Just east of Syracuse University you will find the “Westcott Nation,” a colorful and diverse neighborhood centered on Westcott Street. In the heart of it is Dorian’s Gourmet Pizza & Deli, almost as well-known to SU students, staff and area residents as the “big three” pizza shops of Marshall Street.
For this review, I chose a pepperoni slice (1/6th of a 16″, $2.35 incl. tax). This was a generally thin pizza, baked on a pan. Based on the mottled browning pattern, it was allowed to rise for some time on the pan. It was moist but not very oily, floppy, with some crispness at the edge. Crust taste was unremarkable.
The sauce had a rather subdued, slightly sweet flavor. It looked good, with good color and some spice flakes, but I had trouble picking up on much spice or tomato flavor. Cheese was better than average, although just a smidge oily. It pulled off in big pieces even though it was warm and soft. The amount was good in proportion to the crust and sauce.
Average pizza can sometimes be elevated by good toppings, and that was the case with this slice. The pepperoni had a just-right level of “zing.” By being careful where I took bites, it was possible to get some pepperoni in most of them. Without it, this would have been a very mild and plain slice. If you like mild, floppy, pan-baked pizza, you may like it more than I did. The Pizza Geek gives Dorian’s pizza a rating of 3.5 out of 4 slices.
Summary – Pros: good pepperoni. Cons: bland sauce.
What do YOU think? Have you tried pizza from Dorian’s? Click the comment link below and tell us about it!
Crust: ***
Sauce: ***
Cheese: ****
Toppings: ****
Bang/Buck: ****
Overall:
