I decided to go for a pizza a few days ago. I’d seen a place locally that looked interesting. The menu outside boasted “imported Italian ingredients”. I had a feeling not to go in when I was outside, but I was hungry.
I asked if I could take photos inside, they said no. My second warning ! (The pizza photo is a stock image from morgueFile.com)
The pizza arrived topped with a sprig of Thai Basil. Thai basil tastes a bit like fennel and absolutely nothing like Italian basil, sweet basil or whatever the correct name for it is. On inspection of the cheese, I’d say it’s more likely German mozzarella, very much the consistency of Dr Oetker pizza cheese – nothing like imported Italian mozzarella. The base, hard to tell, a slight possibility it’s authentic Italian flour, but after the other ingredients being “fake”, I doubt it.
The pizza was quite large (a good thing), and tasted OK, apart from the above staved on my hunger for a few hours !
I finished eating and the waitress removed the plate virtually just as I put my knife and fork down. Good service or a bit hasty, you can decide. So I asked for the bill. It arrived and they’d already added service charge and tax which I wasn’t expecting. Some restaurants do add these things on the bill, the tax is a bit cheeky really, most of the time the price includes tax in restaurants here.
“Please, write below the amount of money you give to the waiter for paying your bill ……..” – well, erm, nothing actually I’ve already paid for service, which was ok, apart from lying about the ingredients !
Hopf Brew House, I will probably not visit again. The service charge and tax being added are a bit underhand, but I could have just refused to pay the service charge, if I wanted to. I’m obliged to pay VAT so little I could have done about that, price on the menu outside should have included it – I’m not a VAT registered business so I do pay VAT and want to know about it before I decide to eat in the restaurant.
Hopf Brew House Pizza – 2/10 – and that’s mainly because the menu completely lies about the ingredients, Thai basil isn’t the same as Italian basil, a world of difference in taste.
So these guys got a bad review, not quite annoying enough for tripadvisor … I’ll save that for when I get short changed …
Lesson again learnt, German’s aren’t Pizza (or Pasta) chefs … Or maybe I’m just a Pizza and Pasta snob !
On the bright side, they’ve given me something to write about today and it’s another place to tick off on my search for the best Pizza in the world 🙂 … so far Sardinia had the best pizzas I’ve ever eaten.
Cheers
Don Charisma
Don Charisma 
One thing we’ve learned about going out for pizza – go to an ITALIAN-RUN restaurant. We’ve done so not only in Italy, but also in Germany, the UK, the USA, Canada and Mexico. The best one I’ve found is Pizza Romanella in Frankfurt am Main – yes, run by Italians.
Gayle Moore-Morrans
For sure, that should have been one of my warnings, pizza made by germans ! … best authentic food usually made by countrymen and women from that country 🙂
Pizza forever…its my favourite nice to share this post……..mostly i want sweet pizza……….
You’re welcome … (unspammed this I don’t know why in there)
i’ll make sure to avoid them for pizzas, though i gotta admit.. from that picture it’s making my tummy growl. haha
That’s a stock picture … and yes good pizza makes my tummy rumble too 🙂
You really told it like it was. Nice to get such an honest review. I still can’t get over the fact that they wouldn’t let you take a picture. I never would have asked in the first place. After all, you paid for it. It was yours to do with as you like.
Some people got some odd ideas, I give benefit of the doubt, but sometimes serves as a warning that they are not really compatible with me … and you’re welcome, I give praise were it’s dude, so criticism also where it’s due … I did a review of another pizza restaurant gave them a good review, because I got good service, authentic ingredients and could take photos 🙂
Ohh! I am reminded of Robert Downey Jr. here… where he is asked something like what would he do if he was given a chance to choose between pizza and pasta… and he said ” I’d take the pizza, fold it then stuff it with pasta…make a sub and eat the whole thing!!!”
Love the way you guys love your pizzas and pastas… btw I like them too 🙂
You are welcome, and that’s a new one I didn’t know Robert Downey Jr said that … love pizza and pasta, even wrote my pasta recipe on my blog … warm regards Don Charisma
Write below what you pay the waiter, but they already charge for service? How sneaky.
LOL … you got that right my friend …. I guess after you’ve consumed their fine beer, you’re probably so pissed that you just give them a tip on top … sneaky !
Thanks for the candid and honest feedback.. It’s crucial and important. This spot sounds way to arrogant and displays a low customer service importance. To bad! Great pizzas in Planegg at La Terrazza (everything is awesome and completely Genuine Italian) and Furstenfeldbruck go to Nabucco – also awesome and completely genuine! Both spots just outside Munich… Worth a try for sure
You’re welcome … and you’re right doesn’t really matter too much, plenty of pizza elsewhere … I’ll look these places up next time I’m in Munich 🙂
Che prezzo, esagerato!!!Pizza d’oro!!! 🙂
Di sicuro … Parli inglese?
Un po’ 🙂
That means “a little” I think 🙂 … my Italian is “Uni po'” too 🙂
🙂 you’re worse than me 🙂
Gratzie and yes you are right I am !
