To celebrate last month’s addition of Domino’s to the capital’s booming pizza scene, we blindfolded four Post employees and fed them margheritas from five eateries to see how they compare. Photos by Eli Meixler
 Piccola Italia Da Luigi Authentic Italian pizza on a Tonle Bassac back street. A long-standing favourite, Luigi’s margherita pizza is some of the cheapest at $4 for a reasonably sized medium. Stuart White, national news editor: “The sauce has a good tang. It is not overly tangy – the ideal amount of tang. The ratio of crust to topping is ideal. And also the cheese is high quality.” Sarah Taguiam, national news reporter: “It’s nice and garlicky, but not too overpowering.” Verdict: 4.4/5 |
 Limoncello This wood-fired pizza on the riverside is much like its kin at Luigi’s and Luna with its thin crusts and sweetly fresh tomato sauce. But its margherita pizza is the most expensive of the three at $8.50. Bennett Murray: “I can taste lemon, like someone sprinkled lemongrass over it. Not bad.” Sarah Taguiam: “It tastes a little bland.” Stuart White: “Definitely less saucy.” VERDICT: 2.5/5 |
 Brooklyn Pizza New York-style pizza made from high-gluten flour. Created with the help of an Italian chef, the pizzas are baked thickly and smothered in gluttonous cheese. A 12-inch “New Yorker” margherita pizza costs $7.90. Sarah Taguiam: “This is definitely an American-style pizza. It’s thicker, a lot of cheese.” Bennett Murray: “Thick and doughy. You can really taste that mozzarella on the toppings. A bit tangy, too. The taste is sort of complicated.” Stuart White: “It’s a different genre [to Italian pizza].” VERDICT: 3/5 |
 Domino’s The largest pizza-chain in the world has arrived. Its margherita pizza, which was $4.79 thanks to an opening promotion (its normally $8.70), is definitely in the American-style with its thick layer of dough. It diameter is small, but the dough is deep. Stuart White: “This is Domino’s – I can tell by the smell and slice-feel ... Generally I would be charitable toward Domino’s ... but it’s too doughy by comparison even to other Domino’s. It’s saltier and sweeter than the others, so it hits you in the caveman part of your brain.” Verdict: 2.1/5 |
 Luna Restaurant and Bar A garden restaurant with an emphasis on Mediterranean flavours. Thin-crusted but reasonably sized, the margherita pizza at Luna costs $7. Bennett Murray, reporter: “Crispy, a bit salty. Pretty good – it’s what you’d expect from a decent Italian-style pizza place. Not too greasy either.” Vandy Muong, reporter: “It’s a bit too salty for me.” VERDICT: 3.4/5 |
A New Yorker’s golden rules for pizza
1. The crust: the most-overlooked feature of a pizza. Crunchy, the width of two tea biscuits, with an airy, chewy crust. It should not be limp and slick with grease, or bone-dry and wafer-thin. Pizza should be able to weather a stiff Nor’easter.
2. The sauce: thick, garlicky, with a hearty dose of oregano and just a touch of sweetness. Not too little, but not so much that the base is saturated.
3. Cheese: the cheese should bubble, melt and brown – mozzarella blends work best – and should cover the pie.
4. Toppings: no more than two (not including cheese). You won’t regret leaving off the canned tuna.
5. A large pie should cost no more than $12.
6. A slice should be the size of your head.
7. As for Chicago-style? Fuhgedaboudit! A bucket of cheese a pizza does not make.
