- 23 October, 2003 -

THERE ARE PIZZAS -- and there are pizzas. It never ceases to amaze me that in a land where you can hardly look around without seeing another pizza purveyor, yet one more pizza chain has sprung up and appears to be growing by leaps and bounds. With all the competition, how does this happen? Well, let's consider what makes one pizza better than another. The crust. Is it thin, thick or what? Personally, my preference is for the thinner crusts. The new Z Pizza in Northridge, the first in the Valley of a 16-location chain that started in 1986 in Laguna Beach, meets my first requirement. And I like a crust with a fair amount of crunch, firmness, chewiness, along with a fresh, floury flavor. The new Z Pizza also meets these requirements, claiming to use only premium Montana flour. The cheese better meet a certain standard, or my thumbs point straight down. At Z, the low-fat Wisconsin mozzarella makes the grade. I like fresh tomatoes on my pizza, and Z makes a lovely one called the "Napoli' topped with fresh tomatoes, roasted garlic, basil and Parmesan cheese. I don't like my pizza spread with that dark, ketchupy tomato sauce out of cans that many pizzerias use. Z claims its fresh-tasting sauce is made fresh daily from vine-ripened tomatoes. I prefer something spicy, and Z comes through with a "Southwestern' pie topped with a good chicken sausage, fiery serrano chiles, red onions, corn, cilantro and a flavorful chipotle pesto. Occasionally, a mozzarella-less pizza hits the spot. Z's "Mediterranean' offering with pesto, Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers, eggplant and a restrained sprinkling of feta cheese answers this yearning admirably. And I hate pizza slices that sag and droop when held in the hand. Consequently, they should not be topped with so much that they can't hold the weight. And they should not be too wet, which also contributes to sagging. So I order the small 10-inch pizzas ($8.50 each) at Z, which results in smaller, firmer triangular slices that hardly ever droop at the ends or sag in the middle. But if you want something bigger, there's a 14-inch for $14 and an 18-inch for $19.50. Z's narrow space, holding a half-dozen small tables inside and a couple of umbrella tables outside, shows off its "pizza art' on its walls. But there's more than pizza here. Z bakes baguette-style rolls in house every day and uses them for some terrific sandwiches, especially the hot ones. At $4.75 each, I heartily recommend the spicy chicken sausage sandwich with fresh cilantro, lettuce, tomato, grilled red onions and Dijon mustard with added cheese, if desired, at no extra cost. My second choice is the pollo Latino with lime-flavored, moist chicken, avocado, salsa and lettuce. There are also several refreshing salads, a trio of pasta salads, breadsticks with dipping sauces, calzones, and Ben & Jerry's ice cream here. Disposable paper plates, cardboard boxes and plastic ware keep the cost down. Actually, I don't care what my Z pizza is served on -- as long as it's fresh out of the oven.

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