Find a Slice of Brooklyn at Grimaldi's Pizzeria

San Antonio, Texas is definitely not your mecca of great tasting pizza. In fact, to compare Texan and New York cuisines as apples and oranges wold be an understatement. The typical pie in this region of the country can be typically found with greasy, spongy crusts and toppings that taste as if they were freeze dried for a million years. Every city, however, has a diamond in the rough, and I am ever-so-thankful that San Antonio has a few. Grimaldi's is a perfect example. Originating in the heart of Brooklyn, Grimadli's has been putting together the perfect pie for years, and during that time, branched out their business to a handful of states.

-The Grimaldi's Pizza box sitting on our dining room table just before consumption-

My better half and I had a craving for something quick and easy to eat, but we wanted more flavor than the big pizza chains have to offer. Upon hearing the buzz of Grimaldi's opening in the newly built portion of the La Cantera shopping center in northwest San Antonio, we had to investigate. We ordered our pie to go, as it was already late and we wanted to spend the evening at home watching the NBA semifinals. First of all, those of you who have not ventured into the new area of La Cantera, I highly recommend that you do so, because the place is stunning! If you thought the original mall was impressive, you haven't seen anything yet! But, I digress, back to the eats!

We ordered a large pepperoni pizza, a no brainer classic. When they mean large, they really mean it, the box is huge! Their large pizza sits at a whopping 18 inches in diameter, that's one inch bigger than the rims on my Camaro! Another pleasant sight was the freshness. the mozzarella was obviously fresh, but they slice it fresh instead of shredded, giving a very smooth, melted appearance. The pepperoni cut slightly thicker than normal, with a more appealing color that any pepperoni I've ever seen. See for yourself:

This looked very appetizing, so we couldn't wait to dive into it. The crust/dough have a much different flavor than any other pizza you'll find in this city, offering a perfect balance of crispiness and chewyness, and a smoky flavor thanks to the traditional coal fueled brick oven (take that, EZ's). This pizza did have a somewhat big flaw however, the pepperoni are thicker, greasier, and spicer than what folks around here are used to (including myself), which consequently overpowers ALL of the fantastic flavors the pizza has to offer. I discovered the quality flavors when I bit into a segment where some pepperonis were absent. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised during that bite! the mozzarella was so fresh, as if they have a full staff forming the balls of cheese themselves. The tomato sauce had a bright yet savory flavor, definitely a fresh off the vine taste without being cliche. I was quite impressed. Those fresh flavors combined with the smoke-kissed crust made the perfect combination. At that point I took all the pepperoni off and ate it plain, I found it much more enjoyable that way. I'll definitely go back for another, but next time I'll sick with more subtle toppings so that the main features really shine through. The pizza was a bit on the expensive side, the large cost us about 18 dollars, but high quality doesn't come cheap.

Although we didn't eat in, we stopped inside to pick up our order, and very much enjoyed the setting we saw. A modern restaurant twist on the old school style pizzeria. The hostess podium has a counter of granite-like stone, and just to the side of it, a full bar with a seemingly large beer selection as well as a large collection of alcohol. The tables and chairs still reflect the old style red and white checker table cloths, and dark wood chairs, with a modern flair. Rustic, yet modern would be a great way to describe it. The staff there were VERY hospitable. As we waited for our receipt, the hostess was happy to introduce us to their style of cooking, and all the extras they had to offer over other pizzerias. Overall a great experience. Maybe next time we'll actually dine in. :)

For more information such as locations, contact info, menus, and more, visit their website: http://www.patsygrimaldis.com/

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