 |
| Pepperoni pizza |
At the edge of the U Street Corridor stands Duccini's Pizza, a delivery depot that sells jumbo slices to the hungry masses of Adams Morgan and the aforementioned U Street crowd. It's a highly competitive market, with no less than half a dozen rivals within a stone's throw (including Pizzeria Trattoria literally two doors away.) With minimal space for dining in, Duccini's had better have a great slice; if it wants to attract walk-ins. Sadly for them, they don't.
For starters, you should offer any topping for $5 (not just pepperoni.) I arrived late in the afternoon (around 4:20) and was given a choice between cheese (4 bucks) and pepperoni. This tells me one thing... lazy. I rolled with the punch, ordering the pepperoni for $5 flat, including tax. Waiting is a chore, given the Hades-like temperatures inside this eatery/oven. Thankfully, it only takes about five minutes; but it feels like twice that.
The best part about Duccini's is the pair of shaded sidewalk tables, that provide a lively view of Florida Ave., 18th & U Streets. I brought my box outside, and opened it to unveil a half-cooked slice. Half of the cheese was literally uncooked. Gross. The other half was greasy to a fault, and relatively tasteless. Incredibly flimsy, I expected the crust to be equally underdone; but it had a deep char... Go figure. I finished three bites tops, and stacked the pepperoni on top of itself to give those few bites some much-needed punch. Close to a disaster, and quite possibly the worst jumbo slice in DC.
Atmosphere: D (Outdoor dining bumps this up a full letter grade. Otherwise, horrible.)
Service: D (Should have been able to choose any topping.)
Crust: D+ (Way too flimsy.)
Service: D (Should have been able to choose any topping.)
Crust: D+ (Way too flimsy.)
Toppings: F (Half-uncooked, and flavorless.)
Value: D- (Smaller than the BIG 3 on 18th St.)
Overall: D- (Without that shaded table, probably an F.)
