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.
[Photographs: Meredith Smith]
On Boston's South Shore, bar pies reign supreme and Town Spa in Stoughton has long been considered one of the keepers of the bar pie flame. But like so many small town pizzerias with a base of unwavering loyalist, it can be hard to discern whether the value of the place is in their hearts or in the pies. There are stories like the guy transporting $2000 dollars worth of Town Spa pizzas in coolers across country, the kind of action that at least earns the place a closer look.
Their pies get delivered to booth and bar on dinted aluminum pans. A quick inspection reveals a blonder than usual underside and slightly thicker base than the flatbread-esque crust typical of this style. The textural contrast from the under crust to the upper layer that just meets the sauce and cheese, is subtle. It's a softer pie than most others of the bar variety, which land on the crackery end of the spectrum.
The oil fried flavor of the crust dominates the pie, that, and the Portugese linguica and onion here. That's to say that the cheese and sauce really take a back seat. (There is a special Italian meat sauce option some nights that made me stop and go hmmm. Could that possible be good?) Neither sauce, nor cheese were so memorable on their own. The diced onions were sweetened by the char of their edges and the linguica makes a fine pizza topping. For people that don't like crust, this a good style pie because the toppings go right to the edge. But ultimately there are better specimens of the regionally dominate pie than those at Town Spa. But it is sure to live on in its greatness in the hearts of its eternal fans.
Town Spa
1119 Washington St Stoughton, MA 02072 (map)
781-344-2030; townspapizza.com
About the author: Meredith Smith is the Slice editor. You can follow her on Twitter: @mertsmith.