Not your average pie

<p>Even for pizza enthusiasts, there are days when the usual pepperoni and cheese just seems a bit ho-hum.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>Whether you’re looking to try something entirely new, or perhaps only stray off the usual path slightly, Extreme Pizza in the Adobe Shopping Center on Lakeville Highway is a tasty new option.</p><p>The new Petaluma franchise, owned by Jeff Miller, opened at the end of last year and is creating a stir with some classic pizza pies as well as some more unusual creations for the adventurous diner.</p><p>The storefront has the feel of a pizzeria, but with a modern twist fitting for an eatery on the edge of a business park. There are plenty of tables along the length of restaurant, along with two large flat-screen TVs for those who enjoy some quality relaxation time while noshing on their pie.</p><p>There are a lot of options for Extreme Pizza patrons. You can select from the restaurant’s Signature Pizzas menu or create your own from a wide variety of toppings. Extreme Pizza offers everything from pepperoni, sausage and anchovies to mandarin oranges, potatoes and even walnuts as topping options.</p><p>Pizzas come in four different sizes, starting at the eight-inch individual pizza ($7.95) and going all the way up to what they call “Huge,” an 18-inch pizza ($26.95). You can also order the pizza as half and half, meaning one side can be one type of pizza and the other can be entirely something else.</p><p>For my Extreme Pizza experience, I sampled the Yard Sale signature pizza. This tasty and beautiful looking creation may not seem that extreme, but I figured if they could get a more traditional pizza right, the rest would be a piece of pie. </p><p>The ample Yard Sale personal size came topped with Italian sausage, pepperoni, salami, black olives, mushrooms, green peppers, red onions, tomato sauce and cheddar and mozzarella cheese.</p><p>First off, the crust was perfectly cooked — not soggy and not too crisp. I also appreciated not having my pizza drowning in tomato sauce. This pizza had a nice balance of all its ingredients, was served piping hot and tasted great. </p><p>I also decided to try the Paia Pie. This version of a Hawaiian-style pizza features pineapple, Canadian bacon, mandarin oranges (yes, mandarin oranges), tomato sauce and mozzarella and cheddar cheeses.</p><p>At first, I wasn’t very enthusiastic about oranges on a pizza, but after one bite I was pleasantly convinced Extreme Pizza was on to something good. The sweetness of the mandarin oranges worked perfectly with the mild saltiness of the bacon and the tang of both the pineapple and tomato sauce. It worked.</p><p>Another surprise off the menu was the Ragin’ Rooster, a pizza topped with chicken marinated in barbecue sauce, red onions, cilantro and cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. I was unsure of this one at first, too, until I tried it. The unusual combination works well and was worth stepping out of my comfort zone for.</p><p>In addition to pizza, the restaurant offers a good selection of salads in both small and entree sizes. I tried the Caesar salad ($3.95 small size) It’s a great mild, tasting Caesar that comes with fresh, crisp romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese, croutons and the dressing on the side. I appreciated being able to control the amount of dressing on the salad.</p><p>Other menu highlights include an assortment of calzones in small and large sizes, bread sticks and buffalo wings in spicy, hot, Thai and sweet barbecue versions. Diners can also order a cold beer to go with their meal.</p><p>And if you’re still hungry after all that, Extreme Pizza sells chocolate chip cookies and New York cheesecake for dessert.</p><p>Extreme Pizza is located at 3100 Lakeville Highway. Call 763-8100 for information.</p><p>(Contact Yovanna Bieberich at yovanna.bieberich@argus courier.com)</p>