Assorted Afflatuses

Image courtesy In Praise of Sardines

I have found the perfect pizza. And, even though I have never travelled to Italy, I doubt even those prodigious purveyors of pizza could best the ambrosial pies to be found at Ken's Artisan Pizza here in superlative meriting Portland, Oregon.

Before I go any further, however, I should note that I have atypical taste in pizza. The crust, in my mind, should be thin, crisp and golden. Neither soggy, nor pale nor puffy, like the inferior sort found on those peculiar pan pizzas. The sauce — should the pizza have any — ought be applied gently and with moderation. If I wanted my food to ooze I would eat an eclair. Finally, the prefect pizza has a minimal number of toppings. None of this "Supreme" lunacy with every animal, vegetable and mineral under the sun crammed onto the surface of the pie.

The craftspersons at Ken's Artisan Pizza manage to satisfy those tree criteria with almost frightening perfection.

I ordered a Pizza Margarita, the classic tomato, mozzarella and basil pie, which easily bested the now second best pizza I have ever consumed. Cooked in a wood burning brick oven, which — by the looks of the mammoth hearth — reaches dizzyingly high temperatures, the crust achieved a beautiful golden brown color and crunched generously — though not too much — when I parted it with my knife. And Kudos to Ken's for providing a steak knife, with some real teeth, as pizzerias do in Europe. Or at least France.

The toppings were minimal. My pie had a smattering of savory tomato sauce, and just enough basil that I felt a burst of its fresh aroma every now and again, but not so much as to overpower savor the preternaturally delicious crust. A harmonious balance, really.

Food aside, the legendary Wait was just that: a legend. The only time spent standing came as the charming hostesses attend to the dozen or so patrons ahead in the line.

The restaurant itself looked lovely enough. On a balmy summer evening, the wide open windows let in a pleasant breeze.

Ken's Artisan Pizza. It's pretty great.