The Voice

Issue date: 4/9/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment

It's soft, it's chewy. It's cheesy, it's saucy. It can be meaty, or even fruity.

NBC's hit sitcom The Office refers to it as "the great equalizer": pizza. With so many students of different walks of life at WCC, a love for pizza may be the one thing everyone has in common.

In a special taste test, students and administrators alike ranked five different pizza places from the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area. Three pizzas: one pepperoni, one vegetarian, and one specialty, were donated by local restaurants. WCC's own President Larry Whitworth stepped up to the challenge, along with the two heads of Student Activities, Events Coordinator Rachael Barsch and Technical Assistant Peter Leshkevich. Students participating in the taste test were Roy Hickenbottom, Josh Charles, and Michael Fitzgerald.

In tallying the rankings, Benito's was ranked the winner with a rounded score of 4. Cottage Inn trailed behind closely with a score of 3.5.

Whitworth came in noting that he may have a bit of bias for WCC's own Edibles--we've included everyone's individual scores--and noted that he enjoyed their "cake-like" crust, but scored Benito's the best overall. Whitworth rated Silvio's Organic Pizza as his least favorite amongst the pizza places reviewed, but found them "most unique."

Barsch, who is three months pregnant, responded positively to all the pizzas and said that she found it difficult to give a negative review to complimentary food. The mom-to-be rated locally-founded franchise Cottage Inn the best overall: "When you opened them, Cottage Inn was more colorful and neat and just looked more edible. The pizza was perfectly round and aesthetically pleasing."

Charles, who works as sports editor for the Voice, was especially happy with the Cottage Inn specialty southwestern chicken pizza, "It was far and away my favorite." The journalism student ranked Silvio's last in all categories, and described it as a, "slice of grease…it slid all over my hand when I picked it up."

Pizza styles
P = Pepperoni
V = Vegetable
S = Specialty

Overall Ratings

Benito's (Total 4)
P: 4.3 - V: 4 - S: 3.8
1088 N Huron River Dr
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(734) 528-1082

Cottage Inn (Total 3.5)
P: 3 - V: 3.3 - S: 4.2
4860 Washtenaw Ave
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
(734) 487-1515

Edibles (Total 2.7)
P: 3.2 - V: 2.2 - S: 2.8
4800 E. Huron River Dr
Ann Arbor, MI 48106

Silvio's (Total 2.6)
P: 3 - V: 3 - S: 2
715 N. University
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 214-6666

Hello Faz (Total 2.2)
P: 2 - V: 2.5 - S: 2.2
2259 W Liberty St
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
(734) 741-7777


Larry Whitworth
Favorite: Edibles

Restaurant	P	V	S	Overall
Silvio's	4	1	2	2.3
Hello Faz	2	2	1	1.7
Cottage Inn	1	3	3	2.3
Benito's	3	5	4	4
Edibles	5	4	5	4.7

Rachael Barsch
Favorite: Benito's

Restaurant	P	V	S	Overall
Silvio's	3	2	1	2
Hello Faz	2	3	2	2.3
Cottage Inn	4	5	4	4.3
Benito's	5	4	5	4.7
Edibles	4	1	3	2.7

Pete Leshkevich
Favorite: Benito's

Restaurant	P	V	S	Overall
Silvio's	4	4	3	3.7
Hello Faz	2	2	2	2
Cottage Inn	3	3	5	3.7
Benito's	5	5	4	4.7
Edibles	1	1	1	1

Michael Fitzgerald
Favorite: Silvio's

Restaurant	P	V	S	Overall
Silvio's	5	5	4	4.7
Hello Faz	2	2	2	2
Cottage Inn	3	3	5	3.7
Benito's	4	4	3	3.7
Edibles	1	1	1	1

Josh Charles
Favorite: Cottage Inn

Restaurant	P	V	S	Overall
Silvio's	1	5	1	2.3
Hello Faz	2	4	4	3.3
Cottage Inn	4	3	5	4
Benito's	5	1	2	2.7
Edibles	3	2	3	2.7

Roy Hickenbottom
Favorite: Benito's

Restaurant	P	V	S	Overall
Silvio's	1	1	1	1
Hello Faz	2	2	2	2
Cottage Inn	3	3	3	3
Benito's	4	5	5	4.7
Edibles	5	4	4	4.3

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