Baldy's Pizzeria of Bloomington Indiana

It's been a few years since the first time I went to Baldy's, and I liked it then. I like the theme of bald men, since I'm going to be bald someday, with a wizardly skullet of some kind. I like the vibe of the cozy family restaurant, not fancy but done right. As of now the dining room is closed, and I was greeted by several friendly employees who weren't busy making pizza. Then I had to wait in my car while my pie was prepared, but that's fine.

The pie I received has a ratio of 2cr/3ce/3ch. Their crust, lighter than it looks in the picture, gets a 5 out of 5. It's crisp, yet fluffy and deliciously sweet. A real treat with mucho gluten, begging to be devoured. It's what I call a midwest style crust, a pan pizza that's not especially thick, cooked with just enough oil to give it that crisp that melts in your mouth. Their sauce also gets a 5 out of 5. It's thick and packed with delicious tomato flavor. I'm surprised this pizza didn't make a stronger impression on me the first time. Perhaps I was distracted by the decor, or resigned to the fact that I wouldn't be making it this far south very often.

For overall quality, I'll give Baldy's a Bloomington 4 out of 5. It was somewhat of a gooey, sloppy affair. And I admit, I started eating it fresh from the oven, without a plate or a spatula. If I'd waited a good half hour, the cheese might have held onto each slice a little better. Still, the pie could have been cooked a bit longer, with a better distribution of sauce and cheese. Most of the sauce was in fact on the first half of the pizza I ate, giving the sauce a ratio for a 3. But the last slice I ate cold this morning only had a 1 or a 2. For Style, Baldy's also gets a 4 out of 5. It's totally my kind of place, and a wonderful model for a local pizza joint. But they only offer one style of awesome pizza, they'd need to do something to stand out more to get a 5 here.

So Baldy's final score is 90%, one of the best around. If you live in the area, I highly recommend checking it out and inviting me. I'd love an excuse to try their toppings and sandwiches.