Boston Pizza

Alright, Emilicious gave me a hard time on Facebook about going to Boston Pizza. I really don't blame her. I don't usually visit Boston Pizza unless it's with my hockey team or with my family. You see, my former hockey team (yes, I'm no longer with them) is sponsored by the Brentwood Boston Pizza. Therefore, I had to go there in support of our sponsorship. There are times I have visited it with my family because admittedly, it is quite kid friendly. Well, not is all doom and gloom with BP since their pizzas are respectable. Not exactly authentic Italian thin crust pizzas; but BP never claims to be such. The real problem I have with BP are their pastas and some of their entrees. At regular price, you can practically eat anywhere else. Tonight, Coreymania, DB Hypno (click the link and you'll understand the nickname) and myself were at BP because it was part of a Whitecaps game and dinner deal. The deal was for 4 game tickets, 1 large pizza, 4 salads and 4 soft drinks at $20.00 per person. That is actually a pretty good value.

Honestly, I've never been much of a soccer (fine, English football) fan and probably never will. I'm all about the hockey! My last Whitecaps game
other than tonight was back in the old Empire Stadium! I'll admit that watching it live is a whole lot better than on TV. When I watch soccer on TV, it reminds me of the Simpsons episode when a game was played in Springfield. Whatever the case, I enjoyed the atmosphere and the Whitecaps ultimately won the game. After that, we headed off Boston Pizza for some food. Luckily for us, the salads (especially the Spinach Salad) at BP are decent. Plenty of toppings and being quite big, the salads were satisfying. Only complaint is that they should not toss the spinach in the dressing, it should be served on the side because it makes the spinach limp. As mentioned before, the pizzas are decent. We ended up with the Tropical Chicken which is a bit interesting because it substitutes Alfredo for tomato sauce. The tang is made up by the pineapple. The crust is not heavy nor oily at all.

We decided to get an order of their baked wings (they come fried as well) and since they are baked, they are still quite juicy and tender. They are not crisp like the fried ones; but they are a little healthier. On a side note, please do not get their Appy Platter, it was formerly known as the team platter. It is not worth the $20.00 because it is only sufficient if you were a team of 2 people. Mind you, their Cactus Cut Potatoes and Southwest Skins are respectable appies. Now we head into what's the matter with BP - their pastas. I do realize that they in no shape or form claim to be authentic. However, I've never had pasta so soggy in my life. They obviously have never heard of al dente before. I guess it's difficult to achieve that since the pasta is pre-made and merely reboiled. The sauces are pretty one-dimensional and bland, other than the Mama Meata which doesn't exist anymore.

Their "go-to" pasta is the Smokey Mountain Spaghetti and Meatballs for $17.75. Despite the fact I've eaten this on many occasions with my team before; this is probably the most overpriced item on the menu. Don't get me wrong, the size of this pasta is decent; however the overall execution is lacking. Pasta is mushy and the sauce is bland. Although, the meatballs are pretty decent. They're quite meaty and flavourful. I really could go on and on about the menu because I've tried practically everything; but I think you get the idea. The food is hit and miss. For the price, you would be better served going to White Spot. However, BP still remains a good option for sports teams, families and people who just want some pizza late into the night.

The Good:
- Pretty decent pizza
- Portions are good
- Open late

The Bad:
- Most of the food is iffy
- Overpriced pastas and entrees