Union Market, site of Sunday's Israel@65 Food, Wine and Music Festival is a long way from 1370 Lamberton Drive in Silver Spring, MD; which might explain why my slice of Ben Yehuda Cafe and Pizzeria cheese pizza was cold. Logistics play a vital part in food quality at a fair or festival; but I couldn't help but feel a little bit disappointed with my first slice of WTOP Radio's Best Pizza of 2010.
Just $2.50 a slice, I took my first bite with a touch of apprehension: It didn't exactly look impressive. It went from a pizza box to a paper plate, with no sign of insulation to speak of (even Papa John's has those cool delivery bags that keep everything warm and toasty.) Two bites later, my fears were realized... Brrr! It's a shame too, because the cheese was extra tasty; but the sauce had no flavor whatsoever, and the crust wasn't far behind (or ahead, for that matter.)
I get out to Silver Spring at least once or twice a month, so I'll make a point of visiting in person to try one of their 9, 12 or 18" pies ($7.75, $10.25 and $17.95 respectively.) For now, color me cold with disappointment.
Atmosphere: D (It was an outdoor station... folding tables, etc. but next door neighbor Eli's had the same setup and long lines all day.)
Crust: C- (Crust and sauce usually suffer the most from temperature shortcomings)
Toppings: B- (Dull sauce, but I can't wait to try this cheese again... hot.)
Service: B- (Two workers, both polite; but who can blame them for being uninspired?)
Overall: C- (Even cold, the cheese peaked my interest. Take this review with an extra grain of salt.)
