I've seen a lot of boxes in my day. They've held everything from new shoes and jewelery to grade school diorama projects. Yes, I've liked these boxes a great deal.
For us gluten free-ers, pizza may come from the freezer section, it may come from a dry mix, it might be an "imitation pizza" on a rice cake (as if the word 'rice cake' should even share the same sentence with pizza), but it never, ever comes to us piping hot in a delivery box.
And so with great pleasure, gluten free Clevelanders, I give you Tommy's Pizza and Chicken:
Gluten free pizza. In a box. From a pizza place. An actually pizza place. In a box. Gluten free pizza. Seriously.
This pizza is, in a word, fantastic. Be warned though, once you start eating, it will take will power to stop. A second warning: like real pizza, there is nothing healthy food-y about this cheese smothered goodness. If you want good for you pizza, make your own. But when's the last time your gluten eating friends ate pizza for their health? Sometimes, you just want ooey-gooey, salty, crunchy, saucy pizza - and that is exactly what Tommy's provides.
I think what sets a Tommy's pizza apart from it's homemade and frozen peers is the sauce. It's real, fresh pizza sauce. Then again, it might be the crust. It's not cake-y, it's not potato-y, it doesn't taste like rice. At once fluffy and crunchy, it tastes like real pizza crust.
But don't forget the cheese. Or the fact that it's cooked in a real pizza oven. Okay, I give up, it's the whole package, box included.
If you're not a straight up cheese kind of pizza eater, you can add traditional pizza topics (olives, pepperoni, peppers, mushrooms, extra cheese, etc) for an additional $1.59 per item. The gluten free pizza come in one size - a medium, a 12 inch cut into 8 pieces. If the pizza doesn't do it for you, (and if you're some kind of pizza hating crazy person, can I have your slice?), Tommy's gluten free menu also offers breadsticks, cheesy breadsticks, and corn spaghetti with marinara sauce.
There is a catch. Okay, there are two catches. The first is that Tommy's Pizza and Chicken is in the far away land of Strongsville, Ohio. And there's an even farther away branch in North Royalton. The Strongsville location is a good 45 minutes away from me (and the rest of the Cleveland East Side suburbs - a little closer for you West Siders) and with today's gas prices, making the decision to go out on such a trip for pizza is a little indulgent, and quite a commitment. ...But is it worth it? Without question.
This brings us to catch number two. Tommy's Pizza and Chicken is carryout only. That's right, you may well drive 45 minutes to get your pizza...but you're going to have to drive an additional 45 to get home and eat it. Or you could make good friends with Strongsville locals and invite yourself over for dinner. Or you could eat it in the car. I won't tell anyone.
(Of course if you happen to live in Brunswick of Strongsville, or parts of North Royalton, Hinckley, Columbia Station, berea, Middleberg, or Valley City you could get your gluten free pizza delivered right to your door. It's enough to make a girl consider moving.)
Over all, the drive and the carrying-out is SO WORTH IT for this amazing pizza. Tommy's also offers a "take and bake" gluten free pizza, so you can stock up while your there, limiting your trips to only once a month, instead of say once a week. Or day.
