Lately it seems like the basics as in (burgers, pizzas and fries) have really been taken to a whole new level! I'm going to attribute it to the food truck craze which is taking our city by storm. Where ordinary foods have been transformed by the minds of our creative chefs. As a response to the unsatiable appetite for these foods, I’ve noticed more restaurants opening up serving our favourites but with a twist. Just like Without Papers which epitomizes serving great pizza with fun and creative toppings.
Price Range: $10 - $20
Food and Wine: There are appetizers and calzone options available but we were there for the pizza and that’s where my eyes immediately jumped to on the menu. With all the amazing sounding pizzas it was very tough to decide what we wanted to try (secretly, it was all of them). Luckily I had some recommendations which made things a bit easier.
My friend really enjoyed the Hog Wild which is layered with wild boar sausage, salami, fontina cheese, roasted garlic and rapini. I found the rapini a nice addition, giving the pizza a bitterness amidst all the pork working well with the smoky garlic. The toppings were fairly thin remaining true to an Italian styled pizza, featuring the dough more so then the toppings themselves. I liked the crispy crunchiness of the dough, but did find the crust a bit tough unlike some other places around town that are a bit chewier.
Our final third pizza was the Good Girls Gone Bad, with roasted peppers, shallots, tomatoes and layered with fontina and cambozola cheeses. This was our ying to the yang of the Hutch, an all veggie pizza with a bit of spice from the chili flakes. It was light yet flavourful. It provided a nice break from the other meat heavy pizzas that we had. Once of the best tasting vegetarian pizzas I’ve had.
Now that we finally had our fill of dough and toppings, it was time for dessert to round out the evening. After a quick peek at the menu we knew immediately that we’d have to go for the Banana Split. Something cool to end off the spicy night. It normally comes with only one scoop of ice cream but since the flavours sounded so delectable we added a second flavoured scoop. In the end we ended up with a scoop of the Chocolate Banana and one of the Passion Fruit. They were a perfect contrast to one another. The passion fruit was light, almost like a sorbet which was very refreshing. Then you had the chocolate banana which was decadent and creamy. All this was topped with nuts, pineapples and more bananas just like what I remembered from when I was a kid.
Our wine of choice was the Alpha Zeta Valipolicella Ripasso. It was nice and complex, with fruity notes and a fragrant bouquet. Medium bodied and a lingering finish, it was great with both with our meal and even as a drinking wine on its own. So much so that we even order another one for that reason alone.
My Picks: Hutch Pizza
Overall: I’ve been meaning to drop by Without Papers for quite some time now and I’m glad that I did. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the restaurant. Although I do prefer a chewier crust, I still devoured my share of the pizzas. Since there are so many other flavours as well as appies and calzones on the menu. I’m sure I’ll be finding my way back there to sample some other fun and creative goodies.
Without Papers
Upstairs, 1216 – 9 Avenue SE
Calgary, AB
(403) 457-1154
Website: http://www.wopapers.com/
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