Deep Dish brims with cheese, topples at first bite

AMMAN — Deep dish pizza is among the most recognizable staples of Chicago cuisine. Historically, there has been friendly banter between the states of Illinois and New York about whether Chicago Style or New York style pizza is superior. Some argue that the thick, cheesy, rich Chicago style cannot be beaten, while others insist that the lighter, thin crusted New York style is far superior. اضافة اعلان

The evolution of Chicago’s deep-dish pizza is incredibly fascinating, but what’s more interesting is its introduction into the Jordanian food scene. Typically, the pizza that is common here is more similar to classic Italian pizza, with thinner crusts and much less cheese. 

So, the opening of Deep Dish was a deviation from the norm. Located on Mecca Street and specializing in, as the name implies, deep dish pizza, this establishment promises an authentic Chicago experience. 

The waiters were friendly and chatted with us about the background of Deep Dish pizza and the ways it differs from regular pizza. One of them gave us his personal recommendations and walked us through everything on the menu. 

We made one fatal mistake: underestimated the intensity of each dish. We ordered one small pizza for each person, thinking that the portions would be manageable and easy to finish, as in other restaurants. But this was not the case. We found that each of us was only able to finish a small portion of each pizza, and that much of the meal had to be taken home to be finished later.


(Photos: Handouts from Hala Hawatmeh)

Even the owner and waiter were shocked at the quantities that we ordered and had a laugh about how much of our meal we were taking to-go. 
The advantage to overordering was that we were able to sample a massive portion of the menu, exploring what each version of the pizza had to offer. Our order consisted of the Spinach Ricotta Pizza, the Wild Mushroom, the Meat Lovers, the Alfredo, and the Classic Deep Dish. 

I recommend the classic pizza to anyone who wants a safe bet. This dish was generally a crowd pleaser, and no one in our party had any complaints or critiques about it. This is the purest deep-dish experience available, and one I think everyone should try and enjoy. 


(Photos: Handouts from Hala Hawatmeh)

The Meat Lovers pizza received mixed reviews. Some members of our party found it slightly overwhelming, considering the number of toppings paired with the copious amounts of cheese. On the other hand, those who did enjoy it couldn’t get enough, claiming that it was the item on the menu that they were most likely to order again. Whether or not I would recommend this dish to you depends entirely on how strongly you feel about meaty meals. If you gravitate towards them, this dish is for you, and if not, you’ll be better off looking elsewhere on the menu. 


(Photos: Handouts from Hala Hawatmeh)

The Mushroom and Spinach Ricotta pizzas also had slightly mixed reviews. While these versions are ranked high universally, they did not do the trick for the Meat Lovers pizza fans. This was shocking as in my opinion, these two options were the most enjoyable to eat, and the ones I would most likely reorder, aside from the classic. 


(Photos: Handouts from Hala Hawatmeh)

The Alfredo pizza was probably the one order that gave us the hardest time. While undeniably delicious, it is noticeably heavy, even by deep dish standards. The thickness and creaminess of the sauce made it difficult to eat more than a slice without feeling full. I would recommend this dish to any die-hard fans of Alfredo sauce, or if you are planning on sharing with a sizable group. 


(Photos: Handouts from Hala Hawatmeh)

Deep Dish isn’t for the faint of heart. If you are looking for a light meal or a quick snack, this is not the place for you. If you are on the hunt for a meal that is thick, filling, and you’re not afraid of absolutely drowning in cheesy goodness, then I recommend that you give this place a shot.

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