food
Truth and Consequences Hackberry Market’s Truth Pizzeria prefers to keep things simple and get them right BY RON BECHTOL
D
iscreetly tagged Hackberry Market, the small strip center at 1602 E. Houston St. took its sweet time coming to fruition. I drove by the East Side spot several times during its gestation period to see whether any of the promised, food-themed tenants had opened. They’re uniformly priced at $12 for small and For a time, Korean-inspired Magpie brave$18 for large. We tried three of the four. ly held down a suite without any support The Margherita is the pizza equivalent of a from like-minded brethren, a Credit Human simply sautéed piece of sole with a splash of branch its only company. lemon — there’s nothing to hide behind, so Now, it appears the wait for local, nonall the parts need to be perfect. Truth delivchain operators has been worth it. ered on all counts. The crust, as with all the The happy hook-up of Truth Pizzeria and options, was beautifully blistered and almost Black Laboratory Brewing alone would have blackened at the crown, delightfully chewy made the place a destination. Progress apthroughout, and just thick enough to provide pears stalled at Cake Thieves, a vegan bakery structural integrity. Fresh mozzarella served once slated to move into the center. But The as a foundation for slices of tomato, pieces Farmer’s Butchery, featuring locally raised of roasted garlic and a scattered chiffonade pork products and more, may yet come to of fresh basil. I could have used a little more pass based on a recent statement on the basil, but otherwise found it a pleasing pie. South Texas Heritage Pork’s Facebook page: In fact, I seriously suggest that roasted garlic “We have taken control of the construction become an available add-on option — it was process, and more progress has been made over the past two weeks than in the past three that good. The white, or bianca, pizza is just as lessmonths. We are in a good place and will is-more minimal, placing all its bets on fresh update as we have a better timeline.” ricotta and parsley plus more of that glorious That means the food-obsessed could easily garlic. Vegetarians will prefer drop a bundle at Hackberry to leave this one alone, but Market without ever moving I couldn’t resist adding their car from the landTruth Pizzeria paper-thin slices of prosciutscaped lot. The credit union 1602 E. Houston St. to, and I’m glad I did. To suddenly makes perfect (210) 600-3211 begin with, it was a prettier sense. @truthpizzeria package that way, and visuals Landscaping isn’t the 3-8 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday do count. Then there was the center’s only architectural Credit cards accepted added touch of salty meatiappeal, though. A generous, ness to play against the mild covered loggia provides cheese, all of which made for appropriately spaced outthis the fave of the three. door dining and drinking. Thinking of the rusty-hued oil slick that It was still around 95 degrees the evening I characterizes many pepperoni pizzas, I visited, but since the center faces east, the ordered Truth’s version almost out of a sense heat was surprisingly bearable. The promise of duty. More than duty might call me back, of cold beer didn’t hurt. however. For although the center of this pie The operators of Truth, the brick-andwas just a tad swampy, it submitted to a New mortar sister to the Sulla Strada pizza truck, prefer that you call them about 15-20 minutes York-style fold perfectly. The tomato sauce and mozzarella had been applied with an before expected pickup. It should be a short appropriately light hand, and the slices of call as — not counting the numerous variapepperoni refused to ooze. In short, it proved tions that might result from add-on meats a paragon of pepperonidom, to which you and veg — there are only four choices of pie: should resist the urge to add powdered white, Margherita, vegetable and pepperoni.
Ron Bechtol
parmesan product from the supplied packet. I’m hoping the packaged cheese is pandemic-provisional. It was the only ingredient that doesn’t live up to Truth’s otherwise impeccable standards. In next door’s Black Laboratory, Truth has a Mr. Rogers-friendly neighbor. The only beer I sampled that didn’t seem a natural partner to pizza was the extravagantly lush Double Blackberry Greg’s, but maybe that’s because it belongs to an exuberantly fruity style that just isn’t mine. If you like Belgian fruit beers, you might love this Texas take. First-timers might want to start with the light and almost creamy Bindi Blonde Ale, exquisitely sippable at a modest 4.5% alcohol, and move up from there. Hugely hopped IPAs are not my style, either, but Mox’s IPA keeps the grassy and piney notes in check, opting instead for a bright and balanced brew I’d happily drink more of. The juniper additions to the deeper-hued and more complex Grizzly Greg’s Mountain Ale are also judicious, but the ale isn’t shy about its Texas honey — and yet it’s never cloying. Take this one home in a 24.5 oz. crowler and have it with barbecue ribs. Or something steamy on Netflix.
THE SKINNY:
Truth Pizzeria keeps it simple, with only four basic choices. However, it does them right with quality ingredients and a crust that’s blessedly blistered and just thin enough to inspire eating every morsel. The white pizza with added slices of prosciutto is highly recommended, but the bellwether Margherita scores points for its sublime simplicity. Even the often-pedestrian pepperoni stands head and shoulders above the oil-slicked norm. Pick up crafty beer to go from next door’s Black Laboratory Brewing.
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