Pizza Persuit

One of the dining experiences I have missed since moving to Wilmington is, as I call it, "Cheap Crappy Pizza." I do have to be up front by saying that the pizza is not REALLY bad, otherwise I wouldn't eat it. It's just inexpensive, and you wouldn't go bragging to your friends about having it for lunch. Back in Warner Robins we had Shakey's Pizza. Here's the link for the chain: Shakey's. And here's a few pictures I found of the Warner Robins shop. (sniffle) And for those of us who were in Macon in the late 80's and early 90's who could forget Shakey's out on Mercer U. drive. (sniffle) Ahh yes, you now understand "cheap crappy pizza." Actually as far as Shakey's in Warner Robins goes, I found it to be well worth the trip. The pizza was "cheap and crappy" but the fried chicken was always great. I regularly ate way too many fried mushrooms, and the MoJo's, oh my Lord, the MoJo's. Think THICK sliced potato chips or skins battered and fried. Get a small bowl of ranch from the salad bowl and it was deep fried heaven. It made rushing to Shakeys and back to work worth the effort, especially since you can count on the Price Is Right being on the big screen. I miss Shakey's! Once I got to Wilmington I started to look for a suitable replacement for Shakeys and was coming up empty (and hungry). Driving up and down College Rd. I couldn't help but notice the CiCi's Pizza over on the right. CiCi's is nothing new. We had them in Macon and also Warner Robins, I believe, but I had never been. I had been warned repeatedly about CiCi's. Due to their incredibly cheap kid's menu, CiCi's was apparently where parents took their kids "off leash" to eat and run rampant, like the dogs around the corner here in Empie Dog Park. It was explained very clearly to me: Do NOT go to CiCi's on the weekends or the evenings. I should only go to CiCi's when kids are in school. One tiny problem with that idea, however, was the fact I had a J-O-B. Any time the kids were in school I was at work. One person told me that the "CC" in the name stood for "Crazy Children" and another told me it was for "Concentrated Chaos." I didn't dare go against the warnings/threats, so I just never went to CiCi's. Besides I still had Shakey's. As I grew more and more hungry and more and more desperate for cheap crappy pizza, it finally occurred to me. I now have Fridays off! (I love my job!) So I started making plans for a Friday CiCi's pizza buffet extravaganza! I was walking on garlic scented clouds as I walked in the front door and was greeted loudly by the girl at the register. I don't really remember what she asked me as my eyes were wide as a large pepperoni pizza while I looked around the place. The one thing that was clearly missing, though: Kids! I got a little salad with lite ranch dressing just to make this a legitimate "meal" before I stepped up to the wall of pizza. The guy behind the counter told me "Hi! I'm Tommy. If you don't see anything you come ask me and I'll get it or make it!" I liked Tommy. I think I stacked up 6 slices of cheap crappy pizza on my first run through, and almost didn't have room on my plate for the 2 cinnamon rolls at the end of the buffet. Thankfully they were sort of stick and they held tight to the rim of my plate. I sat down at my table, took a big swig of my beverage, and raised that first delicious bite to my mouth. Then, through the front window, I saw something horrible. Not one, but two school buses had pulled into the parking lot. What appeared to be millions of children began streaming (and screaming) from the buses towards CiCi's. Apparently the field trip from a local middle school had stopped for lunch. I followed the lead of most of the others in CiCis as they ran to the buffets and stocked up a second or third plate before it was all demolished by the kids. I think made what I lovingly refer to as a "Pizza Sandwich." you take two side by side slices of pizza and fold them along the cut separating them, so it's crust on top and bottom and filling inside. This arrangement allows you to firmly grip the sandwich with both hands with minimal topping/filling loss as you shove the sandwich into your face. I find I can eat 30% more and 30% faster this way. I do need to warn you though, that you should wisely choose your two halves for your pizza sandwich. CiCis has dessert Pizza and I suspect an apple cinnamon pizza slice won't go well with the pepperoni and mushroom. But now that I say that, you know I am going to have to try it someday. But not today. Some Friday, I mean.