CMH Gourmand – Eating in Columbus & Ohio

While trolling around in Athens, OH I drove by Avalanche Pizza and noticed the place was voted best Pizza in Athens 4 years in a row. When I got home I did a little research and found their site –

Avalanche Pizza

(Update 10/12/07 – The Lancaster location is closed). (I did have take out from the Athens location in June 07 – it was mighty good)

Lucky for me, they have a location in Lancaster, OH and I was going there to help some friends move into a new apartment. My friends were kind enough to reward the moving team with a variety of Avalanche Pizzas.

The topping combinations Avalanche offers are impressive. Listed below are the descriptions of three of the pizzas I sampled.

Crouching Kimchi, Hidden Chicken
This oriental creation starts with our Secret Marinara sauce and a half pound of mozzarella and provolone cheeses. Then we add Roasted Chicken, Korean Kimchi, juicy Mandarin Oranges, crunchy Cashew Halves, and finish it off with a swirl of General Tso’s Sauce.

Ted Nugent “The Nuge”
This gives Meat Lover’s a whole new meaning! We pile Genoa Salami, Peppered Pastrami, Roasted Chicken, Italian Meatballs, Premium Bacon, Pepperoni, and juicy Ham on top of our signature marinara sauce, melting mozzarella and tangy provolone cheeses.

Pesto Chicken Pizza
Roasted Chicken, lean Bacon, fresh Roma Tomatoes, crunchy Cashew Halves, sweet Asiago Cheese, and swirls of Basil Pesto. All atop our secret Marinara Sauce and special blend of Mozzarella and Provolone cheeses.
All the pizzas were good. The toppings are top notch. The crust and sauce were a bit above average. The Crouching Kimchi, Hidden Chicken was a love or hate experience. I loved it – others hated it. But all tasters were able find something they could rave about.

Avalanche has been featured on the Food Network and won “Best Pizza in the USA” at the 2004 World Pizza Championship in Salsomaggiore, Italy. If you are in Lancaster or Athens it would be worth the effort to pick up a pie.