Dough Depot (not)

 On a recent weekend I decided to take advantage of the nice weather and go for a hike. I was scanning the map for trails or forests where I could work in a hike and a nearby pizzeria, and settled on Indian Fort Nature Preserve near Geneseo. I chose it partly because it has some very nice trails, for a relatively small place, and partly because I saw on Google Maps that there was a pizzeria in nearby Caledonia, Dough Depot, that I hadn't been aware of. It got good reviews and was in an old railroad depot to boot, which was a bonus for me.

 I called and got no answer but I forged ahead, as there were recent updates online stating that they would be open. OK, I admit, dumb idea. Should've made sure. But it was still worth checking out. 

Got to the depot and saw "DOUGH DEPOT" in large letters along the wall, and I smelled food cooking. 

But the doors on both sides were locked, and the interior looked dark. I started back to my car when I heard someone say, "Anything I can do for you?," or words to that effect. Across the adjacent tracks stood a man in his yard, and after I explained that I was there for pizza he responded that he hadn't known Dough Depot to make pizza for at least several weeks.

 "But I smell something cooking," I said. He answered. "Oh, that's me, I'm doing steaks." "Can I come over?" "Sure, come on over," he replied.

It was a nice offer, and I'm guessing he would've honored it had I taken him up on it, but I declined. He suggested Pizza Land, just down the road. But I saw that I had reviewed it before, and although that was a long time ago, I had stopped there pretty recently and the pizza didn't seem much different from the time of my prior review, so I headed home and made my own lunch.

Subsequent calls to Dough Depot have met without success.  So I can only conclude that it's no longer in business, or at least that it's not making pizza. Too bad, as the reviews that I saw were quite positive, and I had been looking forward to it. I can only hope that it reopens or that someone else moves into the space. But I can't call it a wasted trip, as I was heartened to see that there are still some hospitable folks left in the world, at least in Caledonia.

 Dough Depot, 226 North St., Caledonia

 

 

Daffies, Caledonia

After last week’s look at Pizza Land in Caledonia, today we’ll head just a few doors down the street and stop in at Caledonia’s other pizza place, Daffies.
As I did at Pizza Land, I got a slice at midday. It had a medium thick crust, with a thick, rigid edge, making it not easily foldable. The screen-baked underside was a medium brown, fairly dry, and firm but not particularly crisp.
I couldn’t help comparing (or is it contrasting?) this with Pizza Land. It was definitely not as saucy, and had a more pronounced, tangier cheese flavor than my Pizza Land slice. The pepperoni was of the cup & char variety, and was spicier than Pizza Land’s. All in all, this slice had a more assertive flavor than the Pizza Land slice, but less sauce, and a thicker crust.
The edge was thick, had a slightly floury surface, and some decent breadiness. It had a chewy texture.
I don’t know what it is with these places in Caledonia, but like Pizza Land, Daffies didn’t have any to-go menus when I stopped in. The menu is mostly of the basic pizza/wings/subs variety, though as you can see in the exterior photo, they also serve tacos, pasta, and wraps, and fresh deli meat as well. There is some seating, and the atmosphere is strictly deli/pizza-joint.
Between Daffies and Pizza Land, I might go for the latter, just because I’m more generally partial to thin crusts, but trying to be objective, I’d rate them about equally. They’re different from each other, and each one is OK, if not exceptional, in its own right. If you like a saucy slice that’s easy to slide down the gullet, go for Pizza Land. If you like a cheesier slice with more of a crust presence, Daffies is the right call. I’m calling this a draw, then, and giving Daffies, like Pizza Land, a B-.
Daffies Pizza, 3178 State Street, Caledonia 538-4360
Mon. - Thu. 9 a.m. - 10 p.m., Fri. - Sat. 9 a.m. - 11 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Pizza Land, Caledonia

Today we'll take a trip to the southwest. The southwestern suburbs of Rochester, that is.
Caledonia, which is just across the county line in Livingston County, has a couple of pizza places within a stone's throw of each other on State Street, Daffies and Pizza Land. We'll look at Pizza Land first.
I stopped in at midday for a slice. It had a thin crust, and the underside was fairly dry, although after a while grease from the cheese started to soak through to the bottom. There was some cornmeal visible underneath, and it did not appear to have been baked on a screen. The underside was on the dark side, but more browned than charred.
Flavorwise, the crust wasn't bad. It had some decent breadiness, though again some exterior toastiness would have been welcome.
This was quite a saucy slice. The slightly sweet, tomatoey sauce was generously applied, making this a little sloppy to eat. Although the crust was easily foldable, and could be held with one hand, you probably wouldn't want to eat this on the go, especially if you're wearing a light-colored shirt or pants.
This slice came from a freshly baked pie, and even after it had cooled off a bit, the very melted cheese remained a little gooey and stringy. You'll want to have some napkins handy with a slice like this.
Pizza Land has several area locations; there are others in Le Roy and Avon - I think that's it- and is a family owned business dating back to 1960, though I'm not sure which one came first. They didn't have any takeout menus handy on my visit, but I don't recall seeing anything too out of the ordinary available, pretty much your basic pizza shop fare. There's a little seating in the front near the windows, again, your typical small-town pizzeria setup.
This was OK. The pizza had good flavor, and a decent crust. It was what I'd call a good "slurp down" slice: tastes good, easy to eat. Exceptional? No. But no major complaints here either. I'll give it a B-.
Pizza Land, 3150 State St. (Rt. 5), Caledonia 538-2810
Mon. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Sun. noon - 10 p.m.