Odam Ranks Austin Pizza; The Chronicle Praises Noble Sandwich Co.

Mere weeks after a steak binge, Matthew Odam eats his way across Austin's pizza scene for The Statesman. The critic ranks his top thirteen pizzas in town, with South Congress favorite Home Slice coming out on top. On the city's overall pizza evolution:

Austin will never be New York City, but in recent years it has grown to prove a worthy home for a man with a pizza addiction. People talk about the barbecue renaissance in Austin, but the pizza scene has experienced a similar, if not greater, explosion. From New York to Naples, Detroit to New Haven, Austin now celebrates all manner of pizza stylings. And with about a half-dozen Italian restaurants slated to open in the next year, the pizza phenomenon will not be slowing any time soon.

Meanwhile, Virginia Wood visits the second location of Noble Sandwich Co. for The Chronicle. On the new dinner menu additions:

while we each enjoyed our personal choices, the voluptuous serving of mac and Gouda ($6) topped with brisket ($4 more) that we ordered to share was the winner on the table that evening. Rich, moist, and creamy under a dusting of buttery bread crumbs, it was the most extraordinary mac and cheese any of us could remember. It outshone the impressive high-rise Swine Burger ($9.50), at least six inches of porky goodness on a Challah roll, and the seared Creole catfish fillet ($12.50) under a pale pink mantle of crawfish étouffée. It was almost as good as the lemon curd. Serious, serious trouble.

THE BLOGS: Fed Man Walking continues his all-encompassing taco quest, and South Austin Foodie checks out pizza trailer 40 North.