4. South of the Border
Creekside
$11.95 – $15.95
Think of a Mexican pizza, and you think of messiness: cheese, sour cream, maybe refried beans. No matter what form the pie takes in your mind, it always comes with a stack of napkins. You expect Creekside’s version to be no different with white sauce, chorizo, red onion, diced tomato, breaded jalapeños, cheddar jack cheese, fresh cilantro and sour cream. But what arrives is a more reserved affair. The chorizo is crumbled, the jalapeños sliced, and the spicy kick they deliver is followed by a welcome sweetness. “It’s the tomatoes. We use a good Roma tomato,” executive chef John Juratovac explains. “The onions also caramelize a little bit, and the peppers, once they crisp up, take on a very mild sweet flavor.” Juratovac has worked at Creekside for 18 years, starting at 21 and learning to make pizzas from original owner Eddie Cerino. He’s still at it today, always looking to add a tasty twist, be it a Tuscan pizza topped with a balsamic reduction or a lobster pie finished with pesto. “I like to add a different dimension,” he says. “It’s not just your cookie-cutter type [pizza]. It jumps out at you.”
8803 Brecksville Road, Brecksville, 440-546-0555, creeksiderestaurant.com