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New York state of mind
For 20 years Abo's has been serving the biggest and best in Boulder. These days they are serving it from 11 different shops, making it as easy as pie to get your own. There are as many types of pizza as there are pizzeros (or pizzeras, if the pizza maker is female): Thin-crust, deep-dish, "meat-lovers," vegan, white, red or green, cut-in-squares, baked-in-rounds or in a wood-burning oven, individual-size, double-cheese, extra-garlic, take-and-bake, rolled, folded, flat or stuffed. I've had potato pizza on the street in Rome, and green chile pizza in New Mexico; pizza made on bagels, pita, Boboli, English muffins, matzoh, fresh dough, whole wheat crust (pass on that), and tortillas. But, for my money, there is none better than giant, flat, chewy, cheesy, New York-style slices. New York can keep the other trappings of big city life as long as it shares its pizza. Abo's delivers the best of that genre that Colorado has to offer, and they literally deliver if you prefer that to picking up your pie yourself. They don't promise to deliver in 30 minutes, they don't bring you free hot wings, and they don't sell things twisted with cinnamon. They simply make delicious, hot pizza topped with everything from the mundane to the fantastic. In addition to onions, pepperoni and black olives, you can choose from artichoke hearts, garlic, fresh tomatoes, sausage, anchovies or spinach. And more. The dough is freshly made and cooks up crisp and chewy. The cheese is a custom blend, and the tomato sauce is subtly seasoned. The end result is the best cheesy pizza pie around. Since there are several Abo's in Boulder (and in other parts of the Front Range) you can be assured that yours will be delivered while the cheese is still bubbly. But, as good as a whole pie from Abo's is, I must admit that is not my favorite thing they have on offer. If you want the quintessential Abo's experience, walk in and order a slice or two from the counter. Something about the slices is a notch better than the whole pies. It might be the romance of eating a slice in the shop redolent with the heady odor of garlic and cheese, but I think it is more than that. When they hold the whole-cheese-only pies for selling slices, and then reheat the slices, they get a texture that is without comparison. The crust gets crispier and the cheese gets chewier. Most of the toppings release a lot of water when baked so the cheese gets a sort of creamy texture. If you are used to toppings, try your slice without for an unforgettable experience. Sprinkle it with parmesan, garlic, or red chile flakes from the shakers sitting around. Wash it down with a nice cup of root beer and, in bliss, watch the pizza show behind the counter. I don't know if the pizzeros at Abo's toss the dough over their heads a la stereotypical Italian chefs, but they are just as talented. The folks running the cash register, taking phone orders, and delivering the pizzas are efficient and competent. They are also quick to correct errors (a sausage pizza that should have been spinach was quickly remade and delivered). It helps somewhat that Abo's was started by locals and each one is still owned and managed locally. Good attitude, in addition to good pizza, comes from the top down. Abo's is thin-crust pizza at its best. The whole experience reminds me of eating slices with my cousins in New York. The only things missing are Italian ices and swearing cab drivers. Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com
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You know what they say about pizza parlors with really big slices? They have really big boxes.
