Pizzeria Barbarella
654 E Broadway
Vancouver, BC
(604) 210-6111
It was a tough year for Terry Deane. He had sold Ah-Beetz in Abbotsford (his first pizza joint) over a year ago now to open his dream pizzeria here in Vancouver. It took a lot longer than he expected. A couple of missteps with city permits have stretched his resolve and his finances to the limit. Zoning issues prevented him from building out at his original location – a former gelato store on Victoria Drive. This insurmountable hurdle finally forced him to seek a new place.
After a few months of active searching, he settled on a location near the corner of Broadway and Fraser. This dog-eared space that formerly housed a Chinese restaurant wasn’t any easier – it took months to get proper permits in order, and the conversion process took much longer than he had anticipated. “It was a mess. Everything was covered in grease,” he said.”It was a lot of work.”
He is now within a week of finally opening but he knows he isn’t out of the woods quite yet: the floor has to be sealed, the whole place needs dusting, some fixtures still need to be attached, and the kitchen needs supplies. But he is at least satisfied that the most critical component is working – and working very well: his new Ferarri-red Earthstone dual-fuel (gas and wood) ceramic dome pizza oven. The oven looks beautiful, but it was not his first choice. He had planned to purchase a specially designed Swedish oven, but the deal on this unit was too good to pass up. “I was worried about the oven,” he confided, “but it works much better than I had expected.” The pies he made at tonight’s tasting were indeed picture perfect.
As a matter of disclosure I should mention that I have come to know Terry as a friend. We first met online on Chowhound where Terry was known for his strong opinions – especially about pizza. He had spent a number of years in New York City as a professional jazz saxophonist and an instrument repairman. It was there where he developed his devotion to pizza. “While living in New York, I literally lived on pizza. I ate it almost everyday.”
He knew then that he wanted to open a pizzeria when came back home to Canada. His first pizzeria, Ah-Beetz in his home town of Abbotsford, hardly qualified as a restaurant. It was no more than an industrial space that housed a run of the mill deck oven. Despite the spartan digs, he developed a legion of fans – many of whom would drive up from Vancouver just to have his pizza. “I had one guy come and order eight at a time, and he would take it home to freeze them.”
Terry has that rare obsessiveness that is a critical element in making an exemplary artisanal pie. In the world of pizza, the big names (Anthony Mangieri, Chris Bianco, et al.) share a similar uncompromising, single-minded stance: Their goal is to make the perfect pizza. Terry tweaks the formulation of his dough, his sauce and his sausage recipes endlessly. Tonight, he mentioned that the dough was less than ideal. “It was fermented for three days – one day too long. That’s why you see too much blistering. It was better last night.”
When talking about the new Neapolitan pizza trend that has (finally) hit this city, he just shrugs. “By the time the [Italian] ingredients arrive in Canada, none of it is fresh. You open a bag of Italian flour, it is usually expired and you smell nothing. The flour I use still smells like wheat.” Said flour is an organic Tipo 00 (fine milled) pizza flour sourced from Central Milling in Utah – the same stuff that legendary pizzaiolo Chris Bianco uses for his pizzas at Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix. Terry has taken a similar tightly curated approach to his sources of olives, mozzarella, salumi, olive oil, and tomato sauce. “I’m trying to use local ingredients as much as possible.”
Tonight at the pre-opening, I met a number of Terry’s devotees – one of whom is another musician. “I’m not really that obsessive about a lot of things…but I am obsessive about pizza. That’s why I’m here.” He pauses to take a bite. “It was worth the wait.”
f o o d o s o p h y 
I drove by this place last night! 🙂 Saw the signage and front but papered up windows still. Will be much easier to check out than going all the way to Abby, so happy for its future opening! 🙂
I’ve been waiting a long time for this – clearly not as long as him, but still! Im excited too. Will definitely pop by next time im in town.
Any idea which ingredients he makes in house, the number of pies on the menu and the price range?
He will be making his own fresh fennel sausages – then later when he gets everything in order he will be making his own cured sausages. For his house-made sauce, he currently uses canned tomatoes from California (Stanislaus) that he says tastes better than the VPN sanctioned San Marzanos. The buffalo mozzarella comes from Fairburn/Natural Pastures in Courtney BC.
The pies will run between $12 and $16 dollars per. Based on an old menu – he will have seven pies. Two are inspired by pies created by other pizzaiolos (Bianco’s Rosa and Mangieri’s Filetti). He will probably have his own seasonal and signature pies.
One of the beers on tap is R&B Sun God Wheat Ale which is crisp like Peroni et al. A good match for pizza. He will also have bottles of craft beer. He is going to highlight craft brews and local wines on his drinks list.
Would love to do a crawl – but all the eating I have been doing lately has really been taking its toll!
When I saw this in my Google reader, I actually thought it was shokutsu himself that posted this. How could he have been in the same place as me and I not know?! Then I started reading and realized it was fmed.. haha.
It is tough to stand out in the pizza world. I lived in Abbotsford for a while a number of years ago, and it is hard to find good food there. In the city there are so many choices. As for me I don’t do pizza anymore as I stay away from dairy….but it looks good. Best of all with the new location.
No need to give up pizza if you are avoiding dairy, Kristi. A traditional Pizza Marinara does not contain any dairy products! Indulge your whims.
As far as Neapolitan pizza goes, I don’t think I said “Why bother?”. I have no problem with any other restaurant and I think there’s room for everyone. I just have a different pholosophy on pizza and cooking in general.
Thanks for that clarification Terry. I have stricken those words from the article.
What was Terry Deane’s first choice for pizza oven at this establishment? What kind of style are his pizzas(it’s not Neapolitan pizza)? There will be seating at Pizzeria Barberella? Have you found other great pizza in Vancouver(besides Pizzeria Barbarella)?
Terry has originally considered using an Swedish-made electric oven that is designed to bake at the temperatures required to make a pizza. He had also considered an oven made by Stefano Ferrara – the Ferrari of pizza ovens. I would describe Terry’s pizza as perhaps “American-Neapolitan.” Pizzeria Barbarella is a full service restaurant and has maybe 40(?) seats. (Perhaps Terry will chime in to fill in the blanks. In the meantime http://www.pizzeriabarbarella.com/ )
I don’t think Vancouver has many other options for “great” pizza. I do have another favourite…but that is the subject of a future post. Watch this space.
Thanks for the info. At what temp is Terry cooking his pizzas on his dual-fuel Earthstone? The pizzas are 8″ or 9″?
IIRC, the dome is at 900F and the deck is at 750F give or take. The pizzas looked like they were 10″(?) in diameter.
Pizzas are 12″ in diameter(sometimes a lttle more).
Wow..Pizza Dweebs.
terry deane is making great pies..I discovered him when he was in a drecky little mini-mall in Mission/Abbotsford. back then his place was called Ah Beetz!! Terry explained he was from Brooklyn, NY and thats how you answered the question “wadda we gonna eat?” AhBeetz!
He sold that room and has been working non-stop to open his new shop in Vancouver.
I’m two pies into his menu..cant wait to return.
Ill be interviewing Terry for Tasting Room Radio, which starts in the Vancouver area Saturday Feb 4 on Team 1410
Love your site..sigtned up for the newsletter
Haha. Well we’ll take “Pizza Dweebs” as a compliment coming from a “Cork Dork” (and interprovincial wine smuggler). 🙂 Nice to see you around these parts TDM. I’m hoping to catch the interview on Feb 04.
Good Rockin’ Tonight, eh TD ? [wink] Gawd I’m dating myself.