Pizza in Perth

Australia has excellent Asian food. Vietnamese. Thai. Chinese. Japanese.

Australia is a master of Indian curries.

Australia has delicious Indonesian food.

Australia has delectable South African, Moroccan, Nepalese, Peruvian, and decent Brazilian food.

Australia can even do a mean Italian bolognaise. 

But Australia doesn't get pizza. Proper New York pizza? Forget it. 

A buttery Chicago deep dish? Good luck.

Growing up on  plethora of local pizza joints, I realized that I've been spoiled. From Golden Pizza to Ocean Pizza, from Mystic Pizza which inspired the movie and Pizzeta Pizza which delivers by boat, and even the least favorite Nick's, I've had a lot of pizza. I even had a birthday party at Papa Gino's where we played pin the pepperoni on the pizza. I had resigned myself to Dominos as the closest to "suitable" pizza, that doesn't taste like thin cardboard that came from my freezer. It's not bad, it just doesn't taste like "pizza" to me. The crust, sauce and cheese don't meld together into one heavenly mouthful. Usually there's just not enough cheese, too many fresh toppings, and the sauce only disapoints.

After more than 2 years, I have found a suitable pizza. I was at my replacement Australian family's, who ordered pizza for Wednesday dinner. The pizza arrived and I asked where it was from: Little Caesars. Huh? The boxes were simple brown cardboard. No logos. This was clearly not the "pizza, pizza" Little Caesar's I am familiar with it.

Enter the Quatro Formagio aka four cheese. This may have been the richest pizza I have eaten. But I like cheese, and this was yum! And it was even ok with a little extra pineapple. We also had a Greek Lamb and one with Peri Peri chicken. Yes, they're a little wanky. But that doesn't mean they didn't taste good. THe real standout was the sticky fingers desert pizza. Now the only time I"ve gotten dessert pizza is off the Pizza Hut buffet when I was a kid. But this was Sticky Date pudding on a pizza and I have never tasted anything like it. A think cake lie "pudding" crust, sweet cinnamony sugary topping with white chocolate bits that melt as soon as they touch your tongue. I'm salivating thinking about it.

Now this Little Caesar's is in the Hills. For those of you who have never been to Perth, that's considered "forever" away (yes, I can see the hills from my apartment). But when you don't have a car, ts a bit of a trek just for pizza. It turns out, Theo's, a sister pizzareia, opened just across the river in Victoria Park. Pizza two weeks in a row? I'm in!

This time I picked them out. One very Australia things about this pizza joint, is that it puts pumpkin on everything. Goinig in, I even though it was festive for Halloween.

So of course we had to try the pizza with pumpkin and beetroot, then one with half chicken fettucine alfredo and half chicken with pine nuts and other deliciousness, and good old Hawaiian. They've changed the menu since then, so I clearly cannot remember their hipster names, but you get the gist.

And of course we got a Sticky Fingers. Do you not know me and my sweet tooth?!

Yes, the pizza's good. Or maybe I was just hungry. But for now, it'll do, despite it's ridiculous Perth price. But my heart will always belong to the place where a simple cheese pizza is all you need - Ledyard Center's one and only Valentino's.