Wednesday, March 3, 2010

American Flatbread: Pretty Good Pizza


Sunday night, our condo building experienced a power outage--due to a suicidal squirrel--so cooking the roast chicken we had planned for dinner that night was no longer viable. Not in the mood for bar-food, but not looking for anything too fancy, we decided to give American Flatbread a try.

First referenced in a post a few weeks back, American Flatbread occupies a relatively new commercial strip in the Zoso apartment building in Clarendon. The interior set up is a bit awkward, and the décor is not my favorite. The space is a mix of laminate floors, antique chandeliers hanging from a lofted ceiling with exposed ducts, a visibile dishwashing area, and an open kitchen containing a self-proclaimed "primitive" (?!) oven.

This Vermont-based chain's claim to fame is what most would describe as pizza, all of which which range from $14 - $22. You can also split any flatbread between two of the 8 or so options or create your own. A flatbread easily feeds two people, so we opted to split one, with half pepperoni and peppers, half 'Punctuated Equilibrium' (olives, red peppers, Glen Farms goat cheese, rosemary, red onions, mozzarella, and garlic). The menu also contains a a handful of salads, though we did not try any.

The standout here is the organic and local ingredients. The pepperoni was spicy and quite flavorful; the sauce on its half of the pizza also had a nice bite to it. The other half was a white pizza with intense rosemary and goat cheese flavor punctuated (hence the name I guess) by the saltiness of the olives and the sweetness of the red peppers. The crust is flavorful and chewy, with a very slight char.

I was impressed by their craft beer selection on tap and really enjoyed a $6 pint of the Flying Dog's "In Heat Wheat." B seemed to enjoy the extra-hoppy Heavy Seas Loose Cannon Hop3 Ale.

Though the ambiance leaves a lot to be desired, the flatbreads are some of the best pizza available in Arlington, the price is right, and the beer selection--though limited--is quite unique. I will be back.

Dinner for two with a shared flat bread, four pints (we were thirsty), tax, and tip was $48.

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