Blaze Pizza Awards

Blaze Pizza Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant: Founded in 2011 in Pasadena, Calif., Blaze Pizza alludes to the speed of production. It only takes an average of three minutes once your order hits the flame in the seven-foot-wide gas-fired ovens that attain temperatures of 800F before your pie can be cut and served (or boxed for take-out).

Food & Drinks: The menu lists the calorie count for each 11-inch regular pizza, which may come gluten free or thick crust, and for add-on ingredients as well. Pizzas cut into six reasonable-size slices. You may customize your order or choose one of the pre-planned pies. Staffers encourage the addition of myriad ingredients, which will ramp up the calorie count but not the price tag. Overkill is easy, so we suggest not getting carried away. We like "Link In," with Italian sausage, roasted red peppers and sautéed onions. Satisfying "Red Vine" with cherry tomatoes, basil and mozzarella is one of several vegetarian options. But then structuring your own veg pizza is as easy as, well, pie. In addition to a few wine choices, local craft brews are on draft. There are a few sweet enders, but the S'more pie and the sea salt cookie seem the most likely.