Dining Out Boston

A couple of months back I ordered a large Hawaiian pizza from The Upper Crust, a much advertised, much touted, multi-location pizzeria. Even though the Brookline branch is but a stone's throw from my apartment the pizza took fifty minutes to arrive and its quality was lacking. I was very disappointed, as The Upper Crust was one of the places I really wanted to like, in part because I had been looking forward to taking advantage of its proximity for frequent takeout.

Bunches' and my devotion to Pizzeria Regina certainly didn't bode well for The Upper Crust getting a second chance anytime in the near future, but surprise, surprise, last night there we were in my apartment hungry, dinnerless, and flipping through local restaurant menus. Both of us were in the mood for pizza and decided…why not? This time we decided to pick up the pizza ourselves lest it grow cold again en route.

At 6:30pm on a Friday The Upper Crust was absolutely packed. Some hopeful souls were waiting for one of ten two-person tables and most everyone else was crowded along the counter giving their orders to the clerk who was also simultaneously booking them on the phone. I was so hungry I was practically hallucinating and could only envision eating a large pizza laden with many meats, so I rejected Bunches' initial suggestions, the MGH (fresh spinach, broccoli, feta cheese; $18.40) or the Beacon Hill (sun-dried tomatoes and eggplant; $17). Bunches in turn wanted something slightly healthier than my pick, the State House (hamburger, sliced pepperoni, Italian sausage; $18.40). We compromised and ordered a large pizza with extra mozzarella, peppers, and bacon ($18.90). To ride the estimated wait-time (25 minutes), we went to Brookline Books to browse.

Half an hour later we were back in my apartment, this time with a not quite steaming hot but still suitably warm pizza. I had little time to ponder the flavor while I was stuffing slices in my mouth, but after my immediate hunger was satiated, I slowed down enough to appreciate the thin, crunchy crust and soft, juicy bacon. The mozzarella topping was less exciting that I expected, and I suspect they even forgot to add extra. It's an understandable but unforgivable blunder committed by restaurants like Upper Crust, an annoying consequence of their popularity.

There's something missing from Upper Crust's pizzas and I can't quite put my finger on it. The toppings are definitely fresh and the selection unusually diverse; few other places offer gorgonzola cheese, breaded buffalo chicken, or baby clams. I thoroughly enjoyed my pizza, but I won't dream of it like I do the pies from Regina's. Perhaps it's just a question of personal preference and my penchant for old-school tastes.

The Upper Crust
286 Harvard St., Brookline
20 Charles St., Boston
41 Waltham St., Lexington
www.theuppercrustpizzeria.com