Ober Gatlinburg Sidewalk Cafe - Cheese Pizza

Ober Gatlinburg Pizza

Gatlinburg has an amusement park at the top of the Smoky Mountains called Ober Gatlinburg. Plenty of excitement with the Ober Slide, Chair lift, Cyclone water slide, and assorted other water slides and attractions.

There is an inside ice skating rink with plenty of shops and vendors. We stopped at the Pizza station. We ordered a large pizza with pepperoni on half. The clerk said it would be about 20 minutes.

In about 20 minutes, our order number was called and I went to pick up the pizza. Of course it was hot, it just came out of the oven. But the cheese wasn't completed melted. And the crust, well, it had a hint of cardboard flavor. The rest of the pizza was OK at best. I do believe it was a frozen pizza merely heated up.

The cost was $12 dollars without drinks, both diet cokes. Ober Gatlinburg is a fun place to be at, but the food choices on top of the mountain at not so good.

The Grassy Knoll Diner scores 2.5 out of 5 shots and barely recommends Ober Gatlinburg Pizza for dinner.

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1. 
   

   Y-Citizen said

   February 8, 2009 at 7:12 pm e
   That pizza looks fake. Like from a tv commercial.
   Reply
2. 
   

   LOTGK said

   February 8, 2009 at 10:27 pm e
   It wasn’t fake, but had very little taste. It was edible though, and easy access so I gave it a passing grade.
   Reply
3. 
   

   Green Hood said

   February 9, 2009 at 10:08 am e
   I think I would have passed. Dont they have a hamburger shop up there.
   Reply
4. 
   

   Gumby said

   February 9, 2009 at 11:55 am e
   Pass. I think you created a new flavor. Cardboard flavored pizza.
   Reply
5. 
   

   Keith McFarland said

   February 10, 2009 at 11:44 am e
   May be you should try some of these food samples: http://thisiswhyyourefat.com/
   It would be nice to see your reviews.
   Reply
6. 
   

   LOTGK said

   February 10, 2009 at 12:23 pm e
   OMG, I just had a heart attack looking at that food.
   Reply
7. 
   

   Bitzky said

   February 15, 2009 at 8:09 pm e
   20 mins and 12 dollars? No way!
   Btw, you won’t believe me but I believe that the country with best pizzas is… Sweden! I’ve tried pizza in most of European countries, as well as in U.S. and Canada and it just can’t be compared. Come over and find out! 
   Reply
8. 
   

   LOTGK said

   February 16, 2009 at 12:19 pm e
   in fact, Patty and I are preplanning a trip to Ireland next year.
   Reply
9. 
   

   Bitzky said

   February 16, 2009 at 6:11 pm e
   Oh oh oh! Who knows, I just might be in Ireland at the time. Poke me when you find out the dates 
   Reply
10. 
    

    LOTGK said

    February 16, 2009 at 11:17 pm e
    You betcha I will. We’re hoping for September of 2010. Going to see my family there for a few days and then the rest will be sightseeing.
    Reply

Tamarack Rest Stop – West Virginia - Pizza And Meatballs

Tamarack West Virginia Pizza

Being on the road yet again traveling to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, we stopped at the Tamarack Rest Area in West (By God) Virginia. Tamarack is 315 miles from Youngstown, a little more than halfway of our 575 mile journey.

Tamarack is an advantageous rest stop. It keeps you on the Turnpike, has plenty of fueling stations, clean restrooms, and of course places to eat.

I selected Sbarro Pizza. The order was one slice of plain pizza, one meatball, and a small diet coke. (They don't carry Coke zero which really sucks.)

The pizza wasn't hot, just lukewarm and tasted OK for cardboard style pizza. (Cardboard Style pizza is very thin crust pizza that is ready made.) It was edible, and filled me up. The meatball was hot, and surprisingly had a good taste to it. The sauce was hot and mildly zesty. The diet coke quenched my thirst.

The cost was $6.75 which given the choices while traveling on the Turnpike, was reasonable.

The Grassy Knoll Diner scores 3 out of 5 shots and recommends Tamarack Rest Area, West Virginia, for lunch and dinner.

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1. 
   

