Twenty years ago on a trip back to school in New Jersey I pulled off Interstate 90 and headed into the heart of Chicago for one reason: pizza. A friend had suggested that the sausage pie at the original Gino’s East on Superior Street was life-changing.
That pizza remains one of the most wonderful meals in my memory.
But rather than attempt a repeat of it today, I instead decided to try the original deep dish pie: Ike Sewell’s pie at Pizzeria Uno. How would it compare to the pizza I remembered from grad school?
The result was quite good. Not life-changing, but good. I probably wouldn’t stand in line too many times for only ‘quite good’ but an hour once was fine.
I ordered two house signature pies: a Numero Uno and a Spinach and Mushroom. The crust reminds me of a cross between a buttery cracker and slightly savory shortbread. The sauce is both tangy and sweet and both pies are every bit as thick as remembered.
Unfortunately, the sum of all the parts didn’t live up to my memory of my first Gino’s pie, but I’m aware memories can be a bit tricky. I might have been disappointed at Gino’s East tonight as well. This said, I need to go back to Superior Street and see. And I’m also hearing rumors about a third spot that might be a real contender: Giordano’s.
