Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
We all want a slice of the good life, but sometimes a slice of pizza will have to do … and I never say no to pizza, writes Mai Al Khatib-Camille.
During my teen years, I could easily put away a medium-sized helping all on my lonesome as I couldn’t resist its cheesy goodness.
The Margherita was always my favourite but as I got older I began to enjoy other toppings such as turkey and pineapple, or pepperoni.
I thought I had tried every variation until I came across Papa John’s newest offering, Greek pizza.
The company was serving up tasty slices of its latest Mediterranean concoction at its branch in Jawad Dome in Barbar as part of the brand’s 30-year-anniversary celebrations.
When we heard the news, GulfWeekly’s new intern Kristian Harrison and I didn’t waste any time rushing over to the food court to join the queue of hungry patrons waiting to tuck into the birthday buffet.
While the long table was covered in Papa John’s regular favourites, I only had eyes for the Greek offering which included a combination of feta cheese, char-grilled chicken, onions, tomatoes, black olives, sliced pepperoncini, mozzarella and a sprinkle of oregano.
Being a huge fan of feta cheese, I couldn’t wait to give those Mediterranean flavours a try while Kristian aimed straight for the pepperoni.
The savoury scents made all our tummies talk as we queued patiently. Friendly waitresses handed out small paper plates which we soon piled high.
We formed our very own leaning towers of pizza featuring slices of Papa’s Greek, the Super Papa, which has everything except the kitchen sink, the Garden Special and Pepperoni. I skipped the Spicy Chicken Ranch, but Kristian insisted on giving it a go.
Propping up the sides of our plates were the brand’s tasty tidbits including chicken wings, chicken poppers and wedges, which we dipped in barbecue sauce for an extra zing.
After devouring our food we were in agreement that perhaps Pepperoni remains the one to beat. It’s simple and tasty to the very last bite, although the Greek pizza did impress as its blend of feta and chicken was to die for.
It’s easy to understand why Papa John’s has such a huge following in the kingdom. It really is all about the ingredients. Its Garden Special, for example, was refreshing as its toppings were full of flavour.
There really is a pizza for everyone and John Schnatter, founder of the global empire, appears to ensure that mantra runs true. His passion for pizza is what drove him to start the restaurant chain. In 1984, he opened his first restaurant and the rest is history. That one store grew into 4,400 in 36 countries.
For details, visit www.papajohns.bh