   Anti-Christ said

   November 19, 2008 at 11:20 am e
   Tamarack is on the fringe of the gates of hell.
   Reply
2. 
   

   Chica said

   November 19, 2008 at 1:03 pm e
   That does look pretty bland.
   Reply
3. 
   

   Contessa Confessa said

   November 19, 2008 at 4:47 pm e
   I can’t believe you actually stopped at the Tamarack! You know, it’s really a secret alien station…
   (that roof is a dead give away!… then again, i guess that’s why so many people are drawn to it)
   Reply
4. 
   

   Augusto said

   November 19, 2008 at 7:15 pm e
   Please don’t blame WV or Tamarack for the mediocre lunch.
   Sbarro is part of the Marriott’s mormon empire. Blame them.
   WV and Tamarack are innocent I tell you. Innocent!
   Reply
5. 
   

   Gumby said

   November 20, 2008 at 11:32 am e
   One meatball? WTF? No spaghetti with that?
   Reply
6. 
   

Wedgewood Pizza - Large Pizza With Chicken Topping

Wedgewood Pizza Box

Youngstown Ohio has plenty of pizza shops. (Lord knows I visited all of them) Wedgewood Pizza, located at 6200 South Avenue in Boardman, Ohio is one the better known and better tasting pizza shops.

Wedgewood 16 Inch Chicken Pizza

I ordered a large, (16 inch) with a topping of BBQ chicken on half. As you can see, the pizza was well cooked, and the topping was plentiful. The crust was thick, not doughy, and tasted good. The sauce was zesty and the cheese completely melted covering the entire pie. The chicken was well cooked and the BBQ was tangy. The cost was only $7.50 which is pretty darn good for a large pizza.

This pizza came in a very sturdy box, was well cut, and is one fine tasting pizza.

The Grassy Knoll Diner scores 4.25 out of 5 shots and recommends Wedgewood Pizza for lunch or dinner.

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Ginos Pizza - Chicago

Gino's Pizza - Chicago

While at the Chicago Halloween show, we had to have Chicago pizza. We asked many locals where the best pizza was. An almost unanimous reply was Gino’s just off Mannheim road. To the taxi.
The restaurant was packed, about 25 people waiting to be seated, which was a good sign. An empty Italian restaurant does not bode well. After about 20 minutes, we were seated and we placed our order. A large pizza was ordered with half with bacon and half with pepperoni and green peppers. My half was the bacon half.

Twenty minutes later, the pizza arrived at our table. As you can see, it looked delicious. The slices were cut all the way through, the crust was crunchy, the cheese perfect, the sauce hot and tangy, and the bacon cooked under the cheese was well cooked.

And the taste, very good. The service, very good. The cost, not bad for Chicago, 20 bucks for the pizza and two cokes. Putting it all together, the Grassy Knoll Institute awards 4 out of 5 shots and recommends Gino’s pizza for dinner.

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Cornersburg Pizza Boardman Ohio

As you can see, Cornersburg pizza looks delicious. And the Grassy Knoll Institute is here to tell you that it tastes delicious as well. Cornersburg has been in business for many years, (Since I was in grade school in the 1960's) serving up their own special blend of pizza to it's loyal customers.

Cornersburg makes their pizza old school style. (Not like assembly line national chain francise pizza shops where everything is shipped in frozen and already prepared) Each pizza is prepared fresh by hand starting from rolling of the dough to the cooking of it's sauce, to the blending of the cheese. This recipe has been in Larry's family for generations and the pride and work ethic he puts in shows.

Ordering a pizza is simple. Simply call 330-758-4501 and order. They know the Grassy Knoll Institute by name knowing what we want before even ordering. Cornersburg doesn't deliver, (Remember, they're old school) but the pizza is ready when they say it is and the shop has easy access to the main roads in Boardman.

The cost, for a 14 inch pizza, is just under 8 dollars which is very reasonable. Each topping add a dollar.

The pizza container is a sturdy box, (It used to be a very flimsy box, but is now very sturdy) making sure the travel to your home or business does not smash or ruin the pizza. Also, the pizza is cut completely through, unlike other pizza's where you try to take a slice and get two or three to go with you.

