Thin crust pizza place a new BYO for Main Line
Happily, and despite a disheartening pizza-BYO report a few weeks back, there is additional hope for Main Liners seeking pie redemption along Route 30. A newcomer to Wayne’s stretch of Lancaster Avenue, wedged amongst the tightly spaced store fronts, is Jules Thin Crust, a cheery and modern outlet touting the benefits of fresh, locally-procured ingredients.
On a recent evening, short of palatable dinner options, I ordered an “all natural, locally smoked hormone-free pulled pork & BBQ sauce” through the Jules website. About 40 minutes later, striding up to the counter of the informal space, I was greeted by the end product, perfectly timed for my arrival, steaming and oblong. That’s right. The oddly shaped pie is served on a long board resembling the business end of a pizza maker’s peel – albeit a narrower version.
As with Crust in Bryn Mawr, the Jules brand is an awkward moniker mainly because the experience isn’t defined by what props up the toppings. It’s more of a flatbread concept, not really my preference, but that’s not the issue. The low-key crust is crisp and ultrathin, with an underside resembling the exterior of a Pop Tart or, worse, a frozen DiGiorno. Because of this, the diner misses out on the chewy textures and flavors of a “traditional” Italiano approach.
The thing is, the ingredients outshine the platform. As best as I can figure, that’s wholly the intent. Let’s examine.
My pizza was unquestionably pretty. And fresh. The scallions and purple onions crunched between my teeth, punctuating the gooey, savory surroundings. The tangy BBQ sauce, an orange-brown rather than the chocolate hue I typically expect, was thin but expertly blended with the smoky, bacon-rich morsels of pork. And, because the Jules pizza is not dense and doughy, one can easily polish off a sizeable portion. A meritorious feature? That’s your call, your appetite. Know also that gluten-free pies and individual slices – shaped like squares – are available, as are salads.
Overall, Jules delivered a subtle and tasty pizza that, more vital to this space, coaxed the dense and beautiful fruit from the Bordeaux-style Argentinian red from Achaval-Ferrer that accompanied me. The acidity and porcine punch of the food was a worthy foil for my 2005 Quimera, and I would recommend a range of like-minded bottles to match with the restaurant’s menu. Europeans like a Côtes du Rhône or Rioja would fare well, as would a rosé, Chianti or Zinfandel.
As a well-meaning P.S., the good folks of JTC may want to consider adding a modest lineup of glassware as some of the Main Line faithful might not take to the current paper cup experience.
I enjoyed Jules and would return. It’s a friendly, family-owned business you can feel good about, and a BYO alternative of the brown bag variety.