Maybe you’ll have to go to Italy to find that best pizza you are looking for?
Hmnn…did I forget or did something change? I am now asked to fill in details before I can make a comment…
If you get the chance you must, Italian pizza is awesome …
Sounds like you may not have been logged in to wp.com, did you check that ?
Aw, and you love pizza – sorry you were so disappointed. What is your favorite Thai food?
nevermind … I’ll get a good one somewhere else …
Fave thai food is probably penang kung … it’s a dry sweet curry, coconut milk with prawn/shrimp … they add some lime leaves finely sliced … scrum-diddly-umpcious
Don’t come and eat pizza here…the local joint serves something with artificial cheese on a pillow of soggy dough with a smear of tomato paste acting as sandwich…once was more than enough.
Home cooked pizza for you then Helen !
I understand. When I was living up North for a bit (NY and PA), I realized why I had never liked pizza while living in different areas of the south – down south, the crusts were either cracker thin or cakey puffy, the sauces generally bland, and usually greasy. Up north, I experienced pizza made by Italians – or as usually called NY Style Pizza. I fell in love with pizza and often stopped at a local place near my home for a couple of slices for supper. I’m back down South again and guess what – pizza here hasn’t changed.
kanzensakura – what I’ve heard is that there’s something to do with the minerals found in water in NYC that affects the dough when it’s being made, giving NY made pizza (and bagels) a unique flavor. That combined with generations handed down how to do it from the first immigrants who made those foods – no wonder we New Yorkers love these foods and will eat them on the go!
Don – sorry to hear the pizza wasn’t very good. Is tipping the waiter normal in Germany? It’s customary in the U.S., but I’ve heard in Europe it isn’t.
All I can say is…NY pizza is the best, water or not. I miss it.
Jenny – not sure about in Germany, but here in Thailand it’s kind-of american system so tips are usually the norm … unless you are of course from somewhere in Europe, in which case some europeans don’t like to give tips … so can be a bone of contention … personally I normally give around 10% as I believe that some people working in service jobs rely on tips to live …
LOL, for sure certain parts of england it’s hard to get decent pizza … The Pizza Express chain in UK is pretty good and they have lots of branches, but sadly they took my favourite pizza off the menu 😦
I’ve been in NYC and can confirm the pizza there was very good, as it was in Stamford Connecticut …
I like the way the Brazilians go about it. They have just created their own style of pizza and make no bones about it. That way you feel you are trying something new and you can only cringe as they cover their pizza with ketchup and mustard.
Usually when you see the sign that reads “Authentic ____________ (insert your favorite country name here such as Kookcrapastan) Styled Dinner”. A big disappointment is probably on the horizon.
Well, the picture of the pizza looked great from the stock file. Too bad I am eating Briani.
For sure, and the thai like to put ketchup on pizza … and actually I’ve dumped heinz in favour of Roza, which the thais eat, it’s much tastier !
Pizza tomorrow then ?
I would be cheesed off.
I was pissed !
Yep, always look on the bright side – even if the Pizza stinks 😀 😀 😀
For sure …
I live in Chicago. Some would say that we have the best pizza. However, as with all things, you’ve got to be careful where you go to eat.
You can find some really horrible pizza…even in Chicago.
I’ve had new york pizza by virtue of visiting there and enjoyed … american pizza is generally in my experience pretty good … not been in chicago, and I’m sure the frozen pizzas “chicago-town” aren’t anything to go by !
Nah, don’t trust any frozen pizzas. Uncharted territory in that direction.
There’s a local place near my house called Barnaby’s which I’ve been patronizing since I was in high school(the mid-70s) and it’s as good today as it was back then.
Many people like Lou Malnati’s Pizza which has several locations around Chicago. They have deep dish pizza with the sauce on top of the cheese. Though I prefer my cheese on the top layer, I must admit Malnati’s is pretty damn good!
Dude, I’d try any pizza anywhere I love the stuff, and always happy to be delightfully suprised, I have to admit I was with American pizza in general … Chicago, well, once my fortunes are restored, we’ll share a pie together ok ?
That’s a deal. Let me know when you’re in town and the tab’s on me.
I’d like that, will be good fun 🙂
Some restaurants do add the service charge already, and in that case, you don’t need to give a tip. Just to be sure there was no embarassing mistake, we had actually asked the restaurant owner and the waiter for clarification…. and indeed thr service charge was the tip. The service charge is given to the waiters. So to ask straightforwardly for another tip is so tacky.
For sure, the place I probably won’t visit again, bottom line !
I love it, the way you wrote this post. It’s funny and you got the message through alright. I won’t visit this place ever ! ….. haa.a. cos I am too far away ! … and of course not for a 2/10 review ! 🙂
Thanks muchly and yea for sure don’t go there for the pizza, beer maybe, I don’t know !
I’m mouthwatering… 😀 I looooove pizza 🙂
Not in this place !
That’s due to the photo.. 😀
I’m the same Niko, love pizza very much !
Very yummy 😉
Yummy in my tummy 🙂
😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 that sounds hilarious and sort of KINKY to my Italian ears .. but loooove it 😀
🙂