Oakdale Pizza

Name: Oakdale Pizza
Location: 601 Harry L Dr., Johnson City, NY 13790
Phone: (607) 644-1111
Cuisine: Pizza
Price: $10+ per pie, $2.50+ per slice

Review:
I went to Oakdale Pizza for the first time a few weeks back. I had heard some good things about it, and it's located inside the Oakdale Mall, not far from where I live. I stopped in for a slice and found a bunch of different options to choose from, ranging from the standard plain cheese to pepperoni and sausage to more exotic choices like Buffalo Chicken and an interesting looking one called Chicken Bacon Ranch. I decided to go with exactly that one, the Chicken Bacon Ranch, and rarely have I hated a slice of pizza so much. Imagine cubed, breaded chicken covered in warmed-over ranch dressing with flabby bits of bacon floating around in it. Actually, don't imagine it, look at it:


I should've realized this mix was to end in utter failure before I even took a bite, but I wanted to try something a little different, so I went for it. Bad idea. I like a good white slice of pizza every now and then but this was way too garlicky and the toppings were gross. The crust was kind of brittle and the slice fell apart way too easily. It was a train wreck. I decided at the time I would spare Oakdale Pizza the bad press and come back and try a more traditional slice another day. After all, I'd heard good things.

Today was the day I decided to give Oakdale another shot. This time the plan was to go with a normal, red sauce slice with more ordinary toppings. Upon arriving I once again scanned over my options and located a pepperoni-and-sausage pie. I got a slice, paid for it, and sat down in their rather nice dining area to partake in what I hoped to be a much better experience than last time.

On first bite, I knew my hopes were dashed. I did not care for the tasteless, crispy thin crust. The sauce had a bitter, acidic taste that I didn't like. The cheese and toppings were OK but overall, this was a well-below-average NY style slice. Even worse, the crust started to fall apart randomly like some kind of weird jigsaw puzzle about two bites in. A few more bites later, the entire thing fell apart, making this simple slice of pizza rather cumbersome to eat. Bah.

On the plus side, the dining area at Oakdale Pizza is nice and clean with sports memorabilia on the walls and a flat-screen TV to provide a little entertainment, and the service has been efficient on both visits. I wanted to like this place, especially since it's so close to home for me, but frankly, the pizza really wasn't any better the second time around. There will not be a third time.

Grade: C-