Sometimes one blog post leads you to another one. And that’s the case here. Three months ago we went to The Basket Case and one of the people we met on that night out was Zach Smalley who’s a cook at the Norwood Pub ‘N’ Grub and he said that if we’d stop out there sometime, he’d be happy to cook up a pizza specifically for this MBIP Year of Pizza tour. Well, that’s quite a generous offer and I think it’s time to take Zach up on it! To the MBIP Mobile!
We are off and running on a sunny Sunday afternoon. I gotta get some prescription sunglasses, it's just too fucking bright out here!
Check it out, pizza deja view!
There it is...
The Norwood Pub 'N' Grub! Happy birthday, Peaches, please send our regards to Herb!
They're open, let's go inside and see what's shaking.
It's early in the afternoon, so there's plenty of seats at the bar. Let's grab one and get settled in for the day.
Pretty bartender Paula serves up a Budweiser. Paula was on duty when we came here back in January when we were doing the twenty tenderloins tour. If fact, this is the first place that we've done both the tenderloin and pizza thing, so this is quite the eventful day!
My view to the right shows all the different kinds of beer available here in this lit-up corner.
There's the rest of the bar over here on the left. Note the Christmas tree lights are still here up on top...
And they're strung all the way over here to the wall opposite the bar, hanging over this wooden railing and stools.
The pool table is still here, nice to know that some things remain the same!
Here's a shot of the long wooden bar from the opposite end.
While Paula entertains some of the regulars that have gathered here at the end of the bar...
We'll sneak back to the kitchen to see what's cooking.
There's the man of the hour, Zach Smalley! Hang on to your socks and buckle up your belts because it is pizza time!
Zach is making us a pizza that's not on the menu. This is going to be his version of a Chicken Cacciatore pizza. The first ingredient he's adding is some Alfredo sauce which is going to be used instead of tomato sauce. This is going to be one interesting pizza pie!
After the sauce is ladled on, chunks of ham are added as the first topping.
Next is generous layer of mozzarella cheese.
Here's Zach chopping up a chicken breast. Motherclucker!
The chicken is being grilled after Zach seasoned it and is now adding some water to steam it.
The grilled chicken has been added to the pie and now some butter is being added. Never seen that before!
Yet another layer of cheese is added to the mix, this is going to be one cheesy pizza pie!
Zach has finished off the pizza with some onions, green pepper slices and some cheddar cheese. It looks great and I'm tempted to eat it raw...
But before I could do that, Zach slides it into the oven.
So I'm back at the bar having another beer and I've gathered up some hot sauces and spices. From the left we have some pepper, homemade hot sauce, Butch's Pizza hot sauce, the ever present Frank's hot sauce and some Hot Shots seasoning. All we need now is this week's pizza pie...
Ask and ye shall receive! Here's Zach serving up this week's pizza pie!
Wow, it looks and smells fantastic!
The pizza is right out of the oven, so I'm letting it cool on this plate for a minute or two.
Okay, the two minutes are up and it's time to dig in...it is so good! The Alfredo sauce really gives it a nice creamy flavor and it really works well with the cheese and grilled chicken. This is definitely the most unique tasting pizza so far. Thanks to Zach for his hard work, it's one delicious pizza for sure!
It's also very filling! Even with Paula helping out we had plenty of leftovers...
Which were then transferred into this to-go box. Check it out, they're still using the Cheap Trick paper that we saw last year! Love it!
Which leads us to the next day cold pizza test...
Delicious! Thanks to Zach and Paula for another wonderful eating experience at the Norwood Pub 'N' Grub! We'll see you all tomorrow!
Pizza Rating
Three and three quarters Chef Boyardees—This was a really tasty and unique pizza and the first one to be made without a tomato based sauce. Great work by Zach!
Norwood Pub ‘N’ Grub
1503 N. Norwood Blvd.
Peoria
309-966-4099
Further Reading: YOP @ Barrister’s Pizza and Pub, Mickie’s Pizzeria, Double A’s, Lucca Grill, Avanti’s, Leonardo’s, Lou’s La Grotto, Knuckles Pizza, Davis Bros. Pizza, Kenny’s Westside Pub, Dave’s Pizza, Peoria Pizza Works, Sugar and Agatucci’s.