September 2009

Listen up, pizza lovers: There’s a new place to satisfy your cravings.

Brick 3 Pizza boldly states on its menu that it makes authentic, New York-style pizza, and it may be right. Whatever it’s called, it’s good — not just a mushy slice of cardboard supporting a mile-high glop of filling.

BBQ Chicken and Bacon combined sweet smoked, crispy bacon with hunks of white meat; a meal in a slice. The flavors flirted with a generous layer of cheese and prompted my friend to exclaim, "I love it. The crust is crisp, chewy and thin. How do they do that?"

Maybe it happens in the oven when the staff briefly reheats your slice before handing it to you on a paper plate. Here’s how it works: Customers pass the cashier and walk the line, while no doubt drooling over the displayed pies. Then you place an order, which is not an easy task when you’re looking at a dozen pizzas, each a tempting creation with multiple toppings. If your timing is right, whoever is working the line will have time to explain the nuances of each before you have to choose. The triangular slices are generous — one slice and you’re full, two slices and you’re stuffed.

But my friend couldn’t help herself, and indulged in a second slice — this time, Spinach.

"The spinach tastes like it came out of the garden today," she raved while wiping melted cheese from her chin.

Was it growing in a Wisconsin garden that morning? One of the three partners, Tan Lo, says, "We get fresh ingredients every day from our food rep. That’s how we decide on the daily specials." That led us to the Wednesday Special, Lasagna Pizza — a feast of ricotta, Italian sausage and marinara.

Customers can order a slice or a whole pie. For the record, Brick 3 also serves sandwiches, calzones, a few appetizers, two salads, soda and beer, and gorgeous cheesecake and tiramisu. The restaurant delivers and caters but doesn’t take personal checks. It also welcomes the après bar crowd Thursday-Saturday until 4 a.m., but don’t get a craving for their Stuffed Pepperoni and Sausage Pizza on Sunday. They’re closed.