Add pizzazz to your pizzas at Papa Johns, Berjaya Times Square

I have been aiming to chow their pizza way before it was due to open, always eyeing the big boards printing “Papa Johns – coming soon” everytime I drove past Times Square. As mentioned by J2Kfm, I agreed totally that Times Square needs to offer better dining options.

Papa John is supposedly the third largest take-out and delivery pizza restaurant chain in the United States, behind Pizza Hut and Dominoes.
With claims of fresh, never frozen dough, 100% mozzarella cheese and the litmus test of all pizzas – fresh natural sauce, how could a dough addicted foodie resist?
Plus the fact that it is a pizza chain, even offering deliveries ( from 1st Feb 09 onwards) I’ve really hope that they will upp-ed the fast food pizza market standards of which I am of opinion been dominated by Pizza Hut and Dominoes way too long.

Mexican Ole. RM11.20. 6″ pie.
With the signature pepperoncini peppers, which I observed is served with every pizza that comes out from the kitchen. Give it a bite and chew on it along with mouthful of pizza, and enjoy the burst of different flavours in your mouth; zesty and piquant, coupled with creamy and sweet from the cheese & tomato paste. Sure beats tabasco and chilli flakes!

Their pizzas comes in 6, 9 or 12″ diameters. Thin crust is only for the 9″.
Since we ordered a 6″, our only option was classic crust, which was not bad, for it gave me a chance to savour the self-acclaimed “fresh, never frozen dough”.

Toppings of tender grilled chicken bits, corn kennels, onions, tomatoes and spicy jalapeno peppers.

Dough-wise, it was soft, crispy at the sides, and yup, definitely un-refutedly fresh. Quality flour was evident and one could definitely taste the difference.
Toppings? Maybe it’s cos ours was a small piz, for I would have preferred MORE of the ingredients! Heh.. who wouldn’t :p
Still, it was good, for the the corn kernels lends a sweet and crunchy contrast to the tender and juicy chicken bits (I say bits as it was quite small), while all time one can taste the fresh sweet tomato paste base. I just couldn’t get enough it!
I saw some table asking for more of the sauce on the side in additional to their signature special garlic dipping sauce, which I find was great with fries and bread sticks.
Buttery with mild garlic flavour, it was a pleasing alternative to norm of BBQ, mayo based sauces.

Spicy Chicken Wings. On promo now, for RM5.50 instead of RM7.50 with any order of ala-carte pizza.

Nothing to wax lyrical about, for though it was good, it wasn’t exceptional.

We put their pasta dish to test as well. This is their cheese baked pasta, Seafood Deluxe – RM12.90.

Same cheese used, as well as the tomato base paste. 6-7 briny fresh prawns, tuna flakes and bits of crab stick. I personally felt that a heavier creamier sauce would have worked better for pasta dishes, for the light sauce was not flavourful enough when coating thick pasta like penne (you have choices of either spaghetti or penne) but it was still good nonetheless, having the thick cheese topping making up for it.

Not wanting to overstuff ourselves, for we were catching a movie All Well Ends Well 2009 (of which I’m of opinion that it was so-so only), we didn’t order more.
Their choices of pizzas may seem common with the likes of Hawaiian, Pepperoni & Cheese, etc but at the end of the day, the combination of well-prepared ingredients, superb dough and sauce made all the difference.
I find that the prices are reasonable, for a pizza starts at RM11.20 for a 6″, taking into account the quality of pizza served.

Cheery, bright interiors.

Outside, al-fresco dining.

Very friendly and helpful staff.

Good place for an inexpensive bite, with prices within the range of Carls Jr and Wendy’s, or maybe even cheaper than McD’s Properity Set (that leaves you feeling much less properous after ordering!) I noticed too that the inside seating area are full of families and foreigners all tucking in happily, which says a lot of this place.

Papa Johns
http://www.papajohns.com.my
Tel: 603-2119 7272
Ground floor, Berjaya Times Square (you can’t miss it!)