Artichoke Adobo

I’ve never been a pizza lover but I do enjoy the occassional pizza meal. So it is pretty rare that you can catch me seeking out a pizza place.

Hepa-testing the pizza!

What did happen this last weekend was I found myself with a lot of time to kill and a walk away from a small “Di Mark’s” pizza counter over along shaw boulevard in the San Juan-Mandaluyong area. Now I remember eating this particular brand when I was little. I remember liking the taste and little else. So I decided to sit down, have a good solo lunch, and listen to podcasts while having myself a pizza.

It did not disappoint. The space, while a little cramped (especially due to the fact that a squad of police officers were dining there when I got in), was close to spotless, with good decor and choice of furniture. Don’t get me wrong, it is still a pizza counter, but a good one as pizza counters go.

The highlight, though, is and will always be, the pizza. I’m gonna sound like a total fanboy here but I can’t stop singing praises to the Di Mark’s pizza I tried. I, of course, asked what their specialty was and was told that I should go for either “The Big 22″ (22 toppings on every slice), or “The Mad Scramble” (Italian Sausage Meat, Pepperoni, Mushrooms, Green Peppers, Onions, Garlic, Black and Green olives, Chicken, and Tomatoes). I decided on a personal size (8″) Scramble.

Going on a Mad Scramble!

The Killer Condiment Combo!

This pizza rocked! It had the perfect mix of thick toppings and crunchy thin crust. It was even more filling than I thought it would be. Sliced into four, each bite offered a carnival of flavors. Complement this mix with what I would like to call “The Killer Condiment Combo” by bathing it with Hot Olive Oil (Labuyo in medium quality olive oil), Pepper Flakes, and Di Mark’s hot sauce and you’d be thinking “This is well worth it!” with every gulp of water.

Overall I give this pizza place 5 Gaping Navels! Something I haven’t given to any establishment as of yet. This rating, of course, considers the restaurant’s position relative to other establishments in the same market.

Yum for one.

To listen to our audio review, please download the Hepa Contessa segment of the “Live@USA.PH” podcast here (Episode 24 A).