Pirate and pizza fans finally have something they both can enjoy: Pirates Gourmet Pizza by Reno Town Mall on Virginia Street.When thinking of pirate-themed restaurants, one might think of pirate-dressed waiters and sea shanties being sung over the store’s PA. But the pizzeria doesn’t so much shout pirate as much as it suggests. A few pirate statues are scattered through the restaurant with sea-themed tablecloths, a mural painted onto the wall and a few bottles hanging from the ceiling. It definitely stays with the pirate theme without being annoying.The friendly waitress greeted my dining companion and me, and seated us at the booth where we promptly ordered a basket of wings ($8.99) and two medium pizzas: one a half Mexican and half barbecued chicken, and the other half cheese and half Japanese.Since we arrived between the rushes, the wings arrived fairly quickly. The wings had just the right balance of spice and sweet, which contrasted nicely after a ranch-dressing bath. However for the price, we didn’t get a lot of wings—just about 12 or 15.But, before we could wolf down the wings, our two pizzas arrived. Though $20 for a medium pizza doesn’t seem like a good value, diners get plenty for the price. The crust is almost as thick as the Earth’s outer shell – it’s perfect for absorbing lots of ranch dressing or honey. The depth of the pizza rivals most diving pools and toppings swim freely in the cheese-filled cavity.

A knife and fork might be the best way to tackle these pizzas because it seems the only human capable of completely handling the pieces would be Andre the Giant.

I started with the Mexican pizza, filled with beef, refried beans, black olives, red onions, green peppers, Roma tomatoes, cheddar cheese and sour cream with tortilla chips wedged between each slice. The pizza tasted like the best seven-layer dip I had ever had. The hot cheese meshed nicely with the rest of the ingredients and the sour cream served as a nice contrast.

The barbecued chicken didn’t impress me as much. The sauce wasn’t as tangy and the chicken was a little bland. I have had better barbecue chicken pizzas in Reno, namely Blind Onion and Blue Moon, and would suggest them if one was in the mood.

The Japanese pizza overflowed with teriyaki chicken, pineapple, red onions, green peppers and Roma tomatoes. As soon as my friend picked up his slice, its contents spilled onto his plate, making a better case for knife-and-fork tactics.

Though my friend closely guarded his cheese pizza, I was able to haggle for a slice of his Japanese pizza. But I wasn’t able to enjoy by prize until I got home since the two pieces I had already eaten were pressing hard against the inside of my ribs.

I am sure the pizza lost some of its taste after a night in the refrigerator, but I agree with an observation my friend made: a full assault on the taste buds with no dominant taste.

My friend assured me the cheese pizza did a good job and could hold its own against any other gourmet cheese pizza in town.

Ignoring the theme (my favorite part), Pirates Pizza serves whale-sized pizzas. Anyone with a monstrous appetite or any crust lover should give this place a try.

Pirate’s Pizza
180 W. Peckham Lane #1100
Reno, NV 89509
(775) 828-0900
Hours

• Monday-Thursday: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
• Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Sunday: 3:30p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Grade: B