How Pauline's Pizza made its way into Michael Bauer's top six pizzas in the Bay Area is beyond me. Mackie and I recently checked out the joint. We were not impressed.

We split a fresh green salad ($7.50). It certainly was fresh, not to mention good, appropriately dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette. The portion was ample for two people not wanting to get filled up before their pie arrived.

The pizza, however, was a major disappointment. We went for a medium, half cheese, half Pauline's Italian sausage ($15.00). The crust, which MB described as "crisp, chewy," was thicker than we like and saggy, not crisp. The cheese and sauce were unremarkable. The Italian sausage verged on being tasteless. Tasteless sausage (make that tasteless pork of any kind) is a mortal sin in my book.

This is a crying shame because Pauline's is such a nice place. In a converted house, the atmosphere is very pleasant and quiet, with white tablecloths and more space between the tables than is typical for a pizzeria. We visited on an unusually warm evening but, while the downstairs was sweltering, our upstairs table, near an open window near the front of the building, maintained a comfortable temperature.

The downstairs restroom was downright bizarre. The toilet is positioned on a riser and in a blocked off fireplace, leading to the impression that the throne is really a throne.

Parking is the usual Mission difficult. There's a pay lot nearby on 14th Street between Valencia and Mission, across the street from the Kink.com Armory. (And, for those of you not familiar with San Francisco, I'm not kidding about the Kink.com Armory!)

The atmosphere at Pauline's is so nice that I wish I could recommend it. However, with so many other, better pizzerias nearby (think Little Star or even Arinell), I can't.

Pauline's Pizza
260 Valencia Street
at Brosnan Street between 14th Street and Duboce Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94103
415-551-7827
Map
Web site
Food inspection score: 94
Symbol of Excellence: Yes