Eat This

MOVING NOTICE

2010-02-11T13:55:00.002-05:00

Hi everybody. The blog has moved to:

www.eatthisny.com

Please make a note of this and continue following my posts and videos at that site. It's a better look and will enable more food adventures.

See you there,

Brian

EPISODE 001: PIZZA DAY

2010-02-07T11:52:00.004-05:00

Here is the first episode of the web series.

In order to gain credibility for the web series, Brian invites his work friend Anthony (an authentic Italian) along on their search for the best pizza in NYC.

Eat This NY: PIZZA DAY from Eat This NY on Vimeo.

The Thin Bread Line

2010-01-28T02:41:00.018-05:00

It's really amazing how many places advertise that they have the best pizza in New York. Some signs even proclaim the best pizza in the country or the world. I mean, who are these people? Can a chef decide he has the best pizza in the city and then post it on the window for all to believe?

I need more than just a sign to back this up. An article in NY Magazine works (like Kesté), a write-up on all the NY pizza blogs (like Di Fara) or maybe just a ton of recommendations and a personal facebook endorsement from my best friend's mother (as is the case with Waldy's).

Since its name kept coming up when talking about my pizza search and it has a very prominent sign claiming it New York's Best Pizza, I had to find a lunch time to check out Waldy's Wood Fired Pizza and see for myself.

I arrived around 1pm on a Wednesday and the small little restaurant was slamming. There's a counter and a handful of tables that were all pretty much filled. There were also many people waiting for their take-out orders. I'm not usually in midtown around lunch time, but I imagine this is a typical weekday afternoon.

There's no table service so I ordered my pizza up front. I was impressed by how friendly and helpful the staff were, especially considering how many orders they kept taking. I figured I would have to wait a bit so was very pleasantly surprised to discover that there was a bookshelf full of food books to peruse for just this very moment.

As I waited, I dove into Ed Levine's book on pizza in America, A Slice of Heaven. The guy definitely has me beat on the pizza adventures. I become so engrossed, I almost forgot I was waiting for lunch.

So the deal at Waldy's is that they make ultra-thin pizza. I mean, ultra thin. And they cook it in a wood oven with fresh, unique toppings. Of course, I stuck with the Classic Margherita, the pizza to judge all pizzas by.

I think there's a fine line between NY thin crust and a cracker with cheese and tomato sauce. And Waldy's walks that line. Their crust is amazingly thin. Of course, it was very crispy and had a nice charred flavor. But I do wish there was a bit more substance to the bread.

The mozzarella was incredibly creamy and I think there was some parmesan because it had a nice bite. The tomato sauce itself might have been a bit more flavorful, but the addition of fresh tomatoes helped with that. The basil was shredded very thin, but it was plentiful and added that fresh herby finish.

The pizza here was tasty and I do love a thin crust, but at some point, it blurs the line between pizza and something else. I mean, much thinner and Waldy's would be nothing but toppings. And nobody seems to advertise the best toppings in the city - it's the pizza people want!

Is Waldy's Wood Fired Pizza the best pizza in NY? It comes close to not being pizza at all, but since it stays on this side of the line, I give it a 7 out of 10 for some tasty flavors, good service, and some good reading material.

New York's Finest

2010-01-23T11:45:00.013-05:00

You could read the reviews of NY Times food critic Sam Sifton (or, Frank Bruni's web archives), watch Anthony Bourdain, or browse through chowhound. All of those resources will probably steer you to some very good meals. But when it comes to pizza, I think the best judge of whether you should spend your time and money on a slice is who is inside the pizzeria eating it. And if the answer is blue collar workers, police officers, and MTA employees, then you know you've found something good.

Louie & Ernie's in B.F.E. Bronx (Schuylerville to be exact). It seems to be a real pain to get out there via NY Transit, but I was fortunate enough to be on my way back from Connecticut - in a car, no less. So, to me, it seemed like the easiest thing in the world.

When we entered this little pizzeria, which is neatly tucked away in the bottom half of a split-level residential house, all the customers seemed to be wearing abbreviations: MTA, NYPD, FDNY. I'm just glad there wasn't any IRS. These were big guys with big appetites A very good sign.

It was a pretty cold day out so I was surprised to see the pizzaiolo wearing shorts. He must be one of the owners and might even live upstairs. But, hey, if the pizza is good, he could be wearing a thong for all I care.

And the pizza was good. There's wasn't much of a char on the bottom, but the crust wa very thing and flavorful. It was a bit chewier than other NY pizzas, but that's not a bad thing. The cheese was incredibly creamy and the tomato sauce was fresh but a bit light.

I heard that the topping to order here is the sausage, so we also ordered a slice loaded with the crumbly stuff. While it was well-seasoned and not too salty, it was a bit of an overload for me. There was so much meat that it just rolled off my slice. I wish it had been incorporated rather than just thrown on top.

The atmosphere was fun and cozy, the pizza was well-prepared and tasty, and thanks to the clientele, I felt safe from a fire, crime, and any possible subway delays. And I also felt safe from the possibility of crappy pizza.

Is Louie & Ernie's the best pizza in NY? It gets a 7 out of 10 because it's a great example of NY style pizza. It may not be worth the trek all the way out the ends of the Bronx, but if you happen to be passing through, you could do a lot worse.

Take A Number

2010-01-17T02:28:00.012-05:00

When I walk into a restaurant and it smells like Subway (the sandwich shop - not the transit system), the only menu appears in a big bright marquee above, and the cashier gives me a number when I order, I expect the food to be fast food. And I think we can all agree that the word fast is integral to this agreement. Otherwise, it's just food.

And I generally think pizza should be one of the great fast foods. I mean, Neapolitan style pizzas are supposed to only cook for two minutes in a wood oven. And coal ovens burn incredibly hot, so it doesn't take too long to get that perfect char. Now, granted certain places are so popular they have garnered a long wait and others are more of a family sit-down stop. Those are fine, but when I have all the smells, signs, and sights screaming fast food, like I did at Singas, I want my food and I want it fast.

And on one hand, I had that experience at the original Elmhurst location. But the problem was the food took too damn long.

Singas is a Queens chain that has expanded very quietly in the last few years but you can find locations in Manhattan, the Bronx, upstate, and soon to be Pennsylvania. This leads me to believe that the quality isn't as good as it should be and the experience won't be all that special.

The place was empty when I arrived around 2:30, well after the lunch crowd. There were a few customers lingering, but I'd say it was pretty slow. I ordered my personal 10' pizza (that's the only option), watched the prepared pie slip into a pan and inserted into the oven. I was then handed a number and quoted a five minute wait.

After browsing the calorie listing on the menu (a very bad idea, believe me) and making a rather lengthy phone call, I realized the wait was much closer to 15 minutes. I know for sure because I checked the call length on my trusty I-phone. Ah, modern technology!

But seriously, when this place is this dead and resembles a fast food chain, 15 minutes is too long to wait for my personal pizza.

The fact that the pizza was extremely hot was both good and bad. Good because I knew it was fresh, bad because I had to wait even longer!!! Well, I do have to say the first bite exceeded my incredibly low expectations. The pizza looked like a dirty fast food roller skating rink pizza, but tasted a bit more refined.

Just a bit. This was still cheap, buttery, and crispy. I definitely could taste all those calories. But I was impressed that the tomato sauce had flavor and the cheese wasn't too greasy. The crust was very crunchy (there was no discernible char) without being dried out. I did worry that the ingredients are full of artificial flavors and crap that tastes great but will kill you if you indulge too much. But that's fast food and I certainly had all the warning signs. And I certainly had plenty of time to turn around and back out before it was too late.

Is Singas the best pizza in NY? The flavors are good and the crunchy, cheesy personal pie was tasty. But I give it a 6 out of 10 because it still had that cheap fast food feel to it. And because it took way too long.

Forkin' Pizza

2010-01-15T00:04:00.015-05:00

Comfort foods are dishes that bring us back to our childhood and make us feel safe and warm. And usually have at least 500-1000 calories per serving. Macaroni and cheese, meat loaf, and middle school sloppy joes are all examples of comfort food. And just for kicks, let's add pizza to the mix.

And since pizza is not only comforting, but Italian as well, it is fitting that chef Sara Jenkins recently opened up her own pizza restaurant. Jenkins is the mastermind behind Porhcetta, which is a tiny take-out spot in the East Village that specializes in the namesake hearty Italian pork sandwiches. I've had these sandwiches and they are quite an investment (in appetite more than finance) but incredibly complex and delicious. So I had high hopes for her pizza.

At Veloce, a very sleek pizza and wine bar in the East Village, Jenkins has crafted a unique and comforting take on Sicilian square pizza. The big secret here is that she adds a little potato to her dough (don't tell anybody). This fluffs the pizza up while giving it a crispy crunchy texture.

And I think the potato is what contributed to the slices being so incredibly heavy - literally. I almost had to use both hands to lift the first slice. It felt very full and loaded - even though I only ordered the margherita pie and basil can't weigh more than an ounce or two. It was also cut very large (the 12-inch personal pie was cut into four gigantic squares) so it was awkward to pick up.

After struggling a bit, I resigned to using a knife and fork. I've heard tales that certain people use silverware to cut and eat their pizza. But I'm not a baby anymore who has to take small bites at a time (maybe I should try that), so I like to eat my pizza the New York way: pick it up, fold it, and put it in my mouth.

I looked around to make sure nobody was watching and I cut the pizza into pieces. This formal pizza dining was one of many contradictions at Veloce. The atmosphere felt very romantic and classy, but yet there were parts of the bar that could have been mistaken for a sports bar (except the televisions were not showing football but rather classic black and white movies in closed caption). The soundtrack was a very strange mix of Madonna, Led Zeppelin, and the Beastie Boys. And I was using a friggin' fork to eat pizza!!!

The dough of the pizza was incredibly interesting. The corners were crunchy and charred, but the middle got soggy rather quickly. And it felt and tasted like a giant savory pancake with pizza toppings on it. The cheese, tomato sauce, and basil were all rather weak and bland. It's clear more attention was paid to the ingenuity of the crust. Maybe one of the specialized pies (ie, white clam, porchetta sausage, or five onion) could have brought more flavor to the meal.

I also found it telling that the pizza was served with a side of pickled hot peppers. Are all the pies served with this? Or were they offering it only for the margherita since it definitely needed something to spicen it up?

I was quite disappointed because that dough was really interesting and I enjoyed savoring it. But in order for the pizza to truly work, all the elements have to come into play together. And unlike her incredible porchetta sandwich, Jenkins' pizza caused me more stress than comfort.

Is Veloce the best pizza in NY? I bet their Italian meat heavy pies would be delicious - it smelled great in that wine bar. But the margherita pie (which to measure all pizzas by) was bland and flavorless. The interesting potato-filled crust is the only thing that earns this place a 5 out of 10.

