While recently visiting my Dad in the heart of the Pizza State, my thoughts drifted to my non-pizza passion, and I checked to see if there was a record store nearby. For those of you who may not share this interest, some of us old timers prefer their music to be physical rather than digital. Why? Because LPs and CDs are cool to collect, and they sound way much better.

My investigation uncovered that I was in spitting distance of Vintage Vinyl, a shop that I was well familiar with from back in the days when I lived in Texas and bought a lot of music through the mail. VV is just a tad off of Route 1 near the Menlo Park Mall, and can you say “Hallelujah,” is in a strip center just a few doors down from Angelo’s Pizza. Two birds with one stone. So, on my way to the airport to get back home, I thought I’d first browse the used vinyl and CD bins one more time and grab a slice at Angelo’s while I’m at it.

There’s nothing culinary-wise about Angelo’s that any pizza purveyor like me hasn’t seen before which meant I ordered a plain cheese slice (a real deal at $2.25) at the counter and took a seat in a booth. However, while waiting, I was totally entertained by the collection of bobbleheads that hung on the wall beside me. Here’s a photo I took of a remarkable display of three famous rock bands that fits right in with their proximity to the record store.

As for my pizza, I watched them ready a slice that looked a little light in color as it sat out waiting for me beside the counter. The reheat process went fast and before you could say “New Jersey pizza” I was eating away. The slice received only a mild char to its crust which left its bottom slightly pale although some toasting made its way through to the top as evidenced by a few dark spots. Consequently, when I first picked it up, it was not sturdy and flopped.

What first caught my taste buds was the cheese which slightly missed my standard of my desired taste specifications. But, as I worked my way through it, the tomato sauce tasted just fine, and it turns out that this was nothing more than just a decently adequate slab of pizza. Like I often say, it’d be a hit in Des Moines, but in this part of the country, it’s just another one of many available decent slices.

Angelo’s slice was nothing to go nuts over.  And although I would have preferred it to be hotter and crisper, it was one that wasn’t a total displeasure. I wouldn’t go out of my way to get there unless you are a bobblehead collector.

PIZZA SNOB RATING ***1/2 Working on a Good Thing
Angelo’s Pizza
41 Lafayette Road
Fords, NJ  08863
732-225-3332
www.angelospizzafords.com