Without too much nonsense and artificial declarations, and with a measured and sensible amount of gimmicks, Papa John’s is steadily establishing itself as a serial surpriser.
Its base pizza is already at the top tier of the chains operating in Israel, and once every few months some kind of seasoning arrives from headquarters, from the kitchen, and from the ovens. In the right doses it’s cute and not exhausting. In creativity it is usually good, certainly compared to what’s happening around. And the flavors themselves most of the time bring some kind of twist, adding interest to a relationship that also knows routine. Now, the honey trap arrives. And how fun it is to fall into it.
Papa John’s winter edition is the product of an exciting and smart collaboration with Yad Mordechai, the veteran southern apiary from the Strauss group. It includes two pizzas (and here, with all due respect, the word “only” should be inserted, since there could have been more options, and the results—sorry, spoiler—testified to success) and plays clearly on the meeting points of the taste buds, and on the strength of the wildflower honey chosen for the mission.
“Sweet Brie” spreads garlic sauce on the chain’s familiar (and excellent in its own right) dough, and on top adds honey, brie cheese, walnuts, and lemon zest, for a wonderful combination that leans sweet but knows how to push back when needed. The ingredients are noticeable, including a lemony delicacy at the very edges of the tray, and the classic cheese–nuts pairing makes the difference.
Alongside it comes the “Hot Honey,” a pizza with tomato sauce topped with honey, mascarpone cheese and chili, and onion jam that is careful to avoid over-sweetness and also shows a spicy character. It works no less well than its more delicate companion, but it does require expectation management, because the heat here—deep and intelligent as it may be—will not suit everyone. Price: NIS 96.90, or as a deal with a classic pizza at NIS 69 each.