Way South of Houston Street

2010-01-11T00:00:00.011-05:00

One of the newer pizzerias that gets talked about a lot in the press lately is Salvatore of Soho. Look as hard as you'd like in that fancy neighborhood downtown among boutique clothing stores and high end restaurants. But you won't find this pizzeria on Prince or Spring Street or anywhere in the general vicinity of the area formally known as South of Houston Street. Because this pizzeria is not where it's supposed to be. It's not in Soho at all, but rather in the middle of suburban Staten Island.

The pizzaiolo, Salvatore Ganci (at least half of the name is correct) trained and worked at both Lombardi's and Ben's Pizza. So finally, we come to it. Those pizzerias are both in the Manhattan neighborhood of Soho.

Sal installed a custom-built coal/gas oven to make classic New York style pizza in his old-fashioned pizzeria. Now wait a minute. I thought coal ovens were illegal in this city unless you were grandfathered in. Turns out the reason they're illegal is because of the black pollution released from the flume. Well, Sal's oven uses a rotating floor and somehow prevents the coals from being released, making the oven hotter and the air cleaner.

We walked through the parking lot (I have a hard time getting used to parking lots in New York City) and made our way inside the pizzeria. It was so cute with lots of '50's nostalgia and kitschy decor - old rock and roll looped on the sound system and the waitresses wore very short skirts that resembled poodle skirts. I felt like I was at one of those theme restaurants on vacation. Well, I was on an island for the day after all.

The pizza arrived after taking more time than I had anticipated and they looked beautiful. They were incredibly crispy and charred (the menu warned that they would be cooked well-done). My fingers even turned black from holding a slice. I looked like a construction worker or something. Well, my hands did at least. I still looked like a bearded wimp who could lift no more than a loaded potato skin.

But I was lifting pizza today and this looked and smelled like classic New York pizza. And the taste exceeded my expectations. The Neapolitan was close to perfection. It was reminiscent of Lombardi's pie, but with a bit more cheese. It had so much flavor - tangy and slightly sweet tomato sauce, rich buttery mozzarella, a very generous sprinkling of fresh basil. And let's not forget that smokey char from the crust.

We also ordered their clam pie, which is a favorite of mine from Lombardi's. I don't think Sal's was quite as good, but it was very close. It needed a little more cheese for me, but the plump clams and garlicky sauce tasted like a great pasta dish. And when you throw in their perfectly charred crust, it doesn't get much better.

In addition to great old-fashioned New York style pizza, Salvatore of Soho also offers some unusual options (like a fried calamari and hot pepper pie) and traditional Italian dishes. It's clear they know what they're doing and have learned from the best. Would I say it's worth the trek out to Staten Island? Probably. But you can get pizza this good in Brooklyn and Manhattan - at Lombardi's in Soho, no less. Now if Salvatore of Soho opened a location in Soho, then we might have a real pizza war.

Is Salvatore of Soho the best pizza in NY? They make really delicious pizza with an amazing char and fresh ingredients in a comfortable, family-friendly environment. It's everything you could want from NY style pizza. If you're in Staten Island, I'd say go. I give them a 9 out of 10.

Ferry Good Pizza

2010-01-05T16:30:00.016-05:00

There are so many pizzerias in this city and there's just no way I can get to them all. Unless I plan on eating nothing but pizza for the next few years. And as tempting as that sounds, I've got other plans.

But I can hit up all five boroughs and seek out the most popular options in each. So my last untouched borough was Staten Island. It's certainly the most difficult one to get to and really seems like its own little world. People don't go to Staten Island and the ones that are there don't leave it. That's not exactly true, of course, since there is quite a commuter crowd every day on the Staten Island ferry. But it does seem self-contained and a bit idyllic in parts.

I hadn't been on the Staten Island ferry (or in the borough itself) in quite a few years so this was a true adventure. The ride itself is a free twenty-five minute tourist-laden boat ride with beautiful views of both the Statue of Liberty and the New York skyline. There's also a concession stand where you can order dirt cheap beer. Oh, if only they opened one of those on my daily commute, the R train.

We docked and took the ghost train of a subway to Grant City. There were nice houses, busy suburban streets and parking lots. I guess people don't walk too far in this borough. This didn't seem like New York at all. I felt like a stranger in a strange land. But the one reassurance I had that I hadn't strayed too far from home was the overabundance of pizzerias

The first one I discovered was Nunzio's, which is both a sit-down restaurant and a slice joint. The exterior seemed like it could be in one of those shopping centers surrounding a mall. It really felt like I had stumbled upon suburbia.

Adam, the guy who helped us, was sarcastic, friendly, and snarky all at the same time. He had a lot to say about pizza and living in Brooklyn and commuting to Staten Island (why the hell he does that, I have no idea!!) He was amusing and fun (he must have come up with all those jokes over beers on his ferry commute) and kept us entertained.

But he couldn't distract me too much from the pizza. The slice has to stand on its own without all this witty banter. I admit, I was a bit turned off at first by the regular slice because part of the cornicione (end crust) had been torn up a little. It looked like somebody left a big thumbprint. Not sure what happened there, but Nunzio's wins no points on presentation.

The dough was very tender, but didn't have much of a char. The tomato sauce was flavorful and well-proportioned. The cheese tasted a bit sharp (I learned that it was thanks to seemingly invisible pecorino romano) and was overly melty (reminded me of a grilled cheese).

It wasn't the best I've tasted, but it had some great qualities (the dough in particular). We were ready to head on our way since we had another pizza stop today, but Adam refused to let us leave without tasting the Sicilian slice. He swore to me it would be better than whatever pizza I would be tasting at my next destination. Well, the kid sure knows how to make a sale. He earned the company another 2 bucks.

And he also earned my gratitude. I'm not sure it was better than our next stop, but it was damn good. Probably the best Sicilian slice I've had on my entire journey so far. The dough was heavenly - both buttery and fluffy with a bit of a crunch. The tomato sauce and cheese were great and I was frustrated with myself for not having ordered this slice first. I couldn't have two slices since there was more pizza to be had today. I have to maintain my girlish figure somehow, you know. Wait a minute. I mean, my manly figure. My manly figure.

So I finally crossed the bay and ended up on another island full of delicious pizza. They seem to be everywhere in this part of the world. And I'll tell you what, they taste better than any pizzeria surrounding your local shopping mall (unless you happen to be a resident of that suburban heaven known as Staten Island).

Is Nunzio's the best pizza in NY? The Sicilian slice was truly outstanding with lots of flavors and along with their hospitable employee wins this place a few extra points giving it a 7 out of 10.

Fry Me To the Moon

2009-12-31T00:07:00.011-05:00

I have recently been referred to as "the pizza guy" by my friends. I have absolutely no idea why. And everybody seems to have a suggestion for what the pizza guy should try next. I love everybody's enthusiasm. I'll just feel bad if I go to somebody's favorite pizza place and then give it a horrible review because it's greasy or not as crispy as I like. Then I turn from the pizza guy into the bad guy.

Among these recommendations, I get lots of texts and facebook messages telling me about a new pizza variation that somebody just stumbled on. Breakfast pizza, Indian pizza, Vegan pizza. They all exist. And I'm more curious than anybody, but I don't think it's really fair to include them in my search. Nobody in their right mind would say these are the best pizzas in New York. Maybe the weirdest.

One variation I was intrigued enough to try was deep fried pizza. That's right - you heard it correctly - deep. fried. pizza. Chip Shop in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn is a British pub/restaurant where they will literally batter and deep fry anything. In addition to pizza and the usual cod and haddock, they also fry hamburgers, macaroni and cheese, cherry pie, and a number of candy bars. And although it's not listed on the menu, I have a feeling they also fry an artery or two.

You can't help but laugh as you eat this pizza. It's just sort of ridiculous. It tastes pretty good - kind of like a really rich and battery mozzarella stick. The tomato sauce and most of the cheese gets lost, but who cares when the batter is this delicious.

I guess, it's official. I have to be the "pizza guy" to travel to Brooklyn specifically to try a deep fried slice. Either the pizza guy or British. It's crazy to me - the Brits have both Shakespeare and deep fried snickers. Where did we Americans go wrong?

Is Chip Shop's deep fried pizza the best pizza in NY? Come on, in all fairness, I'm not giving this a rating. It's almost not even pizza anymore. It tastes really good and if you're a fan of fried foods and heart attacks, then I urge you to give it a try.

And Video Rentals, To Boot!

2009-12-28T01:44:00.012-05:00

In previous posts, I've called Ray's the McDonald's of NY pizza chains and Patsy's the Starbucks. And now I come to another visible NY pizza empire and the question arises, what recognizable corporation can I compare Two Boots to? And after much consideration, I guess they'd have to be the Urban Outfitters - they're hip, grungy, and their products seem too cheap to cost as much as they do.

Two Boots continues to expand all over the city and there are even a few locations above 14th Street, which seems to defeat the purpose for me. Two Boots has always been a drunken late night pizza stop for artists and hipsters. There is definitely plenty of drinking on the Upper East Side, but it's more of the frat boy sport watching varietal than the introspective, artistic depression varietal you'd find in the Village.

I chose the Two Boots on Avenue A in the Lower East Side. Besides it being the original location, this Two Boots also houses a video store. What a brilliant concept - you can rent your movies and buy a pizza all at the same time. This is groundbreaking. It feels so... 1987!

1987 was the year that two indie filmmakers with a love for Cajun cuisine (The name Two Boots refers to the similar shapes of Louisiana and Italy) thought to put the likes of andouille sausage and crawfish on pizza. And then name their pies after such iconic pop culture characters as Mel Cooley and Tony Clifton. Somewhere, Genaro Lombardi is spinning in his grave.

I've been to Two Boots before and really liked their thin, seasoned crust and interesting toppings. $3.75 for a slice is pushing it, but it's worth trying their unique spicy Cajun flavors on one of our all-time favorite foods.

On this visit, I tried to pick the slice that was closest to what I'd expect from New York style pizza. On any other day, I'd love to do spicy buffalo wings and blue cheese - but there's work to be done here and so I opted for the Mr. Pink: marinated chicken, plum tomatoes, fresh garlic, and mozzarella.

The kid behind the counter said that it just came out of the oven so it didn't need to be warmed up. After my first disappointing bite, I realized he was wrong. I brought the cold, limp slice back to the counter and told him to heat it up.

After that little delay, the pizza tasted much better. The thin crust now had a much warmer enjoyable crunch - it was like a whole different pizza. And it was decent. but not as good as I had remembered.

The cheese seemed cheap and not terribly fresh, while the tomato sauce didn't have as much zippiness and seasoning as I had remembered. The chicken was peppery so maybe it overshadowed the tomato sauce. The crust had a slight ashy char and a chewy depth from the cornmeal they use but it was also a bit dry.

I wish I had ordered one of their more bizarre, Cajun-inspired slices. The Mr. Pink was a bit too bland and I'm afraid when Two Boots' pizza is not spruced up by some spicy green jalapeño pesto or something, the flaws become more evident.

