Pantera's Pizza

On Friday, April 30 2010, Pizza Club ventured into the bowels of Maplewood to taste the famed Pantera’s Pizza.  After the initial surprise of not being able to get a table (there are none) we opted for takeout and consumption back at the Pizza Club HQ.  Two large pies (pepperoni and deluxe) and a order of garlic cheesy bread were quickly (and cheaply) prepared and taken back to the pad.  Both pizzas were a little disappointing.  I know Pantera’s is supposed to be one of the best cheap pizzas in StL, but I was a little underwhelmed.  The sauce a little sweet and flavorless and the cheese was nothing to write home about either.  

Then there was the crust.  We ordered original, so I can’t speak for regular or thin, but I for one found it bland, doughy and thick to the point that it completely overshadowed the rest of the pizza.  Imagine the lift scene in Dirty Dancing, except Patrick Swayze had gained about fifty pounds.  After just two pieces I was tired of chewing and getting pretty full.  

On the bright side, the pepperoni was thick and had  good flavor.  The most remarkable part of the pizza was that of the bacon.  Instead of chopped up baco-bits or whatever they could scrape together, the deluxe came with actual strips of pan fried bacon, which I thought a nice touch.  Garlic cheesey bread was nothing to write home about either - crunchy and greasy but relatively unremarkable.  The best thing about Pantera’s is probably the price.  I think this may have been the cheapest pizza club to date getting out at less than five bucks per person.  All in all, Pantera’s is like a frozen pizza on steroids that you have to have delivered.  Not bad, but not good enough to go back to.