Papa Murphys Review: Great pizza for the whole family

I am not a “foodie,” I like my meals unpretentious, well-rounded and concise. Layered on top of each other and baked in circle, well slap me happy and call me for another glass of vino. Which is why I think pizza is the most glorious food. I mean really. It has all the major food groups represented in an easy to eat stacked triangle:Vegetables, meat, cheese, wheat.

Because of my undying love for pizza, regrettably I have become anti-pizza as of late. This is strange coming from someone with grad school well into their rear-view mirror, who could still literally have pizza 4 times a week and not think that’s odd in any way.  The hubs actually begged during one of my heavenly pizza streaks if we could please have some “real food.”

So I have become anti-pizza because if you can’t have it but once a week – gasp or less—then let’s not waste that precious time on crappy pie.  The store bought variety is boring and frankly not that good. But it still ranks above the delivery excuse for Italian varieties that surround our neighborhood and fall somewhere on the palatte spectrum between inedible and I’ll eat it because it’s there but don’t save any of the leftovers for me.

My child doesn’t even like pizza anymore. She used to, but she’s become a pizza snob like her mommy. I paid $82 dollars so she could have pizza at school with her friends each Friday and yet week after week I am packing her a lunch as a substitute because she “doesn’t like pizza.”

It was during one of these pizza Fridays where I was volunteering to help with lunch at school – and even the teacher wasn’t eating the pizza – I learned about something different. Loveable Mrs. Tolley was passing on the class catered lunch and saving her pizza taste buds for Papa Murphy’s pizza that night.

I had heard of Papa Murphy’s franchise. We were actually  tyring to sell one at work not too long ago. All I gathered was that it had fresh ingredients like Papa Johns — but I tuned out. Too soon apparently.

Thankfully Mrs. Tolley honed in on what’s really important about Papa Murphys.

It’s like a Subway (or Chipoltle) – but PIZZA. All the ingredients are on the pizza bar are totally fresh and the dough is made daily on site. You direct the pizza baristas on what you want on your pizza. THEY DON’T EVEN BAKE IT. There are no ovens. You take our custom pizza home and cook it in your own oven when you’re ready.

I was intrigued.

On President’s Day, the hubs was my hostage and I drove the three of us to Papa Murphy’s to validate this rumor of the pizza savior.

It was true. We made a stuffed pizza with pepperoni, sun dried tomatoes, Canadian bacon, feta cheese, onions, minced garlic and olives, on fresh dough. The smell alone made my tummy jump for joy. It held such promise. I could barely drive home fast enough.  And the hubs and I might have commented to each other that this huge pizza was only $15-$16. Seriously. Even if it was average tasting I felt like we were already winning.

I thought that Papa Murphy’s was going to be too good to be true but this was, hands –down, the best pizza I have had in years. Years. WOOT! The wretched pizza drought was over! The even better part? Not that the Princess ate some of the pizza, but that I drive by Papa Murphy’s FOUR times a day. If only they would open for breakfast. (They do have dessert pizza, salads, and pre-made lasagna to go.)

I restrained myself waited a week to go back to Papa Murphy’s. The Princess Cupcake and I stopped in one evening when I was at a loss for what to make at home. (Btw, there was someone in there for their third day IN A ROW) We made a large “Cowboy” pizza to go ($13), and then  (pause for effect) I asked about the “Mini Murph.”

I thought it was a little pizza that the Princess could have customized.

It was better.

It was a KIT.

Princess Cupcake could not have been more excited as we drove home. She clutched that Mini Murph pizza kit in her lap the whole time. She opened her special little pizza box and rubbed the dough. She played with the three little plastic containers: sauce, cheese and pepperoni, and more cheese. It was just like Mommy and Daddy’s – but way more cool. It even came with a temporary Mini Murph tattoo.

This kid was over-the-moon excited to go home and make her pizza. I was over-the-moon excited that it only cost $3.

Princess Cupcake barely made it in the door of our house before she had that Mini Murph unloaded on the table and the lids off her special ingredients.  Like most kids, she loved putting it together and watching it bake.

I know what you’re wondering – did she eat it? I honestly thought she wouldn’t, but she ate –some. Which is more than she’s had in a year. And we also figured out that while she will vehemently tell you she likes pepperoni, but she does not like pepperoni.

And she loves the “Mini Murph.”

 Note: Papa Murphys did NOT compensate me for this post or provide any discount or offer. These opinions are completely my own.

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