Two Boots' saving grace is that their flavor combinations are interesting and the locations are fun and off-beat. And even though we can download any movie we want from Itunes or have it delivered from Netflix, it is nice to see an independent video store still thriving in the big city. (Maybe I should've named Two Boots the Blockbuster Video of NY pizza chains.) Let's just hope Two Boots can stay in business if we ever figure out a way to stream and download pizza.

Is Two Boots the best pizza in NY? They serve unique and sometimes flavorful slices, but these artsy, kitschy shops are not in the same league as the big boys and they only get a 6 out of 10 from me.

Slice by Slice, Part Two (West Village)

2009-12-22T02:29:00.017-05:00

If there's a battleground for the pizza wars in New York, it might be on Bleecker Street between 6th and 7th Avenues. In the middle of the street, you can find the old standby John's of Bleecker, which has been there since 1929. And directly across the street is the new favorite Neapolitan style pizza at Kesté. The two places both garner a huge line and a devoted fan base. But the owners aren't too worried about the competition since their pizza styles are quite different from each other and it really does come down to a matter of taste.

However, bookending the street are two old slice joints that claim to have some of the best pizza in the city. I'll be the judge of that.

BLEECKER STREET PIZZA:

My first stop was Bleecker Street Pizza on Seventh Avenue, which according to Food Network, has the Best Pizza in NYC. I had been here once before with my parents (we went on a one day pizza slice expedition a while back when they were in town) and remember it being a pretty decent slice.

I don't remember if I had their signature Nonna Maria slice then, but that's what I decided to order this time around. The cashier told me it's the best slice they make. It's basically their version of a margherita. I waited a bit for the slice, which means it was baked fresh. The steam was rising so I waited even longer to take my first bite.

The first thing that turned me off was the excessive amount of grease. When I folded the pizza, the oil just slid down the slice like a heart-clogging waterfall.

When the grease drip finally subsided, I took my first unimpressive bite. Sure, the crust was crispy and thin, but the rest of the pizza was pretty flavorless. The tomato sauce was chunky and needed some zing. The basil tasted liked the dried variety rather than the fresh herbs one expects from margheritas.

The cheese was good, but it was a bit sporadic and along with the other ingredients disappeared rather quickly. There wasn't enough of anything on the bread so that toward the end, I was just eating crispy dry bread. I could see right through the tomato sauce to the sad, empty crust. I want my pizza to remain strong and composed until the end of my meal.

Is Bleecker Street Pizza the best pizza in NY? I don't care what Food Network says, their famous Nonna Maria slice's heavy greasiness and bland flavors earn it a 5 out of 10.

FAMOUS JOE'S:

I didn't actually finish the Bleecker Street slice because I was saving my calories for my next stop: Famous Joe's Pizza. Joe's is on the Sixth Avenue side of Bleecker and was featured in Spider Man 2.

Unlike my previous stop, this place was not being operated by Italians (at least not at the moment). But I'm sure there is a Joe or a son or daughter of Joe who's calling the shots. This place fared slightly better than Bleecker Street. I went for their regular cheese slice and made my way to sit at the counter.

I could hear people crunching around me. Seriously. The crust was ultra-thin and crispy. The customers were sort of an orchestra without realizing it. Maybe this is how the creators of Stomp came up with their idea.

Besides the almost burnt crust (it tasted like I was eating ash toward the end), nothing really stood out. The cheese and tomato sauce were both pleasant enough and the pizza was not too greasy and rather light. The dough might have been slightly too thin because I was still hungry.

Both these pizzas are still far better than you can get in middle America, but the flavors are not exceptional and the ingredients could be fresher. If you're looking for a spectacular pizza experience, I'd stop between these two spots in the middle of Bleecker Street and get in line for either John's (traditional NY) or Kesté (authentic Neapolitan).

Is Famous Joe's the best pizza in NY? It has the most important of NY pizza characteristics: the ultra-thin crust but the cheese and tomato sauce are really nothing special giving it a 6 out of 10.

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

2009-12-20T02:20:00.014-05:00

New York is a big city for sure, but not so big that a sense of community is lost. In Brooklyn, there is a huge community of artists and musicians and most of them never leave the borough, unless they have a gig or a David Byrne lecture to attend somewhere.

And many of the hipster artist types hang out or work at Roberta's Pizza in Bushwick. Roberta's even hosts a radio station that features shows about local food and music. You can feel there is a real sense of community at this place. They even have those communal tables. Get to know your neighbors!

When we finally found Roberta's entrance (which made the place look like a grungy dive bar), we were greeted with warm smiles, but I felt a little out of place. It was as if we had entered an exclusive ski lodge in the middle of New England and we were more than welcome to visit, but we weren't staying for the night.

The service was friendly but apathetic and completely unhelpful. I asked the waitress about a specific beer and she answered that she hadn't tasted it, without any offer to find out more information from somebody who has. I think she may have been slightly stoned too because she took away our menus before we ordered and then later in the meal as we were clearly eating, she attempted to take our order again.

But the service was really besides the point. Everything was relaxed and Roberta's felt like a local haven from your daily troubles. Now on to the real reason we were here: the pizza.

We started with The Good Girl, which had no tomato sauce, but kale, taleggio cheese, pork sausage, and just the right amount of garlic. It was a nicely balanced pizza. I got some saltiness from the crispy kale (which may have been fried), sharpness from the cheese, spiciness from the sausage, and just a touch of sweetness from the garlic.

I also had to order the margherita. I didn't think it was quite as successful, but it was a valiant effort. The dough was tender and soft with a good amount of char (they use a classy wood oven). The mozzarella was buttery, rich and quite stretchy, but the tomato sauce was a little dull. The basil was undeniably fresh (I hear they grow it on their roof) and plentiful. The pizza was a bit wet, but the flavors worked well together.

Roberta's was our first stop of an evening spent eating, drinking, and being cultured in the Williamsburg/Bushiwck area. I won't go too much into the specifics of our night (who really wants to hear about the show we saw which featured lots of girl on girl fighting and subtle lesbian overtones... wait a minute....), but I have to mention the bar we ended up at.

It was The Alligator Lounge, another local watering hole that I had been to before. When we walked in, I realized I was in for some trouble because their gimmick is that they give out free personal pizzas with each drink ordered. The last thing I wanted was more pizza, but in the name of science....

I feel bad even reviewing it since it was free, but it was pretty awful. It tasted flat and bland. It had no flavor. It was a sad, dead pizza. Granted, I have been eating some of the best (and most expensive) pizza in the city, so my tastebuds are a little refined and I might be a tiny bit of a food snob. But, it's free pizza. I should just shut up and eat it!

Right before we left, a local came running into the back and invited us all up front for a drunken game of Bingo. It sounded like fun, but I had a bit of a train ride ahead of me. I can linger for as long as I want, but the truth remains: I don't live in the neighborhood.

Is Roberta's the best pizza in NY? They do a modest wood-oven pizza with smart flavors and fresh ingredients in a hip enclave in somebody else's neighborhood. They get a 7 out of 10 from me.

Is Alligator Lounge the best pizza in NY? It's definitely the cheapest (free), so I'll leave it at that.

A Coal New World

2009-12-16T15:44:00.014-05:00

There are so many different possibilities with pizza. You can have thin crust, thick crust, white, deep dish, stuffed, vegetarian, organic, kosher, leftover. The variations are endless. And what's great (but daunting for me) is that New York seems to offer every single option.

One type of pizza that was completely foreign to me was grilled pizza. I didn't know you could cook pizza outside of an oven. But why the hell not? Just slap it on the grill and you've created a whole new pizza experience.

Grilled pizza was made famous at Al Forno restaurant in Providence, Rhode Island and was brought to NY in the 80's by the late Vincent Scotto. Scotto was a sous chef at Al Forno and opened Gonzo, Fresco, and the now closed Scopa here in the city. These Italian restaurants are all slightly upscale but offer the rare grilled pizza.

For my first grilled pizza experience, I skipped the hoity toity trattorias and decided to go to a newer, more casual spot in the far reaches of Morris Park in the Bronx. Coals stands on a busy intersection amongst hospitals and medical schools. The doctors and med students sure need a local watering hole to blow off some steam. And if you eat enough of Coals' grilled pizza, you just might need the doctors and med students for your cholesterol.

The restaurant made me think of a college bar that had been renovated to be more family-friendly. It was definitely homey and comfortable. There was even a cozy little nook in the front furnished with a stocked bookcase and an inviting sofa. Nothing screams college bar more than a bookcase and a sofa!!

At the bar (where I imagine most people know your name), I was impressed by their extensive craft beer list. Maybe I was still in the five boroughs after all.

The grilled pizzas came in two different sizes and some delicious sounding combinations - I was especially tempted by the Sloppy Joe with smoked mozzarella and fontina and the Pure Bliss with ricotta, tomato sauce, and pesto. But I had to try the margherita since it was the most basic and the starting point for all the others.

When the small pie arrived, it was so thin and looked cracker-y. It reminded me of the matzoh pizzas my mom would make for me on Passover. Oh, if only mom had made them this good!

There was nothing cracker-y about this. Sure, it was thin and crispy, but very rich, buttery, and tender. The grilled pizza reminded me a bit of a grilled cheese sandwich (I bet you never saw that one coming), but lighter and more balanced.

The bread was slathered with mozzarella and there were beautiful red mountains of tomato sauce and restrained slivers of basil dotting the canvas. The flavors were in perfect harmony. I was surprised actually since the sauce was a bit sparse, but the strong savory flavors lingered and married well with the buttery cheesy crust. There was also a nice garnish of sharp pecorino cheese which gave the pizza an edgy bite.

I also had to try the fluffernutter dessert which, like the name of the restaurant (the pizza never touches coals) is a misnomer because fluffernutters include both peanut butter and marshmallow. This one didn't have either. It was basically a grilled crepe with a nutella and marscapone filling. It was very tasty, but reminiscent of the pizza I just ate. I'm sorry, but for dessert, I'd like something different than what I had for dinner.

The grilled pizzas at Coals are unique and delicious and I might even have to make another inconvenient trip to the Bronx to try their other options. This is not your usual New York pie, but it'll broaden your horizons and might convert you to the ingenious grilled pizza. Now if only they could figure out a way to make other variations (like fat free pizza) taste this good...

Is Coals the best pizza in NY? It's inventive and really enjoyable, so that's why I give it an 8 out of 10, but this is a creative variation on our beloved pizza and not quite what one thinks of when it comes to NY style.

Some Folks Like to Get Away...

2009-12-13T02:46:00.016-05:00

There have been a few times in my 8 years in New York when I've stayed within the 5 boroughs yet felt like I was in a vacation town somewhere far away. Going out to Coney Island makes me feel as if I should be walking around in my bathing suit and drinking piña coladas - as long as I keep my flip flops on to avoid all the broken glass. Up in the Bronx, City Island is a remote hideaway on Long Island Sound that is filled with crab shacks and is sort of a poor man's (a very poor man) Cape Cod. And on just about any street in Jackson Heights, Queens, you're transported to an exotic Asian country populated by Chinese, Pakistanis, and yuppies.

