Blind Onion is worth taking a closer look

Why: The Blind Onion was first established in Portland in 1996. It has since grown to include four restaurants in the Vancouver area, including the one in the Orchards area that I recently visited. Fred, Blind Onion’s mascot, gives the establishment some original, quirky appeal beyond the neighborhood pizza reputation they have become known for.

What I tried: My dining companions and I decided on the garlic cheesy bread, the Greek chop salad, the General’s pizza and the Chicken Parmesan pizza.

The garlic cheesy bread was phenomenal. Fresh baguettes were halved lengthwise and brushed with oil before being loaded with a copious amount of unadulterated, fresh-chopped garlic, mozzarella cheese and Italian herbs. It was then placed into the pizza oven, where the bread became slightly crusty on the edges, and the cheese melted down between all of the garlic pieces and started to bubble. In my opinion, it was among the best garlic cheese breads I have tried, mostly because of the amount of garlic.

Both pizzas were appetizing and had their strengths and weaknesses. The pizza crust was somewhat thin with a hearty, twisted edge. It held up well under the toppings. The Blind Onion tradition would have diners use the honey packets in the condiment six-pack to drizzle on the pie’s edge and enjoy it as a dessert.

The Chicken Parmesan pizza had a scant amount of red sauce used as the base. The sauce’s flavor went unnoticed amid the cheese, chicken and herbs. The precooked chicken was predictably dry. More of the red sauce could bring more pizzazz to this pie.

The General’s pizza was topped with red sauce, mozzarella, salami, pepperoni, black olives, mushrooms, bell peppers, red onion and Italian sausage. My dining companions and I enjoyed the combination of ingredients on the General and thought that the sausage particularly enhanced the pie’s overall character. The pizza’s toppings were a mix of hot and cool toppings because some of the vegetables were added after the oven. This took some getting used to, but I would not count it against this pizza. Similar to the Chicken Parmesan, the General could benefit from a little more sauce.

The salad, according to the menu, contained romaine lettuce, green olives, artichoke, red onion and sun-dried tomatoes. The salad that arrived at our table did not have sun-dried tomatoes, and the lettuce had some rust on the edges.

Menu highlights beyond what I tried: Appetizers include garlic or pesto chips, a Blind Onion original. The Carnivore pizza is made with Fred’s Red Sauce, mozzarella cheese, Canadian bacon, salami, pepperoni, linguica and Italian sausage. I thought the pesto broccoli pie sounded intriguing. Pesto-alfredo sauce is topped with mozzarella, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan for a unique recipe. A vegetarian option consists of Fred’s Red Sauce, mozzarella, black olives, mushrooms, a tricolor pepper mix, red onion, artichokes and Roma tomatoes. Sandwich options include a Sicilian, made with herb cream cheese, pepperoni, Genoa salami, red onions, romaine leaves and Roma tomatoes, and a Maui Wowie, which contains herb cream cheese, Canadian bacon, pineapple and romaine leaves.

Atmosphere: The strip mall location provides a low-key, family-friendly atmosphere. A stained concrete floor, metal sided counters and festive colors on the walls look cantina inspired. Seating consists of contemporary tables and chairs arranged to seat two to six diners. Soda is help-yourself style, as are condiments. A few TVs provide entertainment, and there is a shelf by the entry stacked with board games, which diners are welcome play while they dine.

Other observations: The service was friendly, prices were fair and the wait time was reasonable. A community bulletin board is available for posting business cards and event information. The Blind Onion caters to businesses, providing food, supplies and clean-up. There are a few tables for outside dining, weather permitting.

Cost: Appetizers cost $4 to $6.50. House pizzas come in an 8-inch, 12-inch, and 16-inch pie and range from $8.20 to $26.80. You may build your own pizza from a plentiful list of topping options for $7.60 to $18.30 (additional toppings cost 75 cents to $2.50). You may purchase pizza by the slice (served until 2 p.m.) and pair it with a soda for $3.75 to $4.25. Add a side salad for $2.50 more. Salads start at $2.50 and top out at $6.95. Sandwiches are $6.95. Sodas are $2, and refills are free. Beer is available in the bottle and on tap for $2.75 to $5. A glass of wine is $6; a bottle is $17. During happy hour all microbrew pints are $1 off. On Tuesday, the anchovies are free.