Rest easy, this isn’t about food poisoning. It’s about JB’s, our local pizza place.
One of the highlights of the recent move was that we were moving to within an easy stroll from our favourite caf? and our favourite pizza place next door. Since we’ve moved both have been sold to new owners.
Gary and Renee are still at Vinegar, if only for another week, but Billy has been gone from JB’s for three weeks now – and in that three weeks we’ve decided to seek our pizza from elsewhere. The first sign came the night we moved in here. Ordered the pizza and told 20 minutes, so I wander up in 20 minutes only to find that they hadn’t even been put in to the oven. Strike one.
Last night we ordered two. One was not what we asked for, and we paid more for it ’cause it was supposed to be seafood and we ended up with cheese and tomato, and the other was, well, not to put to fine a point on it, rubbish. The bases tasted like the pre-made ones you get from Coles, the toppings were so light on as to be almost not there and any flavour remaining was hidden by the burnt crust. Strikes two and three, we’re out. To show you how bad it’s become the dedicated team of drivers have all left too. In three weeks they’ve killed a business Billy had built up over many years and all ’cause they wouldn’t listen to him.
We’re hoping the new owners of Vinegar won’t make the same mistake; it’s a lot further for good coffee around here.
Updated 10th Jan 2006.
Nick’s comment below made me realise I really should link to what we think of JBs Pizza in Spotswood now.
Tony – when did Thomas hide under the house? Was it 1999-2000 vintage? Because if so, HE’S the cat that used to drive my Jack Russell, Basil, into a conniption fit! (Altogether now – it’s a small world after all…)
Hi Kathy,
we know the place you lived in – it backed on to Rae’s old place in Greene St. Thomas would hide under your house when he was young and adventurous.
Thanks for the heads-up on JB … We used to live on Brunel Street, in a rickety old weatherboard which has now been demolished and replaced with black townhouses, and while there we developed a loyalty to Vernon Street, in particular JB’s, South Kingsville Health Co-Op, the fish n chip shop and the bakery. (Vinegar Strokes wasn’t around in our day although I enjoyed its presence greatly during my pregnancy, as I’d stop in for a fantastic hot choc before going off to be weighed & checked at the drs;-)
Fish n chips went to the dogs long ago, and we now live closer to a better / more comprehensive bakery. But we still go to the doctor’s at South Kingsville and HAVE been still getting our pizzas from JB’s (haven’t had one for over a month, hence we’ve missed experiencing the change).
Times have really moved on when there is only one reason left for us to go back to Vernon Street, once our little gem of a shopping strip…
Oh, and our local Fish & Chippery went to the dogs like your pizza shop did… we found somewhere else now, but it was touch and go for a while. 🙂
It’s almost tempting to go and buy the business and do something with Vinegar myself. *L* Then again, I’ve always been known for being a glutton for punishment.
Pity you don’t update your website or info. Yes there were some hickups but since March 2004 the pizzas at JB’s are second to none. Come speak to the owners about Billies secret ingredient to add taste to his bases then tell them how good they were.
Nick,
I did update, check here to see what we say about JB’s pizza in Spotswood now.