Pizza Review: Vegas Pie from Iron Born Pizza
This pizza earned Sara Boyer third place at the International Pizza Competition in Las Vegas
Sigfried and…yum?? That was my first thought when biting into the Vegas Pie, the newest pizza at Iron Born’s Strip District location. You may recall that this pizza was entered into the International Pizza Challenge and won third place in the North East division.
When I heard this pizza was on the menu I knew I had to find it out. Fortunately, editor-at-large, Tom Tallarico, was on the same wavelength. I was organizing my day around getting downtown to pickup my bib for the Pittsburgh Half Marathon when I got the call that Tom would be at Iron Born around 1pm. Perfect, this was en route to the convention center and would make an already gorgeous day downright enchanting.
This pizza is worthy of the Vegas moniker. It’s glitzy, attractive, and promises fame and fortune to anyone brave enough to beat the house. Unlike Vegas, which behind that glitz is an industry catering to the impulses of humanity, this pizza enriches the soul.
The Vegas Pie is built atop the classic Iron Born dough. You can expect the classically thick squares that are as soft as they are sturdy. A delicious and perplexing paradox. Atop the pizza is Slovenian triple smoked sausage, smoked mushrooms, parmesan crisps. Despite the disparate pieces, there’s not a single ingredient that steals the show. Instead, like a well constructed illusion by MGM Grand’s David Copperfield, all of these ingredients work together to make a creation you didn’t think was possible.
The parmesan crisps offer up a zesty, crispy crunch. The sausage is just smoky enough to leave an imprint on each square. The mushrooms add to the creamy texture. The crust absorbs the creation unto itself, filling each bite with a marination of flavor.
I got this pie and by the time I walked three blocks to my parked car the entire pizza was gone. It was extremely crushable and no force in the world could stop me from chowing down on this pie. I think this might be one of the most fantastic pies on Iron Born’s menu.
I talked to Sara about the excitement around her creation. She plans to compete in additional pizza competitions and if this pizza is evidence, she’ll be covered in medals in no time.
I’d hurry down to the Strip to try a piece of the Vegas Pie. Who knows when Danny Ocean and his friends will concoct an overly technical scheme to steal this recipe.
Pizza Innovation in the City
I’m a big fan of those shops that are innovating in the city. It shows we aren’t resting on our laurels, that there’s still so much to accomplish in the world of pizza. Seeing a huge contingent of pizza makers go to the Pizza Expo then come back with an assortment of unique pies that push the boundaries of what pizza can be is amazing.
I have nothing else to say really except that we should all be proud to live in such a pizza-forward city these days.
Okay a little short, but I got a few things cooking. Hope you got something out of it. Maybe it helped you appreciate an aspect of pizza a little more. I don’t know!
Pizza ya later!
-Dan Tallarico, Pizza Journalist