Shedding light on a pizza institution

Doug Tabbert

I sat down at one of the 20 wide, dark, wooden picnic tables and

waited for my lunch special at one of the two Lamppost Pizza

locations in Huntington Beach.

This one was in the sleepy strip mall on the corner of Brookhurst

and Adams and serves lunch specials from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pepperoni

or cheese was the only decision demanded of me. I responded swiftly

and proceeded to the soda fountain positioned between videogames like

“Metal Slug 5.”

The two slices and refillable root beer ($4.79 with tax) made me

feel like a kid again. Perhaps that is stretching things a bit, but I

was reminded me that sometimes good meals can be simple and not

completely balanced.

Make no mistake; there is nothing average about the pizza served

in the mellow dark environs of Lamppost, which is resolutely

unconcerned with pretense. Perhaps that is why countless friends,

families and community sports teams routinely meet here for great

pie, large screen televisions broadcasting games, videogames and

pitchers of beer. They have many on tap, including Newcastle Brown

Ale.

I didn’t bother with the appetizers, since grease and saturated

fat were already on the way. Buffalo wings, mozzarella sticks,

jalapeno poppers or garlic cheese bread would have had precluded

enjoyment of an entree.

Their menu reports that Lamppost is “a family-owned and operated

Huntington Beach tradition for over 26 years,” and their craft is

well honed. The crust was thin, but not ethereal and possessed a

spattering of crispness. The mozzarella and tomato sauce meld

perfectly atop the recently risen hand-tossed dough. If you’re a meat

lover, there are plenty of sizzling pepperonis to catch the Parmesan

and red peppers. No gimmicks, frills or mascots here; just great

pizza that keeps one savoring every bite and looking forward to the

next.

There are plenty more options than cheese or pepperoni. You can

build your own pie or go with one of theirs. Perhaps the Veggie

Jackson, the Linebacker or the Best of Seven, which comes with

cheese, pepperoni, ham, mushrooms, bacon bits, onions and bell

peppers. For those averse to eating animals, there is the Perfect

Game or the Pizza of the Gods -- a cheese pizza topped with fresh

garlic, basil, mushrooms, artichoke hearts and tomatoes.

There is also spaghetti, salads or any one of more than a dozen

sandwiches, served hot or cold on a large eight-inch roll with chips

and a pickle. There are a few vegetarian options, like an avocado

sandwich that comes with provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato and your

choice of dressing or the veggie sandwich.

* DOUG TABBERT is the Independent restaurant critic. If you have

comments or suggestions, e-mail hbindy@latimes.com