Pizza Autentica has nine locations throughout the Washington Metropolitan Area, but until earlier today... I'd never eaten in a single one of them. Although it may look the part, I doubt I'll ever visit again.
Sorry to sound harsh (again) but someone has to stand up against sub-par pizza. I stepped into the 2121 K Street space near Washington Circle a little after 2:30 PM, anxious to try something new. The space is huge with lots of tables (all but one of them unoccupied.) There weren't many choices available, so I opted for a generous-sized slice of pepperoni. Total $3.62 (including tax.)
I sat down and immediately noticed how quiet it was inside the restaurant. No radio, TV, nada... only an employee's irksome whistling to break the silence. Without taking a bite, I couldn't wait to get out of there. Still, I persevered and ate my pizza.
The first thing I noticed about said pizza was the aroma... More than a dozen slices of pepperoni gave off a decidedly strong smell of the famous Italian-American salami. The aforementioned pepperoni sat atop a thick layer of cheese with little to no sauce. The crust wasn't crispy, and everything tasted store-bought. All I could think of was uninspired, cookie-cutter pizza.
Service (outside of "whistling Pete") was courteous and well-received. Unfortunately, pepperoni grease tore through two paper plates. Yuck. So much for planning a return trip.
Atmosphere: D (Eerily quiet... One of the few times I would have welcomed more people.)
Service: B- (Dare I mention "whistling Pete" again? Too late; I already did.)
Crust: C- (Not too thick, not too thin... Void of crispiness.)
Toppings: D (Something tells me I could have made the exact same pie with a pre-packaged kit found at a local grocer.)
Value: C
Overall: D (If you're gonna use the word Autentica in your name, prove it.)
