19°
Fresh off an overwhelmingly positive visit to Frank's Pizza & Pasta in Baltimore, whose owners directed them to the Essex eatery, Dave Portnoy made his way to what was described as the "Taj Mahal of Pizza Places" for the latest "One Bite" review.
"This is a huge operation," he said. "So I get (the nickname) ... It's a big space."
Portnoy said that he was so influenced by his trek to Frank's that he took the owners at their word and checked out the Essex space.
"That last guy from Frank's ... As I'm thinking this ... At times, I get tired of pizza reviews ... We've done so many," he mused. "But then you run into a guy at Frank's and it makes it worth it.
"That pizzeria was so good and I loved the story, so I'll take their recommendation."
Off the bat in Essex, Portnoy acknowledged that the pie at Pizza John's is not his favorite style - he prefers more airy slices versus the hearty cheese pie - but he admitted that it was fresh and looked good in the box.
"This is a little thicker, but it's fresh and it's good. I like it a little less cheesy. That's too much cheese for me ... I like it lighter
"It's good. It's all preference. It's too cheesy for me, but I could still hammer this whole thing."
Portnoy ultimately gave Pizza a 7.4, but said he planned to tell the owner it was a 7.7 if h was asked.
"You can tell it's really fresh and good, but I'm coming of an 8."
Portnoy was hailed as a hero as he toured the kitchen and restaurant, shaking hands with staff and patrons alike as they kept gushing over how big of fans they were while posing for photos.
"I might be the king of Baltimore," he joked on his way out the door.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Westminster and receive free news updates.
