Cardboard at Sbarro

I was out with my Mother-in-Law and Wife at the T&T's first annual Night Market at the Hunt Club Marketplace plaza.  The stinky tofu and other dishes didn't seem to appetizing to me.  I looked around the plaza for dining options.  I was not too hungry but just a little.  A slice of pizza or something small would work.

I did a double take at seeing Sbarro (222 Hunt Club Road, Ottawa). Was this a mirage?  Was it true? Could I have the delicious pizza slices I enjoyed on car trips along the New York State Thruway as a kid?  Could I relive the waiting for an flight to Toronto from Newark's Liberty International Airport with a slice of Sbarro Pizza?  Apparently I could at least visit a rare Canadian location.

I walked in and was asked to wait two seconds by what appeared to be the franchise owner.  There was one other employee working on some pizza dough and two tables of customers inside the newly renovated location.    The two customers ahead of me cleared out and the franchise owner was ready for me.

The Order: 1 New York Style Pepperoni Slice and 1 Small Fountain Coke.

The owner took a slice from the display and placed it in the oven to warm.  So much for freshly made pizza slice.  But with so few people coming in the door that evening, there was really no point in making fresh pizzas periodically to take slices from.   The slice was eventually ready, the drink poured and I paid.

Price wise it was not worth it.  $1.69 for a small non refillable fountain Coke seemed extreme.  $3.99 for the slightly large pizza slice was also a let down.  Added to that, it was a New York style thin crust pizza, there was more money for less dough.

The pizza taste was less than thrilling.  Sure the pepperoni toppings were not skimped on but the taste was lacking.  The slice tasted like cardboard gussied up with pepperoni.

Overall, Sbarro needs to better train their franchisees in making Sbarro quality products in Canada.  Sure it is one of the first franchises in the spread to Ontario, but Sbarro could at least attempt at putting a positive step forward with quality products instead of the corrugated product I was served.