Abba's Pizza, Revisited

Back in December 2010, I did a post about a slice I got at Abba's Pizza, a kosher pizzeria on Winton Road near Monroe Avenue. I gave it a B-minus for pizza that was pretty crisp but a bit bland.
I've meant for some time to go back for a pie, and I finally did so recently.
Abba's pizzas only come in one size, 16 inches, and I got a cheese pie. The proprietor, Eli Pardo, told me that he makes the crusts from scratch, but parbakes them on screens and stacks them up, prior to making the actual pizzas.
The crust on my pizza was very thin - not paper thin, but thin. It was still in the oven when I arrived, and though it appeared to be about done, I asked for it to be baked another minute.
The result was a pie that was well-done underneath, with cheese that was a little browned, especially toward the center of the pie. The underside was dotted with holes that I assume were to keep the crust from bubbling up as it was parbaking.
Though I am generally not favorably disposed toward screen-baked pies, or prebaked crusts, this crust was pretty good. It had a crunchy/crackly bottom surface and a bready interior. The slices cracked when folded, but stayed in one piece, which is a sign of a good crust. Thanks perhaps to that extra minute in the oven, they had some toasty overtones as well.
The sauce was moderately applied, and had a mild flavor. If you like an assertively flavored sauce, you might find this a bit bland. The cheese was pretty good, again very mild, but with a good, creamy texture.
Due to its location, clientele, and virtually one-man staff, Abba's hours are rather limited. But for local pizza lovers, it is well worth visiting. You might want to call or check their Facebook page before going, just to make sure they're open.
I am in the process of simplifying my ratings, to go with a simple, A, B, C, D, F system - no pluses or minuses. So pizzas are either outstanding, above average, average, below average, or inedible. This was very good pizza - not quite top-notch, but very enjoyable, so I give it a B.
Abba's Pizza, 1037 Winton Road S., 14618 (inside the Chabad Center - just walk in, you'll find it)
360-9723
Mon. - Wed. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Thu. 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sun. noon - 5 p.m.