RESTAURANT REVIEW:Doria’s Haus of Pizza’s charm, crust fills seats

It is my firm belief that every neighborhood should have a pizza place.

In La Crescenta where I grew up, we had one called Dominick’s. It was one of the town’s most popular restaurants; on Friday and Saturday nights the place was packed with families celebrating pay day.

It seems wherever I have lived, a restaurant like Dominick’s was nearby. They seem immune to takeover by chain restaurants that don’t have the charm of these little places.

Costa Mesa residents have one of the best. Doria’s Haus of Pizza was a Friday night tradition when I lived around the corner from its Adams Avenue and Harbor Boulevard location.

The restaurant started in Long Beach in 1974, but the Doria’s were forced to move it in 1981 when the city used its powers of eminent domain to take over their location. They found Costa Mesa and have been serving grateful patrons ever since.

Though I no longer live near there, I am claiming squatter’s rights. That allows me to visit whenever possible.

Which is hard to do, because if you don’t get to Haus of Pizza early enough the wait can be 30 minutes or more. But it’s well worth the time standing around waiting for one of the precious booths or tables to open up.

The pizza is of course the signature dish and it is some of the best in Orange County. It is a thicker crust, but just doughy enough so it is not overbearing. Usually with thicker pizza I stop eating at the crust, but this crust is a treat rather than a chore to eat.

The Haus special is pepperoni, sausage, olives, mushrooms and onions and is a good choice if like that many toppings. Haus has a variety of traditional toppings, plus some exotic ones like artichoke hearts and eggplant.

The one special that should be tried is the panzerotti. It is basically a calzone, which is like a pizza that’s been stuffed or folded, and is made only on Wednesday and Thursday. Haus of Pizza is a great family restaurant that is great for large gatherings. The food is good, the servings plentiful and the atmosphere comfortable.

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JOHN REGER is the Pilot’s restaurant critic. His reviews run Thursdays.

Doria’s Haus of Pizza

Address: 1500 Adams Street, Costa Mesa

Phone: (714)751-8777

Cuisine: Italian

Specialty dish: Pizza

Alcohol served: Beer and wine

Dress: casual

Family friendly: yes, though no children’s menu

Credit cards accepted: MasterCard, Visa, American Express

Rating: ***