The taste: excellent tasting. A very unique blend of crust, sauce, and cheese. One of the best if not the best pizza's not just in the area, but in the states. (And trust me, I have had pizza from many places in and out of Youngstown, Ohio) I also like that you can ask for the pizza to be made crispy, or more sauce added, or half with pepperoni and half with sausage, without any fuss. The assembly line pizza joints can't handle those type requests.

The Grassy Knoll Institute awards 5 out of 5 shots to Cornersburg Pizza and recommends them for lunch, dinner, or a late night snack. How are you doing Larry?!

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Inner Circle Pizza

Inner Circle Pizza

Inner Circle Pizza, Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio.

Todays menu choice was a 12 inch pepperoni pizza. The crust was thick and crunchy, not burnt, but well done. The sauce was tangy, spicy, and hot. The cheese was a good blend of several varieties. Of course it was topped with pepperoni.

All the slices were completely cut, which is important so as not to rip half the cheese and pepperoni off another slice. The cost was a little pricey for a 12 inch pizza at $8.95 with pepperoni.

All in all, the Grassy Knoll Institute awards Inner Circle pizza 3 shots out of 5 and recommends Inner Circle for lunch.

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Return To The Mall

A trip to the Mall. Every teenagers dream huh. The problem? I'm 48 years old. Yet, on a Friday evening I had to make my way to the mall.Yes, I had a plan. Stop and get a quick haircut, then return a pillow that was a gift, get a present for my sister-in-law, (Thinking back now, maybe the pillow would have been the perfect re-gift) and of course get dinner on the run.

The three Pats, (Me, Patrick, my wife Patty, and my son Patrick, hence the three Pats) piled into the Jeep Liberty and began our journey.

The haircut went perfect as Patty went to look for a present for her sister. The boy, young Patrick, not wanting to be there, hung out with me keeping a grip on the pillow for return.

Patrick and I quickly made our way to Penny's, up the escalator and right over to customer service. We were the only ones in line as two customers were being waited on already. A third woman, not helping anyone looked at me and then asked if she could help me. I said that I would like to return a pillow I received as a gift. The saleswoman stopped me right there and said that she couldn't help me but thought that I wanted only to ask her a question. I looked at the boy, then made eye contact with the large pillow in the large box in a large return bag, then back at the saleswoman, and told her that yes, I wanted to return a pillow, and did not want to ask her questions. Even with my new haircut. She said to be patient and wait in line. I thought I was....

Several minutes later it was my turn. At least I hoped it was. Another saleswoman looked at me briefly, waved her fingers at me in a come hither fashion, (Yea baby, my new haircut was turning these ladies on) looked down at her computer and I slowly approached the counter. The Seinfeld episode about the soup nazi came to mind, (No soup for you, NEXT!) and I put the pillow on the counter. I said I would like to return the pillow and have it taken off my Penny's charge. The saleswoman grabbed the bag, opened the box the pillow was in and inspected the contents going as far as squeezing the pillow.

I put my Penny's charge card on the counter and gave the saleswoman my receipt. She grabbed it. I looked at my son and he was smiling a little. I then asked if she needed my credit card and she said "Yea." Thats all, YEA! Not yes, not yes sir, just plain yea. This woman had not made eye contact with me yet. She grabbed my Penny's card and it flew right out of her hand. I and my son chuckled a bit as she tried to retrieve the card.

A minute later, the transaction was complete, I signed my sales slip, and tucked my credit card into my wallet. As I was still standing at the counter, the ink not yet dried on my signature, the saleswoman called out "Next." I looked behind me and there was no one else in line. Who was she talking to? She didn't even say thank you, or have a nice evening.

Well, that went smooth. At this point I was hungry. I met Patty at the food court, our designated meeting point, and we decided on a pizza. Patty was ordering for us and I asked the sales girl what kind of pizza it was as I thought I heard her say a "Sheet" pizza. The sales girl, who couldn't have been more than 18, smiled and said it was a round pizza. I said I thought I heard "Sheet" and didn't want a square pizza, but a round one. Patty stopped the conversation and told me to go sit down, she would take care of the pizza. The sales girl smiled at me and chuckled a bit. I said that I'll be over there sitting down with the boy.

