The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 scorched and destroyed everything in its path. Pizz'a Chicago of San Mateo (and other Bay Area locations) has a searing number also named Great Chicago Fire. Their fiery pizza slab is a doughy combo of Italian sausage and garlic chunks, vibrant and vinegary sport peppers, with ample cilantro sprinkles. This is a sizable and rich pizza that is fragrant, filling, and full of strong flavors.
A sport pepper doesn't lose much punch through cooking. It remains firm and spicy, with a closing hint of citrusy sweetness. The light greenish yellow color is similar to peppercinis, but the sport pepper is thicker. Sport peppers are very firm, all the better to get eaters hot and bothered, oh my!
While eating Great Chicago Fire pizza, put the bottle of hot sauce or dried pepper shaker away. You won't need to add any heat to this pizza. The sport pepper flames will lick ya good. Look for: sniffles and sweats (while eating and fifteen minutes after), tossing and turning (ten hours later). C'mon baby, light my fire.
This location CLOSED AUGUST 2006. Pizz'a Chicago - 2968 S Norfolk St, San Mateo, 94403. T: (650) 345-9400
You ain't kidding. We ordered the "Great Chicago Fire" at the Palo Alto location of the same restaurant -- the waiter indicated that "sport peppers are like pepperocini, but a bit spicier". Hello? a BIT? Like a habanero's a bit spicier than a bell pepper.
We ate it -- we enjoyed it -- but this pizza's not for the average mayonnaise mouth.
Posted by: Dolores | March 09, 2006 at 10:00 PM