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Getting ‘pi’ on life

Columns What's Cooking?

April 5, 2015

Story By: Rachel Breit | Photos by: Rachel Breit

Did you miss out on the chance to party it up on Pi Day this year? You know, Pi Day, March 14, the day to reflect on the mathematical constant (approximated as 3.14) by celebrating all things circular? It’s a day to pay homage to pie, cookies, cupcakes, pancakes and, well, you get the picture. Yes, Pi Day is “a thing.”

At a pizzeria where the emphasis on fresh, simple ingredients is apparent, zPizza is just the place to make up for any lost festivities. The eatery’s certified organic ingredients, preservative-free and hormone-free meats, and vegan and gluten-free options round out pizza perfection.

“We’re more about quality than quantity. Everything you eat here is fresh, and you know it’s going to be good for you,” says operations manager in training Chris Llarenas. “It’s a healthier option, and you really taste the natural flavors.”

One such healthy option is Provence Pizza (small, $13.95). This ‘za bursts with flavors of southern France. Say oui to the non-GMO wheat crust topped with organic tomato sauce, house-made roasted garlic sauce, mozzarella from grass-fed cows, marinated artichoke hearts, capers, diced tomatoes and a handful of shredded basil. “I like the Provence because it has two sauces and a more rich flavor,” says Llarenas. “The salty capers bring everything together.”

The pizza also comes with the option to add nitrate-free chicken sausage for an additional cost.

This second pizza isn’t a perfect circle. It’s actually a little oblong. So when it comes to the Mediterranean Rustica Flatbread ($13.95), another enticing vegetarian option, you can say, “pi R squared.” The lofty and chewy, but not cracker-thin flatbread is first brushed with olive oil, then covered with mozzarella and feta, briny kalamata olives, artichoke and roasted peppers. Dried oregano and pili pili oil — olive oil infused with red pepper flakes — add a “a lot of flavor and a little kick,” says Llarenas.

Though this next item isn’t a circle, as an irresistible pizza companion, it still counts in these late Pi Day celebrations. Free-range, extra juicy zWings ($9.75) coated in spicy and tangy buffalo or sweet barbecue sauce are baked in a skillet with clarified butter for a healthier kind of crispiness.

Pro tip with chicken wings: break the connecting cartilage and twist the bones out so you can pop the tender meat right into your mouth.

At zPizza, everyday’s a pi day, even when you’re not in deep thought about the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter.

ZPizza

WARD
Ward Centre
1200 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu
596-0066
Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

KAILUA
151 Hekili St.
230-8400
Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Kailua, HI 96734

Honolulu, HI 96814

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