Bricks lays the foundation for great pizza

Serving as the sobering touchstone to a world gone mad with celebrity chefs, Bricks (formerly Brix) shines in its new, larger, downtown Lombard storefront by delivering on a simple promise: tasty wood-fired pizza with no fuss.

The modest aspirations of owner Bill Wilson have been rewarded with rave reviews from network news presenters, ubiquitously positive Internet buzz and the praises of a well-known city magazine.

Charisma is packed into every square inch of the space. The earthy palette of the decor is offset by the orange brick of the 5,500-pound wood-burning oven in which both pizzas and sandwiches are made.

Order at the counter, sit down and the food will make its way to you quickly by one of the polite teenagers working the place.

The main attraction here is the wood-fired pizza, obviously, which at around $8 to $11 for a whole one that feeds one or two is about as good a deal as you can hope for.

Anyone who knows anything about pizza knows that the crust is the focal point. The ingredients on top can add perspective too, no doubt, but here the impossibly thin crust is magic - creating a symphony that ranges from sweet to sour, chewy to crunchy, soft in the inner circle yet delightfully crispy on the edges.

If you're in a minimalist mood, go for the Cheeze - Pleeze pizza. Lined with a thin layer of sweet and understated homemade tomato sauce, it has only melted mozzarella on top. It is simple, juicy and divine.

The salty pepperoni creation also boasts the usual suspects but is subtly embellished by an invisible sprinkle of fresh oregano that adds depth. The vote is still split on whether the saltiness brought on by the pepperoni was a tad too much or just enough.

For a white pizza alternative, try the artichoke and pesto creation - a creamy and sweet basil pesto subs for the tomato sauce and is beset with cheese slammed with large oven-roasted artichoke hearts and a dash of never-fail pine nuts.

We were somewhat disappointed with the sandwiches, at least that particular evening's iterations. The three-cheese melt should have been a no brainer, but the provolone, Swiss and Cheddar sunk so deep into a Siberia of Artisan bread (which was, on its own, quite fresh, crispy and excellent) that what we were left with was bland and faint.

A smoked barbecue chicken version had the sauce shock the senses with sweet, drippy tartness, yet none of it seemed to have infused the meat, which was chopped.

The Bricks Salad, however, did not disappoint. It featured green leaf lettuce and romaine weighed down by the meatiness of Genoa salami, ham and turkey and topped with a kaleidoscope of fresh mozzarella, black olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, artichokes, roasted red peppers and a house balsamic vinaigrette.

<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>Bricks Wood Fired Pizza </b></p>

<p class="factboxtext12col">132 W. St. Charles Road, Lombard, (630) 691-1900, <a href="http://brickswoodfiredpizza.com" target="new">brickswoodfiredpizza.com</a></p>

<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>Cuisine:</b> Pizza and sandwiches</p>

<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>Setting:</b> Quaint storefront set in neutral, earthy tones that offers tasty, casual dining with style</p>

<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>Hours:</b> 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 1 to 8 p.m. Sunday</p>

<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>Entrees:</b> Pizzas $7.95 and up</p>