I wasn't surprised that I had a similar feeling when I finally made it out to Bensonhurst in Brooklyn to try the famous pizza at L&B Spumoni Gardens. The name alone made me think I was heading to an idyllic bed and breakfast somewhere in Jersey circa 1973.

After the long subway ride into the depths of Brooklyn, I realized why this place is such an institution. It does feel like a local hotspot trapped in time that makes most of its revenue from curious tourists. It's also huge - you could probably spend the entire day exploring the three different eateries: the pizzeria, the spumoni stand, and the restaurant. And then enjoy your Italian three-course meal in the parking lot/garden area filled with park benches and featuring a view of dreary 86th Street.

The day I arrived was pretty windy and cold so nobody was relaxing on those inviting benches. But there was a lot of action inside the pizzeria. The tables were completely filled so I resigned to standing at the little bar that housed the parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

I definitely had to order their famous Sicilian slice, but was a bit hungry so I figured I'd try their round slice as well. The guy cutting my slices was such a stereotypical NY Italian and he was so aggressive and pushy that I was a bit intimidated. I ordered the square slice and I guess I must have mumbled the rest of my order because he snapped back with "A slice of WHAT?" It felt like he was reprimanding me for not speaking clear enough. And I even studied speech in acting school!

I ignored the confrontation because I think he could have taken me in a fight. And instead I huddled off to the side to taste my pizza. The Sicilian slice is different than the square ones I've been having around the city. This is an old-fashioned Sicilian slice with thick crust and the cheese hiding underneath the tomato sauce (as opposed to the thin crust grandma slices that are now so popular).

Hiding is right! It didn't seem like there was much cheese under all that sauce, but I liked the scattered parmesan garnish on top. The tomato sauce was decent but didn't stand out one way or the other and also seemed to get lost in the thick bread. The slice had a soft, doughy quality with a crisp char at the ends. Most of the ingredients melted away with the bread as I bit into it.

The main flavor here was bread - it sort of overshadowed the forgettable tomato sauce and cheese. It reminded me of those frozen square pizzas I used to love as a kid. It was crunchy, doughy, and unrefined.

The round slice was even less exciting and really just filler. It's what you'd expect from a typical NY slice and it did the job, but is not worth the trip. The main attraction here is the sicilian slice, which I could sort of take or leave.

I have read that new owners have taken over this place in the last few years and the quality has declined. That's a shame because L&B still feels like an old school favorite, but the pizza is pretty standard.

If you need a bit of a respite from the big city, there are plenty of other hideaways in the greater metropolitan area. And if you're going to travel this far for pizza, it's a no brainer: Hop on the Q train to Di Fara and watch a true NY legend at work.

Is L&B Spumoni Gardens the best pizza in NY? They do a decent Sicilian slice but it's not worth the special trip all the way out to Bensonhurst. I give it a 6 out of 10 for the thick, tomato-y dough.

Pie-dentity Crisis

2009-12-08T00:31:00.012-05:00

About a year ago, the hip new pizza movement in New York City became evident when Jim Lahey opened a spare, homey pizza restaurant in Chelsea with lots of natural lighting. Lahey is first and foremost a baker and has been making delicious pizza-like concoctions at Sullivan Street Bakery for years.

This newer restaurant seems to be called Co. That's what all the press and reviews had titled it. I figured Co, was an abbreviation for something. I just hope Lahey wasn't referring to the chemical element cobalt (Co). That's not among my favorite pizza toppings.

On my first visit (many months before I began this official pizza search), the mystery was cleared up when I saw the big sign welcoming me to Company. Not Co. at all. Yet when I went inside and was presented with menus and noticed the young waiters all wearing logo T-shirts, there was the "Co." once again. So what the hell is this place called?

I've read in interviews that Lahey thought of Co. as the abbreviation for "corner" (The restaurant does proudly take up the corner of Ninth Avenue and 24th Street), so where does the company come from now? My only guess is that it's a reference to the two long communal tables that take up the majority of the dining room. Communal tables are all the rage. They're social, gimmicky, and really make you appreciate the co. Sorry, I mean the company.

But really what's in a name? It's all about the pizza! And Company, or Co. (Seriously, I don't know what to call this place. It's starting to piss me off!) makes individual pizzas in sort of a Neapolitan style. But there are many differences between these pies and the classic Neapolitans. First and foremost, these are cooked in a gas oven as opposed to a wood one. That's sort of a dealbreaker right there. I can pretty much guarantee Lahey won't be getting any invitations to the Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani Christmas party.

It was an off-time when we arrived at 4pm. We were the only one's in the restaurant (which is usually bustling at prime time) except for the corner table of managers in a meeting. We didn't feel un-welcomed per se but I felt as if I saw a little too much of the man (or men) behind the curtain. Shouldn't they have their meetings when the restaurant is closed? Also, because it was so quiet, I became more aware of their ridiculous choice of music. We must have heard some weird French cover of "These Boots Are Made For Walking" three times during our hour-long dinner.

We ordered both the margherita and the flambé. We picked the flambé because I work at The Modern which makes the most authentic and delicious tarte flambee you'll have this side of the Rhine. So I always have to check out the competition.

The bread was pretty good across the board. It's obvious Lahey knows his yeast. Considering they don't use a wood oven, the bottom had an intense char and while the crust was not as doughy and tender as I come to expect from Neapolitan, it was crispy, chewy, and delicious.

I wish I could say the same for the toppings. The flambé was slightly reminiscent of California Pizza Kitchen (which is another of my former employers). That's not a bad thing if you're into that kind of stuff, but the flavors were a bit too rich and sweet for me. The bacon tasted honey glazed and the bechamel was a bit thick. Didn't come close to the light delicious ingenuity of The Modern's.

The margherita was also lacking. The pie was pretty wet and became soggy way too quickly. The pizza was very light and had just a hint of everything. Just a hint of cheese, a hint of tomato, a hint of taste.

I'm sure their more unique pies fare much better. I've heard amazing things about the stracciatella and the popeye. But my feeling is if they can't get the standards right, then you've got to re-think your concept (or at least take those options off the menu).

And the pizzas weren't bad, they just should have been better. Lots of attention was paid to the bread itself, I just wish there had been more thought put into the things that go on top of that bread. And some more thought into what to call this place because I'm getting tired of writing two names. Until they make up their mind, I'm calling this place Cobalt. Take that, Jim Lahey!

Is Co. (or Company) (or Cobalt) the best pizza in NY? The pizzas are a bit expensive and could use a little more oomph in the ingredients and the flavor combinations, but that crust is a stand-out. And it's really the only reason this place gets a 6 out of 10.

Taste of the Mediterranean (Sea, that is)

2009-12-03T00:34:00.014-05:00

When you think of pizza, generally the ingredients that come to mind are cheese, tomato, bread, basil, maybe pepperoni or sausage, mushrooms or anchovies, maybe even olives and garlic. Thanks to California Pizza Kitchen, pineapple and BBQ chicken aren't so far-fetched. But one ingredient that is often involved but not predominant is salt.

Well, the ideas change at Adrienne's Pizza Bar in the Financial District. Because the main flavor component of the pizza I tried at their hip restaurant was not cheese or tomato or basil even. No, it was sodium.

Adrienne's is found among the restaurants and bars on Stone Street, an almost secretive cobblestone street not far from Battery Park. I've been on this street before for the annual oyster festival and to eat at Ulysses Folk House. It's quaint and makes you feel completely removed from the city.

Adrienne's opened here about four years ago but somehow it still feels like they're getting their feet on the ground. The cocktail menu seems sort of up in the air and the service is tentative and a bit pushy. The logo features a line through the word "pizzabar". It almost looks crossed out. After some examination, we seem to think that it's an actual "bar" (or line) to represent the bar half of this new pizzabar idea. But it didn't make much sense and came across more as if the pizzabar hybrid wasn't a good idea after all and they decided to literally scratch the idea out all together.

But we surrendered to the pizzabar and ordered two glasses of mediocre Italian red wine and one old fashioned pie with pepperoni. Adrienne's only serves grandma-style pizza, which is basically thin crust square pies - influenced from the Sicilian style.

The pie was served in a pan and it looked pretty good. There were charred pieces of cheese in the corners and the pepperoni brought out some nice aromas.

As I mentioned before, the biggest problem with the pizza was the salt content. I felt as if I had accidentally swallowed a little bit of the ocean. Have you ever been in the ocean and a wave catches you off guard and before you know it your mouth is doing a saltwater dance? I think I may have accidentally ordered that here. I know Sicily is an island, but I'm pretty sure they keep their pizza away from the seawater.

The pepperoni pieces were charred and tasty but the natural salt content of the cured pork just made this salt party even more intense. Every once in a while I would get a welcome burst of oregano that would relieve my taste buds from the saltinity. The cheese and tomato sauce were both fine, but contributed to the salt overload. There was no escaping.

The one redeeming quality here (besides for the tasty pepperoni) was the crust. It was served in a pan and was slightly burnt at the edges, which resulted in some nice crispy cheese and crunchy dough.

The experience reminded me of a pizza party. I can see my younger self in a roller skating rink or a bowling alley or a friend's house eating way too many square slices of this crispy crunchy pizza. It's fun and tasty to chomp down on, but even my 11 year old self would probably be complaining about the salt.

Is Adrienne's Pizzabar the best pizza in NY? I want to taste cheese and tomato and salt should only help bring those flavors out, not overwhelm them. There were a few things about this that were tasty, but the overseasoning causes my 5 out of 10 rating.

Slice by Slice, Part One (Lower East Side)

2009-11-27T20:08:00.031-05:00

Pizza and beer. Well, probably more accurately, beer and then pizza. There's nothing better to indulge in after a late night of bar hopping than a greasy slice of NY's treasured pizza.

And I feel like there's no better neighborhood in Manhattan to experience both a drunk beer crawl and a cheesy pizza feast than the Lower East Side. When I first moved to the city eons ago, the LES is where I spent most of my nights out. It's a hip, still (practically) un-gentrified 'hood with lots of restaurants, even more bars, and a handful of late night pizzerias.

I headed down there during the day, which is a strange experience on its own, and hit up these drunk pit stops for lunch.

ROCKET JOE'S EAST:

The first stop was named Rocket Joe's East which was very confusing. I kept checking my Iphone to find out where their West or Original store is located. But it doesn't exist. I guess this store was bought from the original owners and in order to keep the name the new owners had to add the "East." This is what the guy behind the counter explained to me.

What makes Rocket Joe's stand out from all the other NY pizzerias is the addition of sesame seeds to all their crusts. I like sesame seeds, especially when they're on a crunchy crust, so I was looking forward to this prospect.

