Daily Slice: Uncle John's Market & Deli, Portland, Oregon

Daily Slice gives a quick snapshot each weekday of a different slice or pie that the folks at the Serious Eats empire have enjoyed lately.

Pepperoni Slice from Uncle John's Market & Deli. Photographs: Jim Bonomo]

A local food blog recently referred to Uncle John's Market, as a "destination of Portland pizza whisperers". I was surprised to roll up on what is essentially a convenience store with the word 'Pizza' emblazoned on the side. In between the cigarettes and the lottery machines stood a full sized, double decker, honest-to-goodness pizza oven and glass case full of slices. As one would do in a divey NYC joint, I went for pepperoni ($3.25).

The slice itself was monstrous, a folder for sure. Super thin, it had a light layer of spicy sauce with an assertive spike of black pepper. The cheese and pepperoni gave the slice its saltiness. Where there was no meat, the body of the slice was like a cheese wafer.

Upskirt shot. Notice the convenience store items in the background.

The extreme crackeriness of the slice's outer crust translated into a one-dimensional texture, but it possessed a nice olive oil note and a satisfying crunch. The undercarraige even showed promise through a nice level of maillard contrast.

You can question its status as a destination, but you can not question Uncle John's newly-bestowed title of best convenience store pizza in Portland proper.

Uncle John's Market & Deli