Slice by Saddleback delivers deliciously

Takeout is a luxury, of course, but some days it feels like the only thing tethering me to sanity and convincing me to forge ahead in life. 

Am I being hyperbolic? Probably. But I don’t think I’m alone in often finding myself thinking, “If I make it through the day, I’m going to get myself a treat because I deserve it.” That was my state of mind when I ordered the decadent combination of pizza and ribs after completing a to-do list that felt like running a marathon through wet cement. 

Saddleback BBQ is a beloved Lansing institution that has never steered me wrong, and this is — at least so far — also the case with Slice, its two relatively new pizza outposts with locations in the south and west sides of town. Slice’s menu features — apart from a unique assortment of pizzas made in a wood-fired oven — meatballs, salads and the wings and ribs you’d expect from a Saddleback-owned business.

Priced at $13.49, the slice-and-ribs combo was an easy sell since I was already craving both. (The restaurant also offers a slice-and-wings combo for $10.99.) The harder part was deciding on the slice. Given my advanced knowledge that pickles and barbecue are a perfect pairing, the Green & White, topped with pickles, dill and garlic sauce, came out on top. 

I was thrilled with my choice and overjoyed with the size of the slice, which was about double the size I was expecting. In my semi-feral state of hunger, I quickly found myself tearing off pieces of pizza and making little tacos with the falling-off-the-bone rib meat. The components were delicious separately, but when combined, they made for a soul-soothing bite. 

The pizza crust was truly the standout. It was chewy and slightly charred on the bottom, with a buttery, almost nutty flavor. The garlic sauce was very rich, and while this might keep me from ordering a whole pickle pie, it made for a perfect standalone slice. 

The ribs were less saucy than I would have liked — I supplemented with some spicy Stubb’s barbecue sauce from my fridge — but were plentiful. For the price, I was left more than satisfied. 

I’ve officially added Slice to my treat-myself rotation. I need to try its Date Night pizza with dates and goat cheese, the Jammer Squares with red pepper jelly and cream cheese and maybe one of the featured pizzas, which have included olive burger and crab rangoon pies in the past.