AUTHENTIC CHICAGO STYLE DEEP DISH PIZZA IN CUENCA, ECUADOR

 

If anybody has even tasted Deep Dish Chicago Style Pizza in Chicago, at one of the top deep-dish pizzerias like Gino's East, Uno's, or Lou Malnati's of my generation, back when Deep Dish became the craze in Chicago during the 60's and 70's; they were in for a savory pizza delight unknown to the world at that time.  People thought nothing in the coldest Chicago winter nights to wait outside these restaurants in line for 45 minutes to an hour to get a seat, and then wait another hour before the pizza was baked and served.  In the last twenty years, folks would stand in line and place their order on some electronic gizmo, and now on their cell phones and have the pizzas about ready by the time they are seated.  But back in the good, old days, the rugged baby-boomers would stand out in the freezing, windy Chicago weather just for the honor of having a seat of privilege at the table of exceptionally yearned for deep dish pizza.

Back in these early days of deep-dish mania, there was fierce competition especially between Uno’s and Gino’s East restaurants in Chi-Town. Everybody had their favorite of the two, much like the rivalry between the White Sox and the Cubs, and never the twain shall meet. It was amazing how heated folks could get over which pizzeria had the best deep-dish--Uno's or Gino's East. 

 

Today, whenever I go home to visit family, we always make a trek to the south suburb of Homewood, Illinois, at Aurelio’s which in my opinion has the best deep-dish in the Chicago area.  Of course, new places have also sprouted up in recent years, which many millennials prefer, because the younger generations like places that they feel have their stamp of approval.  Also, many of the branches are not always up to the quality of the original pizzeria.  I had a deep-dish at Unos in Baltimore Harbor a few years ago.  It was good, but somehow just wasn't quite the same taste as the original Unos on Ohio Street in Chicago.  

Thin crust pizza over the last twenty years has made a come back in Chicago, although it never really disappeared.  More people today are weight conscious, and I was surprised to learn that Uno's is dropping deep-dish pizza in all of their restaurants across the nation.  The powers that be claim it is too time consuming to make and bake and requires to many ingredients.  In other words, they are more concerned with maximizing profit, and moving people along more quickly in their restaurants.  American culture is way past the point of having respect for tradition over profits.

 

Chicago style deep-dish pizzas are built in the following order:  homemade thick crust, hefty amounts of mozzarella cheese, toppings, fresh tomato sauce or tomato slices.  Each has its own unique taste, and the crusts can vary in taste and texture.  Gino’s East uses a buttery tasting crust for example, and the pizzas are furthered custom-made by the choices customers choose to add. 

 

When deep dish first began in Chicago, before the original  outlets would move across the country, sausage had always been the favorite meat on pizzas in the Chicago market.  I discovered while a grad student in the late 70's at NYU, that pepperoni was the big favorite, and thin crust was the Big Apple’s style.  I never had a pepperoni pizza until I attended school in NYC.    Later, pepperoni as a pizza topping became a big choice in Chicago as well.  I don’t know what the ratio between pepperoni and sausage choices are in Chicago today.

 

Another absolute favorite is Giordano's, which appeared in 1974, and was a quick favorite of the Deep-Dish Stuffed Pizza crowd.  The stuffed pizza requires two layers of crust.  The bottom layer is layered with an ubiquitous amount of mozzarella cheese from the cheese capital of the U.S.A.—the state of Wisconsin.  Another layer of crust is added and then the tomato sauce and toppings are added with a sprinkling of cheese. 

 

Unlike Ecuador where pizza has rapidly grown in popularity over the last decade.  Ecuadorian pizza is thin crust, and often little if any tomato sauce is used.  Ecuadorians prefer their pizza primarily with cheese, and various meat and vegetable toppings.  A small number of pizzerias attempted deep dish pizza.  A couple of them even claimed they were serving authentic Chicago style deep-dish pizza.  None of them even came close.  Usually the toppings where sparse and the Mozzarella not as deep, because the price of the pizza had to correlate with the income level of most Ecuadorians.

 

Then miracle of miracles!  I am eating in Kolibri Restaurant in Hotel Carvallo, located at 9-52 Gran Colombia on the north side of the street between Avenidas Benigno Malo and Padre Aguirre (099 269 9659 or 096 411 8205). They make an absolutely fabulous lamb shank in red wine reduction sauce.  The taste is fantastic, and the meat just falls off the bone.  The hotel and restaurant, owned by a Guatemalan family, who among their many international items on the menu also offer some very good Guatemalan stews of either beef or chicken, which are delicious, worth raving about, and quite reasonable in price.  The restaurant is attractive, with a nice ambience, and has a large dining room perfect for large family and business gatherings.

