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PETE TITTL: Pizza place has just a taste of India

BY PETE TITTL, Contributing columnist
ptittl@bakersfield.com | Wednesday, Dec 09 2009 04:11 PM

Last Updated Wednesday, Dec 09 2009 04:12 PM

Many, many, many people dream of opening a restaurant, and since most people like pizza and they like the social energy of a pizza parlor, that's the type of eatery they pick.

The result of that is that pizza is probably the most competitive segment of the restaurant business, especially because the national chains are so powerful and since so many customers cling to them like a security blanket, it's particularly hard for the little independents to survive.

One great tactic is to provide a quality product that is not available everywhere else, and the new Hot Stone Pizza Restaurant Sub & Grill on Ming Avenue has that. The "restaurant" is actually just a new menu offered in the bar and dining room of the Indian Delphi Palace restaurant. What makes this a place worth seeking out are the five different "Indian-style" pizzas on the menu: Desi Veggie (with Indian spices), Chicken Tikka Masala, Tandoori Chicken, Chili Chicken and Curry Chicken (all $18.99 for a large).

Maybe I've just led a sheltered life, but I've never had Indian cuisine pizza before. I love chicken tandoori, so we ordered that one. It was magnificent, and that's not a word I use often. The crust on both pizzas (we also ordered a large pepperoni, $12.99) was one of those that is a yeasty, rising beast. The tomato sauce had a sweet, fresh taste that did not seem like it came from a jar of sugar, and none of the rank bitterness of a tomato paste-based sauce. There was an exceptionally generous portion of cheese. The toppings for the tandoori pizza were white onion strings and chunks of tandoori chicken, that yogurt-marinated, dark red, oven-baked chicken that even people who don't like Indian food love. It has a smoky, not particularly spicy, unique taste that is difficult to describe. Most consider it an entry to Indian food for those not familiar with the cuisine.

I was so impressed I wondered why there weren't more Indian pizza parlors around. The other choices are similarly intriguing. The curry chicken has tomatoes. The chili chicken has onions and three peppers (red, green and Serrano). The Veggie has mushrooms, olives, onions, tomatoes and green and red peppers.

There are more conventional pizzas such as BBQ chicken, taco pizza, creamy garlic and more, but you can get those anywhere. Find a better tandoori pizza and we'll talk. There are hamburgers and sub sandwiches hot and cold, chicken wings and salads. A funny misprint on the menu says they offer "Thousand Ireland" salad dressing. How many Irish have to die in the creation of that condiment?

Hot Stone really doesn't have a separate identity, unless it's the small bar adjacent to the Indian Delphi Palace, but they will serve you in the dining room if you want pizza. They do a lot of takeout and delivery, based on our observations that night.

If you're looking for something different in a pizza, try one of the Indian pizzas at Hot Stone. They are amazing.