Capital Cooking with Lauren DeSantis: Opening: H and Pizza

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Opening: H and Pizza

As of Friday, June 13, 2012, H and pizza, located on 1118 H. St. NE, is open for business. Friday the 13th may now be a sign of good luck.

At H and pizza, pizzas are made fresh to order using an assembly line style of ordering, where customers move along a service line and customize their pizza, choosing between three doughs, six sauces and spreads, six cheeses, twenty toppings which include proteins and vegetables, and sixteen finishes and oils, which are applied after baking. After choosing a dough, sauce, cheese, and toppings, your customized pizza takes 90 seconds to cook, from which you can then add finishes and oils.

Though you should take advantage of the opportunity to customize your pizza exactly how you want it, suggested combinations of ingredients are available on the menu, and include:

MAVERICK - Classic Tomato, Housemade Mozzarella, Parmesan Reggiano, Sopressata, Pepperoni, Smoked Bacon, Hot Sausage, Oregano Oil

KISS & FIRE - Spicy Tomato, Provolone Blend, Ricotta, Meatballs, Mushrooms, Strawberry Balsamic

GNARLIC - Garlic Puree, Housemade Mozarella, Ricotto, Asiago, Garlic Oil

BACKYARD GARDEN - Housemade Mozzarella, Asiago, Ricotta, Mushrooms, Roasted Peppers, Cherry Tomatoes, Arugula, Lemon Vinaigrette

JENNY - Basil Pesto, Classic Tomato, Housemade Mozzarella, Ricotto, Shrimp

MOONSTRUCK - Red Pepper, Chili Oil, Mushroom Truffle, Goat Cheese, Mushrooms, Fig Marsala, Crushed Black Pepper

FARMER'S DAUGHTER - Spicy Tomato, Housemade Mozzarella, Hot Sausage, Farm Eggs, Spinach, Parmesan Reggiano, Red Pepper, Chili Oil

GRECIAN MARKET - Red Chickpea, Mushrooms, Artichoke, Broccolini, Pickled Red Onion, Kalamata Olives, Feta Cheese

REDVINE - Classic Tomato, Soy Mozzarella, Roasted Peppers, Spinach, Cherry Tomatoes, Eggplant

I sampled each of the suggested combination options at the Grand Opening party on Thursday evening, and there is not one slice of pie I did not enjoy. I loved the touch of sweetness that came with the Kiss and Fire and Moonstruck as a result of the Strawberry Balsamic, and Fig Marsala, respectively. For many of the combinations, I didn't even think I was eating pizza (i.e. the Backyard Garden). It's like the pizza and cheese only serve as a platter for a completely different meal, and a well balanced meal at that, made with the freshest of ingredients. With all of the different ingredient combos you can drum up, you can come back day after day without getting bored of what you're eating, and more importantly, without feeling guilty about what you're eating (when you choose the ingredients wisely of course). You can splurge and eat the meatiest, cheesiest pizza one day, and pack your pizza with leafy greens and veggies the next.