Of course, they forgot our order and we had to wait more than 20 minutes for our pizza.

On our way out of the mall, I was fully expecting to see Rod Serling, creator of the TV Sci-Fi series, Twilight Zone, to be opening the doors for us uttering the words, "Going my way?"

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Avalon Gardens Pizza Youngstown

Avalon Gardens Restaurant

Location: 1719 Belmont Ave Youngstown, OH 44504 Phone (330) 747-7800
The order: 12 inch cheese pizza.
The Service: No delivery, you had to pick up. The stated time was 20 minutes. We arrived on time but had to wait 10 minutes past the allotted 20 minutes.
The Taste: Good. Well cooked. Thick crunchy crust. Tangy sauce. Adequate amount of cheese.
Presentation: Standard cardboard pizza box with Avalon logo imprinted.
The Value: .$7.50 for a plain 12 inch pizza. Pretty steep.

The Rating: 2.75 out of 5 shots. The Grassy Knoll Institute barely recommends Avalon Pizza.

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Cafe Roma Pizza

Cafe Roma Pizza

Location: 2nd Floor YMCA 17 N. Champion Street Youngstown, OH 44503 330-746-6900
The order: Two large slices of New York style pizza.
The Service: Standard pickup service. The order was ready on time, hot, fresh, and correct.
The Taste: Thin style pizza, a little crunchy, saucy, not enough cheese. Pretty good.
Presentation: Styrofoam box with a paper plate.
The Value: . $1.25 per slice. Not bad, the pizza slices were adequate size.

The Rating: 3.5 out of 5 shots. Grassy Knoll Institute recommends Cafe Roma.

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Pastino's Pizza And Jo Jo Fries

Pastino's Pizza And Jojo Fries

Location: Pastino’s Pizza (330) 782-2255
3510 South Ave Youngstown, OH 44502
The Order: 8 inch pizza with bacon topping. Side order of JoJo’s.
The Service: Fast easy service. On time pickup.
The Taste: Pizza was done just right. Crisp crust, melted cheese, cooked bacon, not raw bacon like other pizza joints. All the slices were completely cut through and did not stick to the bottom. The Jojo’s were perfect. BTW, Jojo’s are cooked potato wedges with just a hint of spice.
Presentation: Standard white cardboard pizza box. Not as sturdy as it could be, but withstood the delivery process.
The Value: .This meal was just under $4.00. Very good deal for what you get.
The Rating: 4 out of 5 shots. Grassy Knoll Diner recommends Pastino’s Pizza and Subs.

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Pizza Hut - 12 Inch Regular Pizza

Pizza Hut Delivery

Pizza Hut Restaurant
Location: 3917 Belmont Ave
Youngstown, Ohio

The order: One of every type of pizza pie they had.
The Service: Of course, it was delivered. And it was prompt and on time.
The Taste: For a franchise pizzeria, it was pretty good. the crust was cooked, the slices well separated, and the toppings abundant.
Presentation: Sturdy cardboard pizza boxes with the Pizza Hut logo.
The Value: Not bad for what you get. About $7.50 per regular pizza.

The Rating: 3.25 shots out of 5. The Grassy Knoll Diner recommends Pizza Hut for lunch.

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Uptown Pizza

Uptown Pizza 

Uptown Pizza is one of many pizza choices in Youngstown.

Location: Uptown Pizza, 2940 Belmont Ave, Liberty, 330-759-6907

The Order:. 12 inch pizza with pepperoni.

The Service: A quick phone call, courteous employee's and speedy service. The pizza was ready in the 20 minutes they said it would be.

The Taste: The pizza was hot, the box did not collapse smashing the cheese, and the slices were all completely cut and separated. The crust was cooked and crisped just right. The pepperoni was under the cheese and cooked with the pizza instead of being an after thought. The pizza was well cooked and not soggy or doughy.

Presentation: A solid sturdy white cardboard pizza box with Uptown Pizza logo touting both locations.

The Value: $6.95 for a single topping 12 inch pizza is a pretty good standard deal. The pepperoni topping was not skimped on.

The Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Grassy Knoll Diner recommends Uptown Pizza for lunch.

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