The Pizza Locust

Many people espouse that the little, one-off mom and pop pizza joints in strip malls make the best pizza. I don’t necessarily give that theory any credence, but I’m always on the lookout for them because the only way to find them is drive by one when you’re hungry.

We were out navigating the wastelands between the Pink Taco University of Phoenix Stadium and the I-10 looking for something to eat, when out of the desolation arose the signs of urban sprawl: A movie theatre and a bunch of shopping. As we whizzed by, the intriguingly named Duner’s Pizza caught my eye.

With no frame of common reference, I assumed (wrongly) that the name was pronounced “DONE ERS”, conjuring unfortunate associations in my mind of the Australian slang word, “dunny.” That association was immediately dispelled when we walked in the door. First, the place smelled impeccably clean. In fact, it smelled like it had just been washed down from floor to ceiling in disinfectant. Second, from the artwork on the walls, the signs and the menus it was apparent that “duners” (pronounced like “DUNE ERS”) refers to people who plow dune buggies across the sands. (I had no idea we were that far out into the wastelands. I thought you had to cross the California state line near Yuma before you got to Tatooine’s Dune Sea.)

The restaurant was clean, had three TVs (showing the same program!), seating for about 20 people (including several booths kitted out somewhat like dune buggy seats). Ordering is done at the counter.

We ordered their smallest (14″) pepperoni pizza.

There’s not much to say about this pizza, except that it was a classic example of “food services” pizza. The exact pizza you’d find at a lunch counter something similar. I can only imagine that the entire package is supplied lock, stock and barrel by the food service supplier.

“Generic” is exactly the word for it. Almost. Both of us detected a slightly familiar, unusual flavor in the cheese, but were unable to pin it down.

Any way we sliced it, it was an edible, but unexceptional pizza, in a clean, friendly restaurant.

Not really recommended, but if you’re in the area, on a dune buggy, perhaps, go here instead of the nearby Peter Piper.

Cost: 14″ pepperoni pizza, $12.75 = $0.08 (0.083)

Duner’s Pizza
9897 W. McDowell,
Building B, Ste 220
Phone: (623) 478-8099
N 33.46442º W 112.27058º
(I got a GPS for Christmas, so I’ll be noting restaurant coordinates where possible from now on.)

Technorati Tags: Pizza, Restaurant, Review