Al Reef now defunct...Plan B - Tribute Pizza

This past weekend. we were gifted with nice weather!

(photo taken Summer 2016)

TC had sports practice so we were off on our own again.

I thought we would use this coupon for Al Reef in North Park.

While entering the offramp from the 805 to University, I noticed that the concrete block wall was now painted in pastel rainbow colors.


It used to look like this. The water tower and a trolley car metal cutout also once adored the wall. Not sure why it's gone. Maybe it will be added back later? Who knows.

(photo from my Return to City Tacos, Caffe Calabria and West Coast Tavern" June 2016)

Sadly, the coupon was a bust. Al Reef is now out of business as in windows-papered-over-and-sign-is-gone.  I was really disappointed because I really wanted some beef kabobs!  La Ley's husband highly recommended this place; he works in the area and pretty much has been to most of the eateries around here. Well, I guess this one is gone forever.


Since we were able to snag untimed parking in the neighborhood, we stayed and tried to figure out where to have lunch. As we were walking the monster riding a dinosaur mural, I remembered the new pizza place that was built within the shell of the old North Park Post Office, Tribute Pizza.

Here is an old photo I took from four years ago:

(photo from my "The Girl Can't Help It" post, May 2013)

Here it was May 2014 (not my photo):

(photo from SanDiegoStreets May 2014)

The folks who did the build out was the same company that did the live/work space "You are Here" on 25th St in Golden Hill; this is where the third location of Dark Horse Coffee is located.  The same company also is building the complex that once housed the old Crazee Burger (which has since located to 30th and Lincoln).

Neon signs are the in thing it seems.

There is seating outside and glass windows and walls galore. You can see all of the crazy angles from the staircases.


We shared a pizza, the Brooklyn's Best (with added sorpressata). Bert also ordered a breakfast red ale from a 32 North Brewing Co (local to Point Loma).


There are lots of tables as well as bar height tables. There is an industrial feel (with exposed rafters, vents, wiring and such. It is also quite loud in here with the sound echoing.  There was a large party of twenty near us, celebrating a birthday and that contributed to the noise level in here.

The kitchen is open and you can see the workers toss the pizza dough in the air and slide the loaded pizza boards into the oven.



The Breakfast Red. It's 5 pm somewhere in the world. I had a few sips and it went well with our pizza. It was smooth and thankfully, not hoppy tasting.

Our pizza was really great -  it was decorated with dollops of ricotta, caramelized onions, parsley and the addition of sorpressata (I wish that meat already came with it instead of being extra; there are other meat choices by the way). The crust was sesame seed to evoke a New York bagel. The crust was also thin with a nice chew to it; I liked that it wasn't charred at the bottom. Sometimes when it's charred too much, it has a bitter taste to it. The topping portion was just right - it wasn't glopped on thickly and it was spread out evenly so each bite was just as delicious as the first.




Nice and simple. Noting too complicated or wierd competing flavors going on.


We were pleasantly surprised and know that we want to come back with TC.  I know I want to return with the Educator GF's and not just for a birthday crawl either (my bday is next anyways and we're doing a same day food road trip planned by...me, of course).

Articles:
"North Park pizzeria pays tasty tribute to country's best pies" SD Eater, July 25, 2016"From beloved pop-up to brick and mortar: Everything to know about Tribute Pizza's cozy new home" Thrillist, August 8, 2016
"Tribute pays tribute to the world's best pizza" SDReader, August 21, 2016
+ Darlene's feature on Zagat San Diego, "Hot Dish: Al Pastor at Tribute Pizza"

The coupon you saw earlier was on top of one of my favorite cd's that I've recently been replaying ad nauseum in my car (well, that and their other albums). I've been on a Lush kick lately after having watched recent performances from their tour last year. Their first album was released in the U.S. in 1990. I was still in college and discovered them on a compilation cassette from Tower Records on El Cajon Blvd. They broke up in 1996 after the suicide of their drummer and recently re-banded last year (they even played Coachella) and toured up until late last year before disbanding once again.

Here's one of my favorite songs by Lush, which was the same one I first heard on that now long lost compilation cassette ("Man in the Box" by Alice in Chains was also on that tape! Wow, shoegazer dreampop and Grunge!):

Miki Berenyi and Emma Anderson were and still are amazing.  "Sweetness and Light" still remains one of my favorite songs. The 90's were a bleak time musically for me and Lush was one of the bright spots. I'm glad I still have all of their cd's.

Tribute Pizza
3077 North Park Way
San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 450-4505

tributepizza.com / fb page + reviews from trip advisor, four square and you know where

North Park has changed so much over the past ten years. I'm sure there are going to be more stores and eateries popping up in the coming months...