Runny Egg Pizza is out of this world

For this week’s featured dish, I consulted with our readers to take a trip to one of their top-rated places in Lansing: Zoobie’s Old Town Tavern & Bar. In addition to taking top prize for “Best Pub/Tavern” in last year’s Top of the Town contest, it also won best place for kids to eat free and third place for most expansive beer list. But another badge of honor for the watering hole is that it also houses The Cosmos — a spot known for being a chef-driven, wood-fired pizza lover’s paradise.  

I had to see what all the fuss was about, so I ordered a recommendation from the table next to me: The $15 Runny Egg Pizza, which included jalapeno Boursin cream instead of traditional pizza sauce, spicy chunks of chorizo, gooey mozzarella cheese, cilantro and roasted sweet peppers. Oh, and the crown jewel: Three perfectly runny eggs. These oozing yolks, placed right in the center, may look out of place, but don’t taste that way. 

I pride myself in being a total pizza snob, so when I say this pizza was amazing, it was amazing. The contrast between the salty, lightly charred, woodfired crust and the goopy richness of the egg yolk made for a sinful combination that paired perfectly with the smokiness of the chorizo. 

Pro tip: Use a butter knife to ensure every piece is fully lathered in that yolky goodness for a more consistent bite. The runny egg cluster is slapped on top just before it’s served, so it’s up to you to distribute it across the pie.  

I was on a bit of an egg kick last week, so for an appetizer I also ordered a $7 plate of “Cosmic Devils” — four servings of exceptionally fresh deviled eggs that were topped with pickled onion and candied bacon. It all washed down well with Zoobie’s $10 “West of the Sun” cocktail, a tangy and unique mix of Roku gin, blue curacao Campari, blood orange syrup and lemon.