CMH Gourmand – Eating in Columbus & Ohio

I found out about Casa di Pizza from my dental hygienist. Over several conversations with her between spitting and mumbling in a dental chair I trusted she would only give me a good tip. When she highlighted the ribs at a pizza place I was intrigued but more than a little skeptical.

Casa di Pizza is a carry out well off the beaten path. It has an innovative service window connecting to a bar next door for constant food shuttling. The menu is more progressive than would be imagined. Beverages include Hanks Sodas and Blenheim Ginger Ale. There are three pizza sauces: Red, Creamy Alfredo and Roasted Garlic. Pizza choices include The Defibrillator, appropriately named since it is piled with pepperoni, bacon, ham, Italian Sausage and salami. For the less heart-attack inclined there is the Double Double (two layers of cheese and two layers of pepperoni) and the Chicken Cordon Bleu (Alfredo Sauce, chicken, provolone, ham and Swiss Cheese). If you are undecided you might order all fourteen toppings on the Kitchen Sink. The most unexpected combination is Ziggy’s Steakhouse mixing rib eye, steak sauce, mushrooms and hand cut fries. Speaking of the fries they are near perfect, especially if you like them state fair style, balancing just enough grease with the right proportion of potato.

Enough foreplay, it is time to cut to the chase. The ribs. The ribs are incredible. Start with the Casa Teaser Sampler of four ribs. It will make you a believer. The ribs are not technically BBQ based on how they are cooked but who cares. They are cooked in the pizza oven but I am not sure of the other special preparations for the racks and I did not want to pry. The sauce balances sweet and tangy with a stick to everything thickness that somehow does not adhere to your body parts. No wetnaps are needed. You are most likely to eat the ribs with a fork and knife or your fingers. The meat falls off the bone by the touch or a gentle breeze leaving behind a barren, white rib bone which looks like a fossil. The bones are bare – they seem to be a delivery device for the meat – nothing sticks to the bone so there is no work involved in consumption. This seems like cheating.

Are the best ribs I have ever had…..no. However these are the best value and most instantly rewarding. Considering the price, consistency, ease of eating and hours of accessibility of Casa di Pizza ribs I would almost choose over Ray Ray’s if Casa di Pizza was closer. When a pizza place nails ribs, it is worth the effort. Do you recall that I mentioned there is a bar next door? As an added bonus I will provide this tricky tip. If you can’t convince your significant other eater of the need to go to Casa di Pizza, pretend that you want to do something educational. Visit the Campbell Memorial Park just north on McKinley. The Shrum Indian Mound located there would serve as an acceptable picnic site for rib or pizza consumption.

Casa di Pizza
2986 McKinley Ave
Located in the strange netherworld between Grandview, San Margherita, Hilliard and a quarry
614.586.1342