Food Gal newsletter woo whoo

Your weekly enewsletter 03.14.13     Quick Links Home About Food Gal Boutique      For more musings on food, wine, life and laughter, go to www.foodgal.com.      Uniques Events for Passover, St. Patrick's Day and More Click here for more on a special Passover Dinner prepared by Chefs Joyce Goldstein and Staffan Terje; a Mexican twist on a Sedar and green waffles for St. Patrick's Day.     Pizza, TV, and your Favorite College Basketball Team                What could be better?   If you're in the mood for heft, for a pie that's a gut-busting two-inches tall, look no further than Patxi's, famous for its Chicago-style stuffed crust.   The first Patxi's (pronounced pah'-cheese) opened in Palo Alto in 2004 by William Freeman and Francisco "Patxi" Azpiroz, who previously worked at the legendary Zachary's Pizza in Berkeley. The restaurant features four types of pizza (stuffed, pan, thin, and extra-thin), as well as three types of dough (regular, whole-wheat, and a gluten-free one).   I was invited to be a guest at the Patxi's, in the Pruneyard in Campbell.   Early on a Sunday evening, the place was already packed when I walked in. The bustling, dimly lit restaurant features big-screen TVs that were broadcasting NFL football games that night.   The pizzas are baked to order, and the stuffed ones can take as long as 40 minutes to finish in the oven. So, settle into your chair and bide your time with an appetizer. Or a nice glass of wine, as Patxi's has a pretty impressive wine list for a pizza joint. Indeed, you can sip Prosecco or a nice French Rosé from the Languedoc region.   Then, it was on to the main attraction: a 12-inch stuffed pizza that has a layer of crust on the bottom and another that covers the fillings. We went with the "Special," a mix of sausage, mushrooms, onions and green peppers ($25.54).   When it arrives at the table, it's quite impressive looking - tall, with the loads of deep red housemade tomato sauce covering every inch of the top. If you're a toppings person as opposed to a crust one, this is the pizza for you. The layers of cheese, sauce, meat, veggies and crust meld into one soft, saucy mouthful.    It's hearty and as filling as it looks. On the advice of an insider, we also tried a 12-inch extra-thin with "cheese to the edge." Our toppings of choice were prosciutto, mozzarella and tomato sauce ($16.69).   This crust is cracker-thin. It's not Neapolitan, but something entirely of its own. The "cheese to the edge" trick gives it the flavor and texture of a Parmesan tuille, so that you feel like you're eating nothing but crisp, baked cheese with cured pork on top.   Patxi's doesn't really offer dessert. But then again, who'd have room?