Too bad nothing else about the pizza stood out. The sesame

seeds seemed to dry out the crust and dry bread was really the only flavor I could taste. I saw the orange cheese and tomato sauce, but couldn't quite place it on my palate. The whole experience was reminiscent of a frozen pizza. It was completely bland and any flavor was pretty non-existent. You have to be drunk to think this stuff is good. And I get it; when I'm drunk my tastebuds are numb and all I want is that chewing sensation. This definitely accomplishes that.

Is Rocket Joe's the best pizza in NY? I should say not. It's cheap, flavorless pizza that is only good for a drunk snack when you couldn't care less what you're actually eating. I was not drunk, so I give it a sobering 3 out of 10.

ROSARIO'S:

Rosario's had to be better than Rocket Joe's. And I remember this place from my younger days. I had many a 3am slice at this joint. So how does it hold up to my more mature discerning palate?

It's not bad. This is a decent NY slice. It's as good as Ray's, if not better. It's not too greasy and doesn't leave you feeling terribly heavy. The cheese and tomato sauce are equally enjoyable. The crust is not as thin as you might hope, but it's buttery and flavorful. And even though I was nowhere near drunk (I had one beer the night before), I enjoyed the NY pizza experience.

Is Rosario's the best pizza in NY? It's good for a post-drinking snack without being too greasy. 6 out of 10 ranks it up there with most of the city's standard slices.

A Tri-fecta of Mistakes

2009-11-27T15:42:00.011-05:00

Even self-proclaimed foodies like myself have been known to make mistakes. They don't happen often, but most of my mistakes come from ordering food. That's probably why I'm so neurotic when it comes to choosing an entree. I want to make sure I try the best option on offer. "Live today like it's your last, right?" So I always assume I'll never be back at this particular restaurant and if I don't try what they do best, I may never know.

My visit to Lazzara's was not quite that intense, but I think I should have treated this place as a sit-down restaurant and come in for dinner rather than grab a slice on the run. Mistake number one.

In the middle of the Fashion District is this almost secretive hideaway up a seductive staircase to an Italian sanctuary. We really just wanted a slice. I got the wrong memo (at least I got a memo) about what kind of place Lazzara's is. It's dark and intimate and definitely a restaurant - not a slice joint. There were a few dates and a handful of families when we arrived.

I asked doubtfully whether they sold slices and the woman told us they only had square slices. Perfect! But we needed more than one slice, she impatiently told us. I informed her we were going to eat again later and she gave us the one slice but warned us once again it wouldn't be enough. We were pressed for time otherwise I would have suggested sitting down and trying for a full pie. The two slices came to 5 bucks and off we went into the night.

So, mistake number two. It turns out the slightly ornery waitress was correct. We really did need more than one slice. These thin square Sicilian style slices are known as grandma slices. Where that name comes from I have no idea, but I'm sure some proud matriarch is sitting on Long Island smiling right now. They were incredibly light. Paper thin - almost cracker-like. But it was very crunchy and crispy without being dry.

The sauce was flavorful and very tangy. They were generous with the cheese (which is not the way of most tomato heavy grandma slices) and it was strangely sharp. It almost tasted like a Swiss. It was different, yet pleasant.

My big problem was that I either tasted the tomato sauce or the cheese. They were two different experiences - and both were delicious, but I wanted a nice marrying of the two. I even peeked under the cheese and it was completely dry.

So I'm afraid mistake number three belonged to Lazzara's. The pizza was quite good (and I do want to try the whole dining-in experience to get a better taste), but I had issue with the separation of the cheese and tomato sauce. But if you pit me (two mistakes) against that ornery waitress (one mistake), I'm afraid the loser here is me.

Is Lazzara's the best pizza in NY? It's definitely a nice little find in a restaurant wasteland (the Fashion District) with tasty (if not filling enough) pizza. Their one big mistake (the separation of the cheese and tomato) earns them a 7 out of 10, while my over-use of parentheses probably scores me even less.

Another Pizza the Puzzle

2009-11-23T00:42:00.023-05:00

You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension of many pizzerias all claiming to be the original and famous Ray's. A journey into a wondrous city of entrepreneurs who have no imagination. That's the red font up ahead and the aroma of cheesy grease - your next stop, the (Pizza) Pie-light Zone!

For those few of you who have never been to New York (or don't leave their apartments in Staten Island), Ray's has been the go-to New York slice joint since the late 1970's. Unless you're a strict vegan or the owner of the Sbarro company, odds are you've ordered a regular slice from at least one of the many Ray's locations. And the running joke is that they all claim to be the Original Famous Ray's.

So which of the dozens of locations is the original original Ray's? How did they manage to sprout up in every neighborhood of NYC? And who is this Ray guy anyway?

I'm not a detective, but I did a little snooping (thank you World Wide Web) and this is one mystery that may never get solved. There is an ongoing debate as to which of the famous Ray's is actually the original. But the consensus seems to be that the oldest documented Ray's pizzeria still stands in Little Italy. It was opened by Ralph Cuomo in 1959. And as far as I can gather, no Ray actually exists (or at least not in conjunction with this franchise - apologies to Mr. Charles, Mr. Liotta, and Mr. Bradbury)

But then in the 70's, along came the Famous Ray's Pizza in Greenwich Village. And many people say this is the Ray's that started the whole slice phenomenon of the 70's, 80's and today (that sounds like a commercial for a lite FM radio station).

The name was trademarked by three owners of separate Ray's in the 1990's and now if anybody opens a pizzeria calling themselves Ray's, these guys get a cut. So somehow it seems they are now all related. What that means exactly I don't know, but I'm not about to go to every Ray's in the city to see if one is better than the other (my stomach hurts just contemplating that idea).

Over the years, I've been to many Ray's on a quick lunch break or after a late night drinking binge. I could never really tell the difference and so I'm going to lump them together as many NY-ers do and give them one overall rating.

The Prince Street store (Ralph Cuomo's 1959 location) has a completely different feel inside than the other Ray's. It's a bit more old-fashioned and rustic and welcoming.

I ordered a plain slice, which the cashier cut from the pie that had been sitting out for God knows how long and threw in the gas oven. This is the way most slice joints work in this city. During my pizza journey, I've been spoiled by pies made to order by a chef or a line cook. But that's not the old school NY way.

Ray's pizza is dirty, messy, and cheap. It's everything people come to expect from NY slices. I was actually pleasantly surprised by my first bite. I got lost in the greasiness of the cheese and the butteriness of the crust. But then I came to my senses...

After a few more bites, I felt a little heavy so I let the grease drip down onto my plate. I usually sop up the grease right away with a napkin but figured I needed to take it all in to get a fair assessment.

This pizza is adequate for a NY slice. The ingredients aren't terribly fresh (that seems to be a new craze) and nothing really stands out here except for the cheese and the grease. There's no balance of flavors or interest in cheese/tomato proportion. But do many people care? Probably not. Although for some reason, many people care which is the original Ray's. And just as that mystery will never be solved, why people love this greasy mess will continue to be an enigma.

Is Ray's pizza the best in NY? It's good for what many people desire, but it's not quality pizza and makes NY pizza seem dirty and cheap. There are many places out there that do better NY style pizza without all the calories and heartburn. But if you want that pain and artery clogging and (I reluctantly admit) tastiness, then Ray's deserves at least a 6 out of 10.

Changing of the Pizzaiolo

2009-11-17T00:36:00.014-05:00

Unless you inherited one or were grandfathered in, it is illegal to own and use a coal-burning oven. It's bad for the environment and it's competition for the likes of Grimaldi's and Lombardi's. We don't want any black lung or broken knee caps.

You can imagine whenever a coal-burning pizzeria closes, many budding NY pizzaioli are hoping to take over the lease and get their hands on a grandfathered coal oven. Wood ovens are a different story - they're legal and available aplenty - but it is still nice when you can rent a space with oven and all - especially when that oven is the topic of much praise.

That's what happened to Mathieu Palombino when he took over the space of Una Pizza Napoletana in the East Village. The former pizza place was fast becoming the unanimous favorite of pizza lovers throughout the city. I was a little slow with this current pizza journey and therefore missed trying Anthony Mangieri's creations. Word on the street was that he got tired of dealing with the East Village lifestyle and he just got up and moved out west. He's supposed to be opening a pizzeria in San Francisco sometime soon.

So out went Una Pizza Napolitana and in came the latest incarnation of Williamsburg favorite, Motorino. It has not been open at this new location long, but it is already a hit and seems to get more favorable reviews than its big sister.

I went on a weekday lunch when they offer a great lunch special - your choice of a personal pizza and salad or ice cream for 10 bucks. Not too shabby.

We ordered the margherita and the seasonal brussels sprout and speck pizza. The salad was pretty standard with packaged field greens and a vinaigrette.

The pizza smelled great. I took in the fumes of fresh baked bread and cooked ham and green vegetables. The smell was almost too good to eat, but what's smell without a little taste?

My brussels sprout pie was amazing. The sprouts were fresh and distributed well. The speck was salty enough with a meaty, earthy flavor that was balanced with the creamy richness of the fior di latte mozzarella. The textures were also varied and interesting.

The margherita was not as successful. The sauce was sort of wet and uneven, which made the pizza a bit soggy. I understand that Neapolitan pies have a tendency to be soggy in the middle, but it's not my thing. I think it loses some flavor and brightness when that happens. I could tell this tomato sauce was well made and had a nice subtle citrus quality, but I just wish there was more of it for me to taste.

The dough was a stand-out. The cornicione (the end of the crust) was huge with a fluffy, airy quality. The crust also had a very nice char and a woody flavor.

Maybe the magic is in the oven. Palombino did inherit one of the most highly regarded kitchen appliances in the city. But regardless, he bakes a good pie and uses interesting, complimentary ingredients. Now if only those were things you can acquire when signing a lease.

Is Motorino the best pizza in NY? They do some great interesting seasonal concoctions, but their margherita fell a little short for my tastes. I still give them a 7 out of 10 for authenticity, originality, and some good flavors.

Sullivan St. Bakery's Bread Concoctions

2009-11-16T01:18:00.007-05:00

According to dictionary.com. "pizza" is defined as:

-noun,

a flat open-faced baked pie of Italian origin,

consisting of a thing layer of bread dough,

topped with tomato sauce and cheese, often

garnished with anchovies, sausage slices, mushrooms, etc.

So there we have it folks, an actual definition of one of our favorite foods. Now, I understand that definitions are just a starting point and I'm more excited than anybody when those definitions are stretched as creatively as possible. Over the years, we've seen the creation of white pizza, gourmet pizza, deep-dish Chicago style pizza, vegan pizza, etc. But the basic structure should still remain. Or else your product becomes something else.

And when it comes to NY pizza, I expect certain components. You need cheese and/or tomato sauce. For me there is no other option here. You could do white pizza or a cheese-less tomato pie. But you can't do a pizza without both cheese and tomato. Or so says I!

