Comments on: Coal-Fired Pizza Showdown (Coal Vines vs. Grimaldi’s)

By: donnaaries

donnaaries — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 18:17:40 +0000

Thanks Pizza Lover for your thoughtful comments. It’s been a while since I’ve been to Coal Vines, looks like a return is in order.

By: Pizza Lover

Pizza Lover — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:27:54 +0000

After reading this review, I tried both places. I chose to try the regular pizza with no toppings at both places so I could do a fair comparison on cooking techniques and quality of products. After eating at both places, my thoughts were opposite to Donna Cooks review. I thought Grimaldi’s pizza was dry and tough. After the first slice, I didn’t enjoy it as much. Coal Vine’s pizza was crispy on the bottom and soft on the top like Coal-Fired Oven Pizza is supposed to be. Coal Vine’s seemed to use fresher ingredients as well. I would give Coal Vines 4-stars and Grimaldi’s 3-stars.

By: SimpleXpectations

SimpleXpectations — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 02:46:04 +0000

In today’s world of a crashing economy, we all work hard for our money and want value for our spend. Too bad Coal Vines Southlake does not have servers who work hard for their money or care about the value of customers. At a guest check average of $60 for two, we expected, at least, one table follow-up, a thank you, condiments, refills, or even a “I’m gonna ignore you because I can . . .”

What a very disappointing experience (on a slow night even). While the food could have saved the experience, the absolute disregard for basic customer service and lack of mgmt. awareness was so extreme that for the first time in years, I did not tip the waiter. I predict that this Southlake newbie will “bite the dust” within a year as customers will not return to spend their hard earned money at an establishment that treats their customers so carelessly. Poor value for your hard-earned money! Go to the neighboring Central Market and buy a gourmet pizza and wine for half the cost and definitely a lot less frustration.

9/29/08

By: MissterPickles

MissterPickles — Wed, 07 May 2008 19:30:42 +0000

Grimaldi’s is great! The sauce is perfect and the crust is absolutely wonderful. Can’t wait for the location at Watters Creek to open up.

By: donnaaries

donnaaries — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:06:33 +0000

Went back to Grimaldi's this past weekend and I have discovered a new favorite topping, the spiced crumbled Italian sausage. We had it on our red pizza with olives, a tasty combination. Also tried was a white pie with basil, tomatoes, and oven roasted sweet peppers. Loved the oven roasted sweet peppers but I wanted a few more leaves of basil on the pizza. The crust on all the pizzas we tried was perfectly crisp and thin throughout.

By: luniz

luniz — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 20:17:03 +0000

We ate at Fireside last week and weren’t at all impressed by the crust. Toppings were good but the bottom center wasn’t done nearly enough. I’d like to try Grimaldi’s someday but pizza isn’t a big priority to me.

By: JEM

JEM — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:58:53 +0000

Coal Vines pizza was a huge disappointment to me. I might give it another try, but most peolple I’ve talked to have been unimpressed by the pizza. I’m still looking forward to trying Grimaldi’s.
I do like Fireside Pies and have been there a few times for their pizza – excellent crust, good sauces, and delicious, high quality toppings.

By: MS

MS — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 14:43:18 +0000

Great review. I’ve been wondering about Coal Vines as apparently they are opening a location in Bishop Arts District (Replacing Cosmo Rouge).

By: FatCap

FatCap — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 04:51:12 +0000

Sounds as if the crust at Coal Vines might not have been properly “spun” in the oven, exposing only one side of the pie to the heat source. This is more likely to happen when harried cooks, in a rush to satisfy a busy dining room, try to cook too many pies at once. They lose track of the pies, which only need to cook a scant few minutes, and a full oven floor inhibits access and leaves little room for manipulation.