Curry, via Chicago

It’s sometimes hard to judge foods that feature cross-cultural mash-ups. Inventions such as ramen burgers, sushi burritos and Mediterranean nachos are still so new, there’s not really a precedent, template or standard recipe. Are they supposed to be considered based solely on ingredients? Should they be compared to the original dishes they’re mashing up? Or, do they exist only to make so-called “exotic” foods more palatable to a mainstream American taste? Whatever the case, it basically comes down to this: They’re just works of culinary art, and you either like them or you don’t.

That much was clear when I told my wife I was bringing home an Indian pizza from Chicago’s Pizza in Natomas, and she immediately dissed it before even trying a slice. Perhaps the concept of blending Asian food and pizza brought up bad memories of a certain Thai chicken pizza from a chain restaurant that we tried one time many years ago. This custom pie from Chicago’s, however, was a deep-dish pizza (hence the eatery’s name), and arrived topped with tandoori chicken on one half and an equal amount of tikka masala on the other.

And, once we both gave it a chance, this pizza turned out better than either of us expected. My wife preferred the tandoori-chicken half, with its copious bell peppers and smoky diced chicken rubbed with what tasted like garlic, ginger and cumin. It seemed overly dry to me, however. Rather, the tikka masala half—with its spicier tomato- and yogurt-based sauce seeping into the meat and the thick buttery pizza crust—seemed the better half. The creamy sauce softened the middle of the pie which created a better contrast of texture against the crunchy pan-pizza crust.

Later, we sampled some of Chicago’s traditional pizza toppings and regular crust. A vegetarian pizza and a pepperoni pie tasted good served on an “original” crust, a standard medium-chewiness American-style dough. The vegetarian option had plenty of toppings—onions, bell pepper, artichoke, tomato. The even heftier Three Idiots (barbecue chicken, garlic chicken and spicy chicken) and the Combination (beef, salami, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, olives) held together nicely atop the thicker crust, unlike some similar pizzas that crumble once you pick them up.

We also sampled the only actual traditional Indian food on the menu—samosas, which come four in an order. The crunchy pastry shells filled with potatoes, onions, peas, beans and spices made for a good starter. They might also be a good start for kids who may have never had Indian food before, but who like pizza. They’re served with a side of delicious, bright green coriander chutney.

Additional starters include a garden salad and chicken salad. Neither stood out as great, but at least both came with a diverse selection of fresh veggies: tomato, mushroom, cucumber, lettuce, onion, bell pepper, carrot. The only difference was that the chicken salad is served with diced chicken breast on top. Perhaps it could’ve been improved by some more Indian flare—maybe chickpeas, or some kind of chutney sauce? Or maybe spicy chicken?

Likewise, the pizza here misses a great opportunity to incorporate one of the many tasty Indian breads. Roti, naan or uttapam might shine as part of a thin-crust pizza, for example. A bigger beer selection beyond Bud Light, Blue Moon, Shock Top and Sierra Nevada might serve Chicago’s well, too. How about a Maharaja Premium India Pilsner?

Other notes: Chicago’s delivers, but only within 4 miles of the restaurant. And even if the person answering the phone tells you that your pizza will be done in 20 minutes, give it about 40 if it’s a deep-dish pie.

Overall, this spot is a good place to try the somewhat new (to Sacramento) phenomenon of Indian pizza, or to grab a slice of Chicago-style deep dish before a Kings game—it’s not too far from Sleep Train Pavilion, and it’s a way better deal than the arena pizza.