Sullivan Street Bakery, which has moved quite a bit uptown from the actual Sullivan Street (its original location) to the outskirts of midtown west, challenges those rules. Jim Lahey is the mastermind behind the yeast and has been praised in the press recently for his baking skills. In the last year, he has opened Co. which focuses on Neapolitan-style pizzas. I'll save that for another post because today I'm concentrating on Sullivan Street Bakery's Roman style pizza.

There were only a few options left when we arrived late on a Monday. The signature slice here is the pizza bianca, so that's what I chose. And this is where Sullivan Street Bakery and I get into some conflict. I mean this was basically a loaf of bread. Sure, it was moist and seasoned well with rosemary and sea salt. But this is what I'd expect in a basket with some olive oil at a trattoria before we even place our order. I don't care what they do in Rome, this is not a slice of pizza!

I left with a blank feeling. What just happened? I was a bit surprised and disappointed. So I did something I was not expecting to do. I went back for a second visit.

This time I completely ignored the pizza bianca like a one night stand you pass on the subway platform. I chose the zucchini slice instead. Well, I will say this is much closer to what I expect from pizza. It still didn't have much cheese (a little bit of grated gruyere) and no tomato sauce to speak of.

What the very crispy thin crust slice did have was a nice helping of cooked zucchini, some bread crumbs for texture, and a lot of flavor. Whether this bread thing was pizza or not, it was delicious. It reminded me of a homemade zucchini casserole. It was warming, crunchy and a real treat.

There are definitely many variations to the standard definition of pizza. I guess as long as they're delicious and fun to eat, we shouldn't squabble. And if you order correctly at Sullivan Street Bakery, you'll have a new and exciting eating experience. Order incorrectly and you'll wonder how the name pizza entered the equation.

Is Sullivan Street Bakery the best pizza in NY? I can't really put it in the running. The bread is delicious and the speciality "pizzas" are flavorful. I'd rate it much higher in terms of deliciousness, but for the best pizza, it can't get more than a 6 out of 10.

Art and Science and Pizza

2009-11-14T02:02:00.015-05:00

Things are constantly changing in this city. It feels like more so than the rest of the world. There's always a new fashion, a new restaurant, a new Apple Store, a new cockroach tormenting my roomates.

The art and science worlds are two that never seem to stop evolving. Technology is constantly surpassing us to the point of where I truly believe we are now living in the future (I mean, we can talk to each other via video now!!!!)

I find it strange but somehow fitting that Fornino calls itself The Art and Science of Pizza. The Williamsburg spot was the hip wood-burning oven pizza joint in the city back when it opened in 2004. And although the restaurant world is now five years older, I don't think much has changed at Fornino.

First off the art: Exposed brick never goes out of fashion, but everything else seemed very 2004. The reviews and articles plastered on the wall are all circa three or four years ago. The music they played was enjoyable, but it was all a little out of date (Elliot Smith and The Shins are too passe for Williamsburg, but not for my Ipod). And the pizzas themselves were good looking, but they've been overshadowed by images of the new Neapolitan heavyweights - Kesté, Motorino, and Co.

The menu was divided into three different "generations": Naples, Italy, and Fornino. This seemed a little arrogant, but promising. I was tempted to order one of their fancy third generation pies with lots of truffles and this kind of cheese or that kind of mushroom, but I stuck to my guns and decided I needed to try one of their basic, first generation pizzas, the famous Mrgherita DOC. I hope they didn't think I was less evolved since I was only ordering a first generation pie.

The servers were what you'd expect from a Williamsburg spot. They were cute baby-faced cherubs with short, dark hair and an apathetic, but friendly demeanor. I had a hard time determining if they were guys or girls, but I was weirdly attracted to them regardless.

And now onto the science: I have never made my own pizza (although I'm thinking about it for Thanksgiving) but there are obviously scientific factors that go into making the perfect combination of cheese, tomato, and crust. And I think Fornino knows what those are, but I don't think they've consistently mastered them.

The first slice was quite slippery and I almost lost all my toppings. The tomato sauce was flavorful but rather wet and unven. The cheese was rich and chewy but a bit tough. I had to hold the cheese orb in place to prevent myself from eating the whole glob in one bite.

The basil was fresh and beautiful (grown in the chef's own garden) but I wish it had been shredded so I could have tasted it on every bite. The crust was thin and smokey, but a bit dark and dry in places.

I have a feeling Fornino shines in their "second and third generation" pies. Most of the favorable reviews mention their speciality toppings. So maybe the art here is a gussied up canvas and the science is a trick to making you think these are groundbreaking flavor combinations. We may have fell for that in 2004, but times have a-changed.

Is Fornino the best pizza in NY? My 5 out of 10 score says that this might have been interesting science and delicious art at one time, but just like everything else in New York, pizza has changed and there's always something new and better out there.

Lost at Serafina

2009-11-12T21:01:00.010-05:00

According to their website, the owners of Serafina were lost at sea and swore if they ever got rescued, they'd open up an Italian restaurant. Can you imagine Tom Hanks in Cast Away telling Wilson the volleyball that all he wants to do if he is rescued is open up a chain of Red Lobsters?

Whether or not this story is true, it made me laugh. So the guys at Serafina have a sense of humor. But how is their pizza?

I've been to Serafina a few times before for brunch or a quick lunch. They're a small restaurant chain that reminds me a bit of Patsy's in their uptown locations and rustic decor. I never thought of them as in the running for best NY pizza. It wasn't until my Italian friend Anthony claimed that they have the most authentic pizza that my interest was piqued. Anthony hasn't been here long so he has yet to see how great NY pizza can be, but I figured I'd give his suggestion a try.

We chose the Regina Margherita which features Italian bufala mozzarella as opposed to homemade mozzarella or fior di latte mozzarella. All these mozzarella choices! Mama mia!

The pizza arrived with a double shot glass of red pepper flakes. That struck me as very strange. Were they inferring their pizza might need a lot more seasoning? Or was it just for those who like things really hot? I was going to let the pizza speak for itself so I reluctantly downed the shot instead. My friend Adam smartly stuck to water.

The pie tasted almost like butter. The cheese was very milky and buttery, which wasn't a bad thing, but it left a bit of a milky feeling in my mouth. The crust was very thin and crispy, not as tender and puffy as I'd expect from a wood burning oven. There wasn't much of a char on the bottom, but the ends were slightly burnt. The tomato sauce was a bit under seasoned - now I wish I hadn't drank those pepper flakes.

Overall, the pizza was quite light, even considering the milky richness of the cheese, and not too oily. There were some good flavors, but I found this to be pretty standard wood-oven pizza. I bet it would be absolutely amazing if we were stranded at sea, but since we're in New York, I expect a little better.

Is Serafina the best pizza in NY? It gets a 6 out of 10 because it's nothing exciting but better than your average slice joint and does the job for freshly made Italian pies.

The Undiscovered Pizza

2009-11-11T02:01:00.005-05:00

It's the dream of every foodie to discover a secret unexploited gem. Something that people will be talking about and will push the business to the next level. Of course, that and to be a contestant on Supermarket Sweep. (Is that show even still on the air?)

I want to announce to the world (wide web, that is) that Saluggi's is great pizza and it should be getting more press. You heard it here first, ladies, gentlemen, and Time Out New York subscribers.

Alright, I'll admit that I can't take full credit. First off, I was told about Saluggi's by my friend Sarah and it already has over 30 positive yelp reviews. So really all I did was walk down to Tribeca in the cold and hand over 3 bucks for a taste of their pizza.

But for my troubles, I want a little credit, especially when you go and try it for yourself. I admit, the name leaves something to be desired, especially when said out loud. The ambience is a strange hybrid of casual restaurant and walk-up slice joint. The counter is at the far end of the dining room so it's a little confusing and awkward as to how you should order. But once you've been greeted, the incredibly nice staff makes you feel comfortable.

As I wait for my slice, I notice a sign that reads "Beat the Boss in Shuffleboard, Win Free Pizza". It turns out there is a party area downstairs where shuffleboard tournaments are regular. I felt like I was at a family house party where there's pizza upstairs, board games in the basement, and who knows what goes on in the attic, but I'm sure it's pure and wholesome.

The slice was large and looked beautiful. There was a lack of a true crust - the sauce and cheese go all the way out to the edge. But I'm alright with that since the crust ends are often dried out and don't have as much flavor as the rest of the slice. This crust was soft and tender and then crunchy and crisp as you reached the brink.

The flavor here was really well balanced. The tomato sauce was deliciously tangy and was in nice proportion to the cheese. I learned that they make their own fresh mozzarella in house. How many pizza joints can make that claim? The cheese was incredibly fresh and awesomely stretchy. Each bite almost felt like I was blowing a piece of bubble gum, but in reverse. And cheese flavored bubble gum. Take that Hubba Bubba!

There was also a bit of parmesan that gave the slice a nice bite and balanced the rich sweetness of the cheese and tomato. The fresh basil was well dispersed and was the topper in this great NY slice.

I'm telling you, if you're a fan of NY slices and want a well-made, fresh example, then put your money on Saluggi's. Just don't say the name out loud. And remember, you heard it here first - And I heard it from yelp and my friend Sarah. But that's beside the point.

Is Saluggi's the best pizza in NY? It certainly gives Lombardi's a run for its money and has entered the race with the big boys with a 9 out of 10.

The Nicest Pizzeria in the World

2009-11-08T15:16:00.010-05:00

"Here try this slice while you're waiting." "You only ordered one slice? Have this one too." "Since you've never been here before, I wanted you try this." These are not statements you hear at a New York pizzeria. Free pizza? Generous employees? These would make sense if I was in some Italian grandmother's dining room.

Yet here I was in the middle of Astoria at Rizzo's Fine Pizza. They're known for their famous thin crust Sicilian square slices and evidently for their warm customer service. I only ordered one slice, but somehow I managed to eat three and was only charged for one. And at one point the owner noticed another customer's pizza and was worried it was too well done and offered another slice.

I work at The Modern, one of Danny Meyer's palaces of hospitality. It's not unusual for us to send out a complimentary dish for a customer to try. And we always hope the guests leave with a warm feeling having just experienced a really special night out. And that's just the feeling I had when I walked home from Rizzo's. I had a smile on my face and couldn't wait to go back.

I had been to Rizzo's before and had never been blown away by my experience, although a straight male friend of mine (who will remain nameless) admitted to being so taken by his experiences and interactions at Rizzo's that he somehow developed a man crush on the personable (and attractive) owner.

Customer service and man crushes are all well and good but I'm looking for the best pizza in NY, not the most hospitable pizzeria, so I'm going to get to the food.