It was here at Kolibri that Josue, an attentive, efficient and likable waiter, and family member, asked me which city I was from in the states.  When I mentioned Chicago, Josue excitedly told me that his sister, Arlene Meneses, the chef at Kolibri's, who has culinary training and worked in several restaurants in cities in the states, including New York City, can make fabulous Chicago style deep-dish pizza.

 

I trusted Chef Arlene’s other dishes, so without sampling the pizza, which is not on the menu, but must be ordered in advance; I gathered eleven of my friends, and we made a night of it this past Thursday evening.  Everybody was very pleased with the outcome, including those who prefer thin crust pizza.  The pizza had a very good crust, that is neither like a cracker crust nor like bread, and was four inches deep, and baked to perfection.  

All of us either pre-ordered pepperoni or sausage, although we also had a plain cheese or ham as choices. The mozzarella was raved about as friends commented on the rich flavor, the extensive amount and the high quality of the cheese, fresh Italian spices were used as well.  Chef Arlene had cooked peppers, onions, and mushrooms, placed on the table so we could add them to our pizza.  I wasn’t sure how well having these condiments would work out since these ingredients are usually baked in the pizza, but it worked out just fine and they were delicious as we added them onto the pizza to our amount and liking.  Even the grated parmesan to sprinkle on the pizza was tasty, fresh, and not salty.

The above photo is one of my favorites, although Sieg and Karen Braum may never speak to me again.  Don't they look like they arrived with five shots each of double tequila under their belts?

Below, always playful Sieg is being comical for the photo. While Karen is looking chic with her shorter hairdo.

In the photo below, Sieg is being serious, while Karen looks like she swallowed the canary.  I wonder what she knows that she is not telling us?

Below is Ed Green and his lady friend, Osisris.

It takes an hour to bake Arlene’s deep-dish pizza, so we arranged to have the pre-orders placed in advance, Arlene  could already assemble the pizzas, and begin baking them a half an hour before we arrived.  Then when we arrived, we could order our drinks, and converse awhile, while we snacked on some nuts and seeds while we waited for our order.  

Below is Kolibri Restaurant within Hotel Carvallo.

Above, the Rios brothers, Mathias, Andres, and Esteban.

Below, the tall friend in Red is Loren Kuehne.

Below between Jerry in the yellow shirt and me in the blue shirt is Maria Rosa standing, mother to the three Rios jovens.

Below is Estaban Rios, Jerry Ramos, Mathias Rios, and Jim Mola

 

When the pizza did arrive, it was served hot right out of the oven.  I love the gooiness of the mozzarella as it stretches from the pan to the serving utensil while the waiters attempt to put a slice on our plates, and repeatedly try to get all the stretched cheese onto the plate.  A true Chicago ritual.

My heart was fluttering just at the sight and aroma, and the opportunity for the first time in three years  to experience a deep dish pizza!

I wanted to invite a large group of friends, but Josue had to remind me that Kolibri is not a pizzeria, with multiple ovens just to make pizza.  They could only bake a maximum of four pan pizzas at a time.  The slices are very big, and while some of us ordered two slices, we all took the second slice home with us as the one slice was very filling.  Also, we wanted to save a little room for dessert. 

 

Kolibri has fabulous desserts.  I have had the burnt, fig cheesecake, which may not sound very appetizing.  However, it was quite good and something different to enjoy.  The chocolate mouse is outstanding, as is their other cheesecake options.  

Below, the chocolate mousse

The overwhelming dessert choice of the night by practically everybody was Baked Alaska.  I only had this dessert once in Mumbai, India.  I wasn’t impressed.  It was too sugary.  However, Chef’s Arlene’s Baked Alaska had a perfect crust or cake layer on the bottom, delicious layers of various flavors of ice cream, topped off with meringue.  As an adult, I’ve never been fond of meringue, but I had never tasted Chef’s Arlene’s meringue before, it was incomparable in taste and texture. The entire pastry is one of the best you will find in Cuenca.  I don’t think Baked Alaska is normally on the Kolibri dessert menu, so I would suggest that when you make reservations for possibly four or more people, you can request the Baked Alaska a day or two before your dining night.  It would be well worth the effort.

 

As for the pizza, it truly was as good as any of the best Chicago style deep-dish pizzas, I have had in the Windy City.  We paid Chicago prices, but it was worth it.  One pan of four large slices, four inches deep is $30.50, two slices from the pan would be $15.25, and one slice, if four people share a pan is $7.13 each, which is not bad for a slice of pizza that is filling, and that will leave you swooning for more, just like when the moon hits you eye like a big pizza pie that’s amore.  Top it off with Baked Alaska for dessert, and you will have an evening to remember, and something unique in Cuenca’s culinary offerings. 

To see the short video of the evening while being serendaded by Dean Martin, either click on the box below or on the You Tube link:

https://youtu.be/TLa55-pa-Xs