4 minute read
Food
Truth and Consequences
Hackberry Market’s Truth Pizzeria prefers to keep things simple and get them right
Advertisement
BY RON BECHTOL
Discreetly 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. For a time, Korean-inspired Magpie braveThey’re uniformly priced at $12 for small and ly held down a suite without any support $18 for large. We tried three of the four. from like-minded brethren, a Credit Human The Margherita is the pizza equivalent of a branch its only company. simply sautéed piece of sole with a splash of
Now, it appears the wait for local, nonlemon — there’s nothing to hide behind, so chain operators has been worth it. all the parts need to be perfect. Truth deliv
The happy hook-up of Truth Pizzeria and ered on all counts. The crust, as with all the Black Laboratory Brewing alone would have options, was beautifully blistered and almost made the place a destination. Progress apblackened at the crown, delightfully chewy pears stalled at Cake Thieves, a vegan bakery throughout, and just thick enough to provide once slated to move into the center. But The structural integrity. Fresh mozzarella served Farmer’s Butchery, featuring locally raised as a foundation for slices of tomato, pieces pork products and more, may yet come to of roasted garlic and a sca ered chiff onade pass based on a recent statement on the of fresh basil. I could have used a li le more South Texas Heritage Pork’s Facebook page: basil, but otherwise found it a pleasing pie. “We have taken control of the construction In fact, I seriously suggest that roasted garlic process, and more progress has been made become an available add-on option — it was over the past two weeks than in the past three that good. months. We are in a good place and will The white, or bianca, pizza is just as lessupdate as we have a be er timeline.” is-more minimal, placing all its bets on fresh
That means the food-obsessed could easily rico a and parsley plus more of that glorious drop a bundle at Hackberry garlic. Vegetarians will prefer Market without ever moving to leave this one alone, but their car from the landscaped lot. The credit union Truth Pizzeria I couldn’t resist adding paper-thin slices of prosciutsuddenly makes perfect 1602 E. Houston St. to, and I’m glad I did. To sense. (210) 600-3211 begin with, it was a pre ier
Landscaping isn’t the @truthpizzeria package that way, and visuals center’s only architectural 3-8 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday do count. Then there was the appeal, though. A generous, Credit cards accepted added touch of salty meaticovered loggia provides ness to play against the mild for appropriately spaced outcheese, all of which made door dining and drinking. this the fave of the three. It was still around 95 degrees the evening I Thinking of the rusty-hued oil slick that visited, but since the center faces east, the characterizes many pepperoni pizzas, I heat was surprisingly bearable. The promise ordered Truth’s version almost out of a sense of cold beer didn’t hurt. of duty. More than duty might call me back,
The operators of Truth, the brick-andhowever. For although the center of this pie mortar sister to the Sulla Strada pizza truck, was just a tad swampy, it submi ed to a New prefer that you call them about 15-20 minutes York-style fold perfectly. The tomato sauce before expected pickup. It should be a short and mozzarella had been applied with an call as — not counting the numerous variaappropriately light hand, and the slices of tions that might result from add-on meats pepperoni refused to ooze. In short, it proved and veg — there are only four choices of pie: a paragon of pepperonidom, to which you white, Margherita, vegetable and pepperoni. should resist the urge to add powdered
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 Netfl ix.
food
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 prosciu o 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.
