El Keter B.
Yelp
It makes me happy to report that Springfield is lucky to have another name to add to its embarrassingly short list of quality pizzerias. That name is Wild Olive Pizza. And I'm actually a little embarrassed it's taken me as long as it has to find out about the establishment, which has made its home, not too far from my own home, in the former Nucci's location on Sumner Avenue just above the "X".
Enticed by their menu which uses the word "artisan" and advertises several eclectic items -- appetizer, sandwich, and pizza recipes boasting high quality, some might say "gourmet", ingredients the likes of which aren't necessarily offered at other pizza restaurants in the city -- I ordered a pie and a couple of appetizers. Everything, including the buffalo chicken spring rolls, and enormous triangular chunks of fried mozzarella, tasted fantastic and bore the glorious flavor of being hand made! Artisan is right! Across the board, this place just doesn't serve the frozen junk you're likely to find at most other streetside pizza joints! My only, minor complaint is that the serving size of some of the apps may need adjusting. I got three gigantic chunks of fried mozzarella, more than enough to share. But three of the crispy, delicious spring rolls was barely enough to satisfy me, much less enough to share. Work on it guys!
The pizza itself was rock-solid, if not remarkable. The crust is soft and chewy throughout, and cooked to a slight crispness on the edges so it all holds together and is easy to pick up. It's also easy to chew, maintaining the pillowy quality of dough while still giving you a little bite towards the end. This isn't the hard, seemingly endless slog of gummy, tasteless, mush, or the jaw-cracking, tooth-breaking, sandpapery crunch that a lot of other local spots are so fond of giving you. And thankfully there's no sign of the cornmeal plague that infects so many other Springfield pizzerias. The stuff that goes on the crust is just as important though, and it's apparent the folks behind Wild Olive are going for quality. The sauce, cheese, vegetables and meats all tasted fresh. Even on the second day, slices from my party-size pie still tasted awesome, and remained chewable, after a quick nuking!
Maybe it's just me, but I think it's great to see someone in Springfield doing pizza and its accouterments THEIR WAY rather than the cookie cutter method everyone else -- including the big boys who are often touted as the best in the city -- seems to be doing it. Their menu is a breath of fresh air, and they seem to be living up to their own hype when it comes to handmade quality as well. It was clear that actual care went into the preparation of the food I ordered from Wild Olive. And THAT is something you can taste.