My complimentary slice was their Bandiera, which was basically a regular round slice with a spinach artichoke mix on top. It reminded me very much of what Artichoke does, but this was so much better. The spinach artichoke dip was clearly homemade and fresh. The crust was crisp and buttery and worked well with the heaviness of the cheeses (both mozzarella and ricotta). If anything was wrong, the decadent combination of butter and cheese slightly overwhelmed the other flavors on the slice. This version also featured a little bit of tomato sauce.

The famous Sicilian square slice

featured more than a little bit of tomato sauce. This is a true tomato pie with just a bit of fresh mozzarella in the center and some grated parmesan. The cheese is gone before you know it and the slice becomes all about the sauce and the dough.

This is what Sicilian style pizza is - it's heavy on the sauce, light on the cheese, and all about the thin crust. Rizzo's has the crust down perfectly. It's the highlight of the pizza. The tomato sauce was blander than I remembered. Last time I was here, I remember a very bold herby spicy sauce. I wonder if the recipe changed with their re-modeling. Regardless, it was still tangy and held up to the rich crust but just not as bright as I had hoped.

The square slice took a little bit of time to reach my booth (this is what spawned the freebie). It was proof that my slice was fresh and extra time and love was put into it. If you're looking for sad lonely cold pizza sitting around taking up a bacteria collection, you'll have to go elsewhere.

I had really planned on only eating a single slice since it was late. But after all the free gifts and the rich, filling pizza, I did wish I was at an Italian grandmother's house and that I might be able to take a nap on her couch.

Is Rizzo's Fine Pizza the best pizza in NY? It gets a 7 out of 10 thanks to some amazing crust, fresh ingredients, and the nicest pizza staff you'll find on this side of the Hudson.

A Slice Would Be Nice

2009-11-05T23:42:00.011-05:00

No Slices, no slices!!! Every time I had heard about John's of Bleecker, this is what I was constantly reminded. Okay, fine, the place doesn't serve slices. Maybe this was a big deal at one point, but nowadays most of the great pizza places have the same mantra. But for some reason, John's seems to be the one reprimanding the loudest. It's proclaimed on the exterior, inside above the pizza oven, on the menu, and on the website. "No slices!!!"

John's is an old-school standby that often comes up when you list the best pizza places in the city. John Sasso supposedly trained at Lombardi's when it first opened and he has brought his New York style pizza to the West Village where it has been catering to long lines ever since 1929.

John's of Bleecker is a strange mismatch of opposing ideas. It looks like a rather nice little West Village Italian restaurant from the outside. Inside, it has a dive-y hole-in-the-wall vibe. As you look around, you see fancy murals and vintage rock posters. Pizza awards. Pictures of astronauts. Where the hell are we? I feel like we entered the pizza twilight zone!

And we just sit ourselves? Fine. This really feels more like a bar than a restaurant. But here comes the waiter ready to take our order. No smile, no welcome, just "are you ready to order?" I'm all for old school charm (or lack of it), so I didn't mind too much. My friend ordered a glass of montepulciano (don't ask) and I wasn't surprised when it arrived in a small plastic cup, much more reminiscent of a Dixie cup than a wine glass.

We ordered the large meatball pizza. My family's favorite meat topping were the sliced meatballs so I was excited to take a trip down memory lane. Meatballs are not the most popular meat toppings on pizza (pepperoni or sausage anyone?) so it had been a while for me.

The pizza was quite huge. I've been ordering personal pies on my adventures, but we were hungry and ready to go to town. This is definitely closer to what I'd consider New York style pizza and less Neapolitan. It's messy, greasy, and all about the cheese. In fact, I could barely taste the tomato sauce. It all clumped up in the middle. I had to dip my crust into the center of another slice in order to get a good taste of the stuff. And it was tangy and slightly sweet, but a bit watery.

The flavors were alright, but it was way too much cheese for me. I felt like I was eating bread and cheese. Not enough balance with the tomato sauce. The meatballs were rather bland. And the only seasoning I could taste was all in the center of the pie clinging onto that ever elusive tomato sauce.

The crust was great - very thin and crispy, but that wasn't enough to wow me. And after three slices, I felt heavy and slightly queasy. It was all too much cheese. I guess this is what some people expect from NY pizza and I can appreciate that, but in that case, I'd rather just get a slice and move onto something less greasy and more flavorful. Oh, that's right, not at John's! Remember, no slices!!! No slices!!!! Okay, we get the message!

Is John's of Bleecker Street the best pizza in NY? It's definitely crispy and cheesy (both on the pie and in decor) and will appeal to fans of greasy heavy pizzas, but the lack of tomato sauce and seasoning earns it a 6 out of 10. I was a bit underwhelmed by this old standard.

Terrifying Pizza Face

2009-11-04T15:38:00.007-05:00

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I especially love walking around the city and watching all the freaks come out and flaunt themselves. It's a campy, spooky surreal evening. I'm not one to dress up though - partly because I've been an actor for so long, so I only do it when I get paid! But also, because I can never think of anything creative enough! I mean, do we really need one more guy in drag in the Village?

Once again, I spent this Halloween being myself and that includes trying to find the best pizza in the city. Before going out into the crazy crowd, we found sanctuary at a Soho neighborhood joint called Emporio. The front bar area was pretty sparse, but I soon discovered there was a packed dining room in the back.

That's where the wood-burning oven is hiding. And I caught a quick glimpse of the pizzaiolo, Giuseppe Cangialosi. The man is from Sicily not Naples, so I was curious to see if he had the chops to make a Neapolitan-style pizza.

I was pretty impressed with our first two dishes. They have nothing to do with the main event, but they're worth mentioning. I really loved the chestnut papparadelle - it had lots of textures and interesting flavors. The wood roasted baby back ribs were closer to a short rib stew and not quite what I was expecting.

The first thing I noticed from the thin pizza was the aroma of basil. Good sign. But when I looked closer, the pizza was not so attractive. I could see the oil all over the place. It looked like a big oil puddle. I felt slippery and greasy just by looking at it.

The cheese was overly melty and a bit gelatinous looking. Maybe it was the mood lighting, but it reminded me of burnt flesh. Very Halloween, very Freddy Krueger. I can't imagine this was a choice for Halloween.

Next, I noticed that the slices were huge. The 12" pie was cut into four big slices (as opposed to the usual six). But none of this deterred me from putting the slice into my mouth.

I have to admit this was really nothing special. There weren't any bright flavors. The tomato sauce was bland and completely forgettable. The cheese reminded me of grilled cheese (which is definitely more appetizing than Freddy Krueger's face). The only real saving grace here was the crust. It was nice and thin without being crackery and still maintaining a nice fluff.

We left Emporio slightly satiated, but not completely satisfied. It's a good thing there was a whole city out there to entertain and terrify us. We fought through the costumed city and finally got to our celebratory destination: a scary movie. The popcorn I ordered seemed to do the trick and fortunately had nothing to do with burnt flesh, but I think I may have found an eyeball or two.

Is Emporio the best pizza in NY? It's a nice place to chill and get some affordable wine with some good starters. But their pizza is lacking when compared to the other NY pies out there, so they get a 5 out of 10.

Oh, the Agony!

2009-11-03T23:43:00.007-05:00

I am sad to report, at this time, I can not include Totonno's in my search for the best pizza in the city. Totonno's might be the second official pizzeria in NY. Anthony "Totonno" Pero was the first master pizziaolo of Lombardi's. The original Totonno's opened on Coney Island in 1924 and shut down in 2009 due to a fire. In between that time, this place is always in the best pizza conversation. And I never got to try it.

There is still hope. The plan was to re-open in July and then it was announced that it would re-open in October. Well, as of November, the site is still boarded up with a "Renovation" sign promising a re-opening at some point. As we were sadly taking pictures of the place, a local walked by and assured us they will be back soon.

Totonno's now has many locations in Manhattan, all with varying degrees of success. I'm not going to judge Totonno's by one of those clones. It's the original or nothing. So until they re-open, I'm taking it out of the running. But with the hope that things could change soon.

Is Totonno's the best pizza in NY? I really don't know. Hopefully, I'll be able to give a full report in the coming months, but for now I must continue to look elsewhere. Stay tuned...

Smoke and Mirrors

2009-11-03T17:26:00.009-05:00

One of the most fascinating new food trends is the molecular gastronomy movement. Chefs have begun playing with science and chemicals to change our traditional ideas of food. It's a neat concept. That's how you get such unexpected flavor combinations as peanut butter vodka and fried mayonnaise. Basically, it's food magic.

Molecular gastronomy, as far as I know, has yet to rear its scientific head in the pizza world. I'd be the first sucker to try pizza ice cream or pizza soup. But fortunately for now, we have to stick to the traditional methods of cooking pizza.

But in those old-school ways, it's always nice to have some surprises. And there were moments during my visit to Nick's in Forest Hills that I felt like I was at the circus.

Nick's bright little storefront was packed (it was a Friday night) with families and couples. It really felt like a safe, comfortable suburban hangout. After a short wait, I was sat and a menu was placed in front of me. I was impressed by their interesting beer selection and the option of pizza toppings. They even offer a solution for the indecisive: you can do half white and half red pizza. I was intrigued and always interested in trying as much as possible, so I bit.

First off, I was mystified by the amount of steam rising from the dough. The effect looked more like a humidifier than a freshly baked pizza pie. I was also amazed at the half/half technique. The red sauce really did stay on its respective side allowing an impressive two pizza in one illusion. The visual reminded me of the fun I have when I shave my beard. I shave one side and leave the other side full in order to fool friends with my unique half man/half boy trick.

There wasn't quite as much magic in the eating of the pizza, but it was overall pretty tasty. The very crispy crust was buttery, firm, and delicious. The sauce was thick but slightly uneven. It was a little too acidic and tangy with just a touch of sweetness. The cheese was flavorful and well-portioned.

There was a generous helping of fresh basil, but I couldn't quite taste it with everything else, especially on the red side. It was a bit more noticeable on the white. It complemented the rich sweetness of the ricotta cheese.

The most impressive trick that Nick's attempts is preparing a coal oven style pizza in a gas oven. I don't think they fully succeed, but they come close. The ingredients are fresh enough and the pizza hot enough, but I think the crust was missing a certain char and smokiness. And the tomato sauce could have been moister.

Overall, Nick's was a fun experience and worth the ride in from Manhattan. The pizza is good and the atmosphere is enjoyable. Now if only they could have used their magic to make my check disappear.

Is Nick's the best pizza in NY? They definitely make good pizza and I think the whole family will have a fun, delicious experience. I give them a 7 out of 10.

Going Posto

2009-11-02T01:10:00.013-05:00

There are lots of pizza chains all over the city. You've got Ray's, Two Boots, Famiglia. Then many of the big guys have more than one location (John's, Nick's, Totonno's). I've already talked about the Patsy's and Angelo's empires and Grimaldi's has spread out onto Long Island and New Jersey. And I'm not even mentioning Pizza Hut, Domino's, or Sbarro. I said I wasn't mentioning those so forget I even mentioned those.

