Hopedance

by Hilary Grant

Can eating a slice of pizza really benefit area farmers, bring in profitable revenues for local businesses and even make for a healthier American diet?

If you’re trying out Pizza Fusion – the newest green establishment on the Central Coast – the answer to all of the above is yes. 

Located steps from the San Luis Obispo Trader Joe’s in the Food 4 Less shopping complex, this cafe is the newest addition for the chain based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  Thanks to aggressive franchising, Pizza Fusion restaurants are now in 14 states, with other California locations in San Diego, Temecula and Clovis.  Begun in 2006 by college buddies Michael Gordon and Vaughan Lazar, the two, according to the company’s web site, “began brainstorming how they could do something different that would not only spark their creative juices, but start a business that would make a difference.”

To that end, the SLO location probably isn’t like any pizzeria you frequented as a kid. 

Here, the tomato sauce is from 100 percent certified organic tomatoes; other veggies are pesticide-free and harvested locally.  Meats are natural and organic, and also all Certified Humane. California beers dominate the beverage selection, including two picks from SLO-based Central Coast Brewing.  Diet sodas aren’t around – but pure cane sugar drinks and natural iced teas are available. Gluten-free, lactose-free and vegan choices are here, too.  Indeed, PETA recently named Pizza Fusion one of its Top 10 Vegan-Friendly Pizzerias in America.

The interior build -- completed in only six weeks and supervised by Arroyo Grande contractor Fletcher Burton – is also very different than every other area pizzeria.

Recycled blue jeans insulate the walls, and the restaurant’s centerpiece – a wraparound, brightly multi-colored countertop – comes from recycled glass pop and beer bottles.  All of the paints are low-VOC (short for volatile organic compounds, known to create smog- producing pollutants); the shiny concrete floor boasts a soy-based finish, and the decorative paintings were once plastic Coca-Cola bottles.  There’s more: food deliveries are only done in Toyota Prius cars and the wooden tabletops come from reclaimed wood.  Indeed, the entire build was done in accordance with the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED point system – short for Leadership in Energy and Environment Design.

Franchise owner Brandon Borene, who lives in North County and cheerfully describes himself as a “serial entrepreneur,” had never helmed a restaurant before.  But with spouse and business partner Susan Claassen Borene, who also runs Trailer Barn with her family in Paso Robles, he says that bringing a Pizza Fusion here is the right business at the right time.

“Susan and I eat about 75 percent organic,” explains Borene.  “That really all began four years ago, when our twin daughters were born.  For their sake, we went on a quest for a healthier lifestyle, which led us to the discovery of organics.  But we also realized that even though eating this way has made us a lot healthier, and the food tastes a lot better, there weren’t a lot of choices around here when we wanted to go out.” 

 Consequently, when Borene saw an ad in Entrepreneur magazine about a year ago for Pizza Fusion franchise operators, it seemed a perfect choice for a new business.  “Being socially and globally conscious is a concern for most people these days,” says Borene.  “I especially see it here on the Central Coast.”  Indeed, if this first SLO County branch takes off, Borene says he wants to open a few more Fusion eateries in the area. 

Still, the success of Pizza Fusion will ultimately come down to this: what’s the
pizza like? 

To that end, my husband Larry and I, along with fellow foodies Bill and Susan, decided to check the restaurant out.  Because Bill has celiac disease – triggered by eating a protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye, its severe reactions can include debilitating joint pain, fatigue and depression – we were especially interested in his thoughts.

Our server was Sarah, an earnest Cal Poly student and one of 26 employees Borene recruited through a Craig’s List ad.  She was able to answer most of our questions.  Except for the smaller kid pizzas, all pies are the same irregular oval shape, about nine inches by 18 inches.  Prices reflect the extra cost of going organic: the basic cheese pizza is $14, with the most expensive (featuring organic New York strip steak) at $24.  Ordering a gluten-free crust costs $8 more.

“My initial thought is that, whoa, that’s really expensive for just a different crust,” says Susan.  “But Bill had some good explanations for the cost:  having to prepare, bake and wash everything separately because some people are so highly sensitive.”  Bill was also impressed that he could order Redbridge, Anheuser-Busch’s gluten-free beer brewed with sorghum instead of barley.

His pepperoni pizza – which came with a $28 price tag – had a slightly chewy crust we all found very tasty. Like all the crusts, they’re a very thin, European style. Susan’s bruschetta pie was also good – although she wasn’t sure the basil was fresh as advertised.  “It should be screaming at you when you taste it,” she explained.  “Maybe there is fresh basil, but there’s not enough for me.”  Larry and I shared a traditional sausage pizza with extra sauce.  We also all split a bountiful spring mix, pear and Gorgonzola salad, priced at a very reasonable $9.  Dessert was Pizza Fusion’s signature homemade – also gluten-free – brownie.  Costing a very fair $5, one portion easily fed two of us and was beautifully presented with seasonal berries and hot chocolate sauce drizzled on top.

Despite the small space – there’s only room for about 40 diners – there wasn’t any pressure to leave.  The final bill did catch us by surprise: without a tip, and despite a “sneak peek” 25 percent discount, our lunch tab totaled  $80.  (However, there were enough leftovers for all of us to take home for at least one more meal.)  Would we try Pizza Fusion again?  Given some of the other upscale, locally-owned Italian eateries like Buona Tavola and Giuseppe’s that also feature generous top-end, fresh ingredient (although not organic) pizzas, it’s a tough call.   

But for folks who work or live nearby and want a quick and healthy meal, or others who must adhere to a special diet and feel like pizza, it’s a great – and one of the very few – options available right now.  And, for those of us trying so hard every day to become more environmentally responsible in as many areas of our lives as we can, it may, in fact, be the only place to grab that pie. 

Pizza Fusion of San Luis Obispo is located at 3971 Higuera Road in San Luis Obispo and is open Sunday - Thursday, 11 am - 10 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am - 11 pm. Their phone is (805) 781-8100.  For more information about Pizza Fusion’s green business model and its commitment to lessening our carbon footprint, visit www.pizzafusion.com .