Danny Boy's Pizza
 Canton, Ohio         Date of Visit  04/21/12          http://www.dannyboyspizza.com/ 

Another recommendation from a fellow degenerate Youngstown to Wadsworth transplant I met at Kent. Two trips to Canton in two days, this one takes me on my first trip across the Hall of Fame bridge on Dressler Rd to Danny Boy’s. For some reason when I hear Danny Boy I think of corned beef and cabbage instead of Italian food. Must be the song. There is a different tune at the pizza shop…and it’s Frank. Rat Pack themed from the walls to the music, there is a steady stream of Bogart, Sinatra, Martin, Davis, Lawford and Bishop. There are also modern nods to the Soprano’s and numerous other characters. The oddest was Eliot Laudermilk from Scrooged. It holds none of the weathered authenticity of the Diamond Grill but pays homage from a distance.
 

Rat Pack On The Walls And Vegas On The Tables
 

The place seems to be doing pretty well on a Saturday afternoon and we are led to one of the tall tables in the bar. This was the biggest issue with our visit. We were served by the bartender who I’m certain must be a great bar tender. She spent a great deal of time doing her side work and didn’t seem all that interested in us or the other table that was sitting in the bar area. It did take us a bit to get through the menu and decided to have lunch and get some of their more interesting sounding pies to go.

We ordered a cup of chili, the mac and cheese and what they call a “Woogie Melt”. After emptying our beverages, working out our schedules, doing some online motorcycle shopping, and reading the subtitles for that moron Skip Bayless on ESPN everything arrived together. The chili wasn’t bad at all, very familiar spice profile backing up the tomato stew, a bigger kick of heat than most places and plenty of meat and beans it turned out to be pretty good. What really struck me about the whole affair were the two fist sized balls of dough that sat on the plate with the chili.
 

They have this stuff down to a science. What non bakers would consider just a pizza dough is actually the best example I have seen anywhere in the state. This stuff is amazing. Strong yeasty punch, a terrifically thin brown crunch just manages to constrain a fantastically soft pillow of dough. I have made pizza dough, I have eaten a fair bit more, it’s been a long time since I had anything like this. Tender but tough, soft but with a significant tear and resistance; serious science and art coming together. Topped with a swipe of butter, Italian herbs and a pinch each of salt and parmesan cheese; it’s guaranteed to ruin any Atkins diet.

The Woogie Melts are essentially hot sandwich wraps done in their pizza dough. I ordered the BBQ Beef Brisket with a zesty sauce, fresh shrooms, bacon and three cheeses. The dough is as successful as a sandwich cover as it was a roll. The brisket was tender and well balanced with smoke and sauce, far better than the disaster we had at Hog Heaven.
 

The kettle chips are pretty standard as was the pickle spear. The melt comes with a side of pub cheese sauce that was a really nice addition and appeared to be the same blend that was on the mac and cheese. Oh yes, the mac and cheese. Yesterday we had great fish and disappointing mac and cheese at Tim’s. Danny Boy’s has the Old Blue Eyes Mac and Cheese with penne, a cheddar cream sauce, rosemary, garlic, grilled chicken, fresh broccoli and bacon. Mac and cheese has done growed up and it’s beautiful. The chicken is tender and juicy, the broccoli has just a hint of texture left, the sauce is cheesey with an aromatic punch and takes on just a hint of smoke from the bacon. It’s not the best of all time but you would be amazed how many poor attempts are sold every day. The bowl is huge and right now I am smiling about leftovers.
 

Sharing Our Ridiculous To Go Order

The Three Paisano's Ready For Tasting
 

Veggies And Cheese In A Stupendous Relationship In The California Dreamin'
 

Nice Effort But Lands Short Of Chicago Classics
 

Veggies, Kielbasa and Pierogies, Oh My!
 

Just Wonderful Crusts Supporting Good To Great Toppings
 

We ordered three pizzas to go the Chicago – crust, cheese, Italian sausage patty, pizza sauce and a sprinkle of parm; the Polish Pierogi Pasta Pie – buttered crust with onions, green peppers, pizza cheese, kielbasa and potato and cheese pierogies and the California Dreamin’ Pie – Ricotta cheese topped with three cheese blend, shrooms, tomatoes, broccoli and sweet red peppers, served with a side of pizza sauce. Reheated in the oven for dinner, lunch and dinner they get a measure of grace for the reheating.

The California was a great blend of cheeses and veggies. The kielbasa, veggies and tater pillows were fabulous. The Chicago doesn’t quite measure up to the classics. The crust that provides the foundation for all three pies continues to wow me, from crispy crust to fluffy core the bread matches the Windy City’s best any day. The sausage is where Danny’s falls down to the second city. It couldn't hope to stand against Lou Malnati's or Uno's which have made this combo legendary. Overall, Danny Boys offers some far above average Italian fare with a pile of untried options on the menu. We’ll be back. Thanks, Carrie!
 

Frank Sits With You As He Croons Over The Sound System