98 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

^yeah, $3.75 a slice just doesn't cut it anymore. Brickyard's pizza is below Pacific's in my opinion, but it is $0.50 cheaper.

I've grown fond of Pacific Rim as I'm pretty sure it was the first pizza place I ever hit up on my solo escapades into downtown at age 12. Perhaps they should have considered a liquor license before packing it in? Beer and pizza is a good draw...

[G-Man]

Brickyard is still my fav of course I am alumni.

[simon]

The sign at Pac Rim's Sussex location said something like "closed due to staffing troubles".
Market Sq. location used to be a fav, but I didn't go to Sussex because their slices were rarely fresh....maybe the location didn't lend itself to enough pizza-consuming walk by traffic??

Tried a place on Commercial in Vancouver the other day - cheap & tasty - nothing like it here!

[Rorschach]

I think staffing problems have to affect just about everyplace nowadays. Pacific Rim closing is terrible. It's the best place for a cheap snack during the music breaks at Swan's. I'd have my beer, music and dancing at Swan's and a slice from Pacific Rim routinely. It's not the NY style I like, but still tasty and fresh.

Why is it McDonald's always has "staff"? And they always seem to be busting their ass? Why can't other places poach some employees from McDonald's?

Obviously a lot of young people are hard working and proficient despite the nature of their job, yet it seems to me most every place out there has trouble finding anyone to work.

What does Cactus Club pay to have all those smoking hot women work there as servers?

At least those two places have something magical that attracts "talent".

What if Pacific Rim hired beautiful women? I'll bet that would improve walk-in traffic. I wouldn't risk it for delivery though...

[G-Man]

I used to know a cute girl that worked at pac-rim.

Mcdonald's gives 15 cent raises every few months and is widely recognized as a quality reference. No I did not work there but I had a roomate that did when I was working at Brickyard in the 90s.

Cactus Club hires cute servers. They line up because one, they make kick ass tips. The same server at Smitty's is not making as much trust me. And two, Cactus Club is a scene unto itself, to work there is to be part of the "beautiful people" crowd in Victoria.

[Rorschach]

I've seen cute girls at Pacific Rim too -- jeans and t-shirt beautiful -- the most important kind. I always worry they are so vulnerable in that hole across from Swan's.

I think a McDonald's reference is worthy as a quality reference -- it means you have someone interested in working for a living responsibly. By no means is it a stigma for a high school kid to get a job there. And as far as I can tell, the best local kids are working there and do a good job. They need a tip jar there -- marked so that all tips go to McDonald's charities -- which also do a lot of good work.

What you say about Cactus Club makes a lot of sense too. But it is a nice looking place and no one is going to complain about bad service or food or ambiance there.

Where are the other hangouts for the beautiful people of Victoria? I want to go!

[gumgum]

Ordered pizza at Il Posto (Ambrosio), Cook St Village, last night and it was excellent.
Authentic southern European style - thin crust, less sauce, focus on simple, quality ingredients. I don't know if it's possible but it seemed as if it was baked in a wood fired oven (probably wasn't) It was baked evenly and to perfection.
My wife and order the medium for $12. It was plenty for two people.
Highly recommended.
Call for you order, because it will be a 40 minute wait. Better yet, order in person, go for a relaxing evening stroll and then pick it up.
God, I sound like a CFAX commercial.

[amor de cosmos]

What's your favourite?

i have to say romeo's, followed by the brickyard & alibaba. alibaba slices their stuff too thick for me. for value you can't go wrong with second slice. i especially like their garlic cheese. :tup:

re: beautiful people the new earl's is probably the place to go. i know someone who worked both there & at cactus club & she liked cac much better. apparently servers have to be good looking to work at earl's; at cactus they also have to be good servers.

[julienne]

Hey kids! An expert pizzaiolo from San Francisco is at Prima Strada training the kitchen staff in the proper art of making Napolitano pizza. The wood fired oven is working, the doors are open and the owners are very welcoming. Go check it out. 230 Cook St. 250-590-8595

[Rorschach]

Hey kids! An expert pizzaiolo from San Francisco is at Prima Strada training the kitchen staff in the proper art of making Napolitano pizza. The wood fired oven is working, the doors are open and the owners are very welcoming. Go check it out. 230 Cook St. 250-590-8595

I was searching the Internet for their menu and came across their site:

http://pizzeriaprimastrada.com/

It's just a one page thing looking for people to work there. In some of the other links were the Craigslist ad they used to find the pizzaiolo. I'll give it a few weeks and then give it a try.

[gumgum]

I've spoken with the owner and he gave me a tour. Very nice guy. I think they will do very well.

[osmich]

Peter Zambri is consulting there. I talked to him the other night.

[julienne]

Went last night. Place was packed. A simple concept with six pizzas, a very antipasti, gelato, wines by the glass/bottle and good coffee.

A lovely room with booths, tables and option to sit around the bar and watch the pizzas being made and cooked in a beautiful wood fired oven.

The crust is thin with bubbles in the surface which I think is due to a few factors: the dough is made with a soft wheat flour 00, the high heat of the oven 850 degrees and some talent in the kitchen. We enjoyed three different style of pizzas. The classic Margherita with fresh basil and fiore di latte mozzarella. Funghi with fresh thyme, pecorino and mozza. And the pepperoni and tomato. Lots of ingredients are locally-sourced, including our buffalo mozzerella that appears in a salad with local greens and marinated cherry tomatoes.

It ain't t 2-for-1 and it ain't deep dish, just a great solid concept. Pizzas are around 10 to 13 $, antipasti $7, and finally a glass of decent wine for $5.00.
For the suds fans, they have Victoria pilsner on tap and Moretti.

[gumgum]

Jeff the owner told me that the concept has taken off in the states. Many similar establishments down there are lined up out the door every evening.

[VicHockeyFan]

It looks like my local coffee shop that I rarely venture into (I don't drink coffee, I have other vices), Serious, at Blanshard and Fisgard, has now on the menu Calzones produced by Ali Baba.

That makes it slightly more attractive to me.

[julienne]

B-Red serves up killer pizza by night, and delicious pastries and bread by day.
Next time you're at the Tillicum Mall, take a detour home along Tillicum Rd. - don't blink - and check out their space transformed from a derelict Pizza Pieman. Owned by two chefs, it's red, and at night looks like an Edward Hopper painting.
Their pizza claims Sicilian roots, but more on that later. It's thick of crust and made to order with quality ingredients. Once it's cooked, one of the chefs brushes the outside of the crust with honey and then sprinkles it with poppy seeds. It's a strange thing, but it's kinda good. Most Sicilian pizzas documented are square with ingredients baked into the dough, but whatever. B-Red makes a great pizza and is a worthy new contender in pizza-dom.
You can sit and wait for pies over 2% Jazz French press, or buy some bread for later, and pastries for the morning. I wish them the best.

3000 Tillicum Rd., ph.250-590-3022

[kungfucious]

ah nooooo! that was the last pizza pieman left in victoria! ...'sigh' i can remember when there were 3!

[G-Man]

I worked at Pizza Pieman for awhile and well all i can say is you are better off.

[Mike K.]

Apparently Brickyard Pizza is under new ownership.

And I recently had Sarpinos for the first time. It was awesome!

[Holden West]

I give Domino's points for trying to improve their product but it's quite odd to see a company completely unaware people thought their pizza was crap.