MAY 2017 20 | FRONTDOORSMEDIA .COM GINO’S EAST T H E D E E P D I S H D E B A T E Volumes have been written about deep dish vs. thin crust. You can almost see them being debated like in the old Miller Lite “Great taste! Less filling!” ads from the 1970s and ’80s. So three thin-crust fans walked into the impressive new Gino’s East on Indian School Road near 36th Street to see what was behind all the deep-dish adoration of this Chicago-based pizzeria. The 4,400-square-foot restaurant opened April 24 and is the company’s 18th outlet. We started with Jumbo Chicken Wings. That was a mistake. Not because they were bad (just the opposite, they were very tasty). Stomachs only have so much room and the robust wings took up some valuable real estate. Had beers been flowing (we stuck to water) this would have been a real issue with deep dish on the way. When it came (it takes 45 minutes to bake), we were still reasonably hungry. During the wait, the surroundings and vibe are pleasant – Gino’s gives off a fun, vibrant energy. Our half Chicago Fire, half Eat Your Veggies deep dish arrived. The pizza, we all agreed, was very good. The problem is as we were eating it we were thinking about why we enjoyed thin crust so much more – it’s easier to eat (no utensils needed), it’s lighter (you can drink beer or wine with it) and overall comes together better for the palate (ours anyway). That’s a long way of saying, it’s not you, Gino’s, it’s us. It’s a great spot. Next time we’ll try its thin crust. - Cheyenne Brumlow, Jamie Killin & Mike Saucier

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