[Photographs: Erin Jackson]
The California Quattro Formaggio ($10) at Local Habit is a pie with purists in mind. The paper-thin, hand tossed crust is topped with a minimal smear of tomato sauce and four locally produced cheeses: goat cheddar, jack, aged gouda, and cheese curds, all from Spring Hill Cheese.
It's also a pizza for those whose primary concern is cheese, and lots of it. The crust to cheese ratio is 1:1, and while there might not be four times more cheese by volume, it tastes about four times more intense than your standard pie, thanks to a flavorful foursome of different cheeses.
The dominant flavor is the sharp bite of the goat cheddar, which is tempered a bit by the sweet and tangy tomato sauce in some areas (particularly near the edge), but in most bites, all you taste is the cheese. My only qualm is the curds were completely melted into the mix. They'd be better in their solid state, added to the pie just before serving to preserve their chewy texture.
The crust has a fine dusting of cornmeal and a crumbly, crunchy texture with tasty bits of char. It's thin enough that you can easily polish off a full pie, with room for a pint or two...something that's highly encouraged since Local Habit's selection of craft brews is excellent. If you're sensitive to gluten, there are gluten free brews, and you can get your pie made with a gluten-free crust.
Local Habit
3827 5th Avenue San Diego, CA 92103 (map)
619-795-4770; mylocalhabit.com
About the author: Erin Jackson is a food writer and photographer who is obsessed with discovering the best eats in San Diego. You can find all of her discoveries on her San Diego food blog EJeats.com. On Twitter, she's @ErinJax