramelized onion, finished with a tangy balsamic reduction ($15)

The Verdict

Sauce: The sauce on some, like the CRV was excellent (although it was a CREAM sauce!). Overall, a good job on this area.

Cheese: The cheese was not consistent on many of the pizzas.

Crust: The crust was a typical thin, brick oven type. The bottoms were burnt on a few pizzas, which make for inconsistent slices.

Toppings: The toppings were light, as you don’t want to weigh down the small personal pizzas and make them soggy.

Final Comments/Considerations: The outstanding view is breathtaking. The pizzas were good, especially paired with the drinks. We ordered the Classic Margarita to clear our taste buds at the end, which was an excellent move. The Smoked Gouda & Braised Ribeye, CRV Club, and Classic Margarita were each excellent. I would suggest stopping in next time, preferable a Wednesday, since one person can easily eat an entire pizza.