An exploration of pizza in and around Rochester, NY, one pizzeria at a time
Monday, May 4, 2009
Mr. Shoes, South Ave. & E. Henrietta Rd.
Mr. Shoes has been around for quite a few years, and as I recall, used to have a bunch of locations around the Rochester area. Now they're down to just one, at the intersection of South Ave. and East Henrietta Rd., just north of Westfall Rd.
I got a pepperoni slice at lunchtime (I don't exactly love pepperoni, but if you're getting a slice, pepperoni tends to be the freshest because it sells the most).
They don't seem to advertise it - in fact, they don't seem to advertise too much at all - but this is one of those "mega slice" places. And this was a big slice. Maybe not the biggest I've ever seen in terms of surface area, but certainly among the biggest in terms of weight. It was big, thick, and heavy.
The thickness of the dough wasn't just from rising a lot; it was a fairly dense, chewy crust. It was just plain thick.
The bottom showed that it had been cooked on a screen. The dark brown of the bottom surface indicated a relatively long cooking time, at a relatively low temperature, which is probably necessary to cook the dough all the way through. That gave the exterior a slightly toasted flavor.
The exterior was pretty soft. Only along the braided edge of the crust was there a pleasant crunchiness, which I would've liked more of underneath.
Despite its thickness, the crust, which was rather bland on the interior, was almost an afterthought, what with the heavy toppings. The somewhat salty sauce was laid on thickly, and atop that was a thick, gooey layer of melted cheese. Try to hold this slice in one hand, and a chunk of the cheese will simply slide right off the pointy end, taking some of the pepperoni or other toppings along with it.
The pepperoni was basic, wide-and-thin stuff, adding a bit of flavor and grease.
Mr. Shoes has a fairly wide menu, with some specialty pizzas, wings, pasta, subs, various fried stuff, and even some desserts. There is some seating, but it's mostly takeout and probably a lot of delivery.
This may sound like a putdown, but as I was eating this slice the word that came to mind was "pancake." With its thickness, soft chewy texture and browned exterior, it was kind of like eating a pancake, minus the sweetness, and with a heavy layer of sauce and cheese instead of syrup. To me, this is not great pizza, but if you want a lot of food for a little money (I got a slice and a Coke and got a buck and change for my $5) this'll do it. I'll give it a C.
Mr. Shoes, 1921 South Ave.
Sunday – Thursday: 11a.m.– 9:30p.m., Friday & Saturday: 11a.m.– 10:30p.m.
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