The most unlikely pizza chain in New York are the quadruplets Posto, Gruppo, Vezzo, and Spunto. They sound like four Italian dwarves offering up their thin crust pies to their principessa. But in reality, these four places all cater to a neighborhood clientele and, in the last few years, have gained local followings.

The truth is they are practically identical - just check out their websites. The restaurant layouts are slightly different but all have the same font, all give off that relaxed, local vibe, and all end in the letter "o". And their menus are identical.

So do I really have to visit all four? Seriously, I'm a very busy guy. In addition to searching for the best pizza in NY, I do have a day job. I gotta bring home the pepperoni somehow, you know. And if you're going to basically clone your one restaurant three other times, you can't expect to be treated as if you're something other than that. I'll only be visiting one Ray's, one Patsy's, etc. So, sorry, Posto/Gruppo/Vezzo/Spunto, but you only get one chance.

Posto was the most convenient to where I was meeting an old friend. And we made it in time for the lunch special. They offered two slices and a salad for a really great price. But this is all about pizza, so I got the Margherita pie, which was 9 inches and reasonably priced at $10. I'm pleased to say this is the best pizza deal I've encountered so far.

I'm not pleased however to report the results. The pizza looked beautiful and their promise of thin crust was fulfilled. The crust was almost cracker-like, which I really love. The problems started when I picked up a slice. I've never seen anything quite like this but every bit of topping (cheese, tomato, basil, etc.) quickly fell off the crust and onto my plate. This happened with every single slice I attempted to eat. I had to basically re-assemble the pizza myself. I mean, come on, this is a huge no-no in the pizza world. All the ingredients are meant to be eaten together not sloppily placed back on the slice.

I also noticed that more than a few of the fresh tomatoes were anything but and were actually yellow. And believe me, they were not yellow tomatoes by nature. Granted, tomato season is now behind us, but if you can't get fresh good looking tomatoes, then you shouldn't serve them on your pizza. It's that simple.

On the other hand, the cheese was fresh and the sauce was well-seasoned. And the pizza tasted quite good. I'm still thinking about that delicious thin crust. And for the bargain I got at lunch, I really shouldn't complain. But I'm grading the pizza here and Im not going to settle for anything less than the best.

Could it have been an off day? Could Vezzo or Gruppo have a better grasp on fresh ingredients and how to keep those ingredients on the pizza? One of my friends swears by Vezzo so maybe one day I'll get over there too. But the Posto group-o had one chance-o and I'm sad to say, it's a no-no.

Is Posto the best pizza in NY? The thin crust is as delicious as advertised, but the pizza as a whole is sloppy and difficult to eat. The comfortable atmosphere and affordable prices help save the place from total doom and help me rate it 6 out of 10.

Sunday Night

2009-10-29T01:46:00.013-04:00

It's so nice when food brings families together. And I always think of Sunday nights as being family night. Whether I came kicking and screaming to the dinner table (because I was about to beat Mega Man 3) or I was cooking for my parents, Sunday dinner was always family time.

I still get that feeling whenever I go out to eat in New York on a Sunday night. It's a little quieter at restaurants because many families are at home. And it seems like wait staff and customers are still relaxed from the weekend and trying to get ready for the long work week ahead. It's a comfortable night to relax and enjoy.

And so it was on a Sunday night that I went to Angelo's. The two-story 57th Street location had a steady business of tourists and local families, but there was still that mellow calmness in the air (a little too mellow with some of the service I received). And since I was alone and it was Sunday night and I was about to have some pizza, I had to call my mom.

Mom was more interested in how I was doing than the ratio of sauce to cheese. But since I'm rating the pizza in New York on this blog and I imagine nobody (except Mom, of course) cares about my razor burn, I'll get to the important stuff.

The crust was really crunchy and maybe even slightly overdone. No slouching, droopy pizza here. It was strong and firm, if a bit dry. The crust was nicely charred and a little too ashy. The sauce was slightly sweet and looked plentiful but somehow it got lost in all the cheese. The sauce basically melted away with each bite like cotton candy. Very thick, tomato-y cotton candy.

There were three full leaves of basil garnished on the entire 12 inches. That means more than half my slices were basil-less. Just make the choice: to basil or not to basil?

The cheese was definitely the focus of the pie here, but there were burnt specks throughout. The traditional cooking time for Neapolitan pizza is two minutes in a wood oven and since coal (which Angelo's uses) is hotter than wood, I think they need to re-examine how long they keep the pies in their oven. There's no excuse for dry overdone pizzas. Definitely not in this city.

The pizza here is average at best. The environment is definitely comfortable and inviting, so even if the food and service are not the best, I can imagine a family coming together and enjoying their Sunday night together. Even if the conversation leans more toward how to clear up a rash and less on how to cook a proper pizza.

Is Angelo's the best pizza in NY? If you like overdone, slightly dry, crunchy pizza this is your place. As for me, it gets a meager 5 out of 10.

We're not in Naples anymore

2009-10-28T01:29:00.005-04:00

If you're going to announce your authenticity to the world then you better have the authentic product to back it up. And I want what I pay for. If I go to a Journey concert, I want to see Steve Perry, not some second-rate stand-in. And if I go to a place that calls itself Naples 45 - it better be on 45th Street and it better be reminiscent of Naples.

Naples 45 is inside the MetLife building and the exterior is inviting but screams suburban shopping mall. Unless you're catching a train out of town or snapping photos of all the big buildings, why else would you be in this part of town? And as I discovered the other night, Naples 45 is not a destination place.

The establishment is much bigger than it needs to be and gives off a strange combination of faux high class luxuriousness and local friendly sports bar. It looked like the bar could have been a hot happy hour spot, but I think the restaurant is past its prime because there were only a few people enjoying drinks.

The service was reminiscent of a corporate mid-level chain (it is part of the Patina Restaurant Group). The server robotically recited his lines and suggested what he had to suggest to complete the 16th step of service or whatever. And no, if we wanted a salad to start with, we would have ordered one.

The pizza itself is just alright. The margherita pizza had too much cheese and not a whole lot of flavor. I found the mozzarella to be rather salty and very overwhelming. The sauce was hidden underneath the cheese but damned if I could taste it. I had no problems with the crust. It was well-cooked and crispy, but also was missing an important element: flavor.

We also had the prosciutto pizza with mozzarella, arugula, and parmesan cheese. The ingredients all seemed fresh, but again the problem was the lack of any real interesting or lively tastes. The pizza is about as inspired as the nutritional label of a can of tomato sauce.

As for it being authentically from Naples, I guess I can't make a fair assessment, having never been to Naples. But in my recent adventures, I've learned a lot of what constitutes a Neapolitan pizza. And this is not it. They may use all the right ingredients and even cook in a wood oven, but something is missing here. There is too much cheese, not enough olive oil, and the tomato sauce is spotty and flavorless. But the good news is, the restaurant is indeed on 45th Street.

Is Naples 45 the best pizza in New York? It's mediocre at best and if you think this is the best NY has to offer, you really have to get out more often. I give it a 4 out of 10.

Di Fara is far-a but good-a

2009-10-25T23:16:00.007-04:00

I did it. I finally made the journey. I trekked out to the mecca of all pizzerias! Di Fara, out in Midwood, Brooklyn is required traveling for anybody who is even attempting to call themselves a NY pizza connoisseur. There is a level of mystery and intrigue to Di Fara, partly because it is so far removed from all the other contenders.

Midwood is a small neighborhood deep in the heart of Brooklyn between Prospect Park and Coney Island. The subway ride is a good hour or more from midtown. And when you arrive, most of the signs are in Hebrew. As we walked from the Q train, we passed a few places that attempted to advertise their own pizza, but why even bother when they're just a few doors away from the legendary Di Fara. But as it turns out, Di Fara is the only non-kosher pizza joint on the street.

Di Fara is also legendary because of its owner and pizzaiolo, Domenico DeMarco. DeMarco is well past 70 years old, yet he makes every single pizza by hand. He ladles the tomato sauce, grates the cheese, drizzles on the oil, bakes the dough, and then finally, shears fresh basil (grown in his windowsill garden) over each pie. He does this very methodically (and slowly) as if he has been doing it for over 40 years. Wait a pizza-loving minute...

Di Fara has been catering to the public for decades. And it's often considered the best pizza in New York for almost as long. As with any good NY pizzeria, the lines start early and run long. We got there shortly after 6 (when they open for dinner) and there were quite a few people already outside. They were opening a bit late because according to a hand written sign on the door, they had a shortage of dough.

When the doors finally opened, the hungry customers rushed inside and started giving their names and orders. It seemed that they were only taking orders for full pies first and those of us who wanted a slice had to step to the side and wait. And wait. And wait. We must have been standing around waiting for our pizza slices for a good 35 minutes. But we filled all that lost time being completely mesmerized by DeMarco's mastery. Just watching the man move (at his own pace, of course) and create these gorgeous pizzas was fascinating. I was amazed at how quiet the crowd had become.

And if the wait wasn't bad enough, each slice cost 5 dollars. 5 buck-a-roos! That is by far the most expensive slice in the city. But they can charge this much because they have become such an institution and the truth is, people pay that much (and would probably pay more) for an authentic New York pizza adventure.

When we were finally called over, we took our slices and huddled to one of the few run-down tables. We had just watched the pizza bubbling from the heat of the gas oven so I knew I should wait for it to cool down. The last thing I wanted was one of those agonizing pizza burns on the roof of my mouth. You know, the ones that remind you of the stupid mistake you made for days after. The resistance was hard (almost futile). I smelled and looked at that seductive cheesy slice. The more I tried to resist, the more I thought of this. But if I waited this long, I figured I could wait a few moments more.

My first slice was the original round slice. It was a bit orange-y but there was plenty of fresh basil to balance the colors. And I loved the charred crust. The bite met my high expectations a bit more than halfway. The cheese was fresh and plentiful. The tomato sauce was a bit messy and wet but had lots of great seasoned flavor.

Slice number two was the square slice. This was cooked in a pan, Sicilian style and received a bit more oil than round one. I watched Dom pour the oil on top and underneath the dough. I imagine that's a big reason why this slice was incredibly charred and crunchy. The pizza was a bit too oily, but I have to admit that it tasted great. However, this slice was certainly heavier and crunchier.
It was right about this time that the place started filling up with smoke. Nobody paid much attention and the in and out of the customers aired the store out a bit. I really wanted to finish my last slice, but I had been on a pizza excursion today and the heaviness of the square was just too much for my little body to take. And I could feel the smoke and grease seeping into my clothing.

Di Fara is pure New York pizza. The gas oven, the crispy thin crust, and the slightly dirty environment bring to mind the old days rather than the old country. The technique is still Italian (Dom is from near Napoli) but the methods here are all Brooklyn. It's definitely worth a trip to see what the fuss is all about. And as good as the pizza is (and it is mighty tasty), the legendary Domenico steals the show.

Is Di Fara the best pizza in NY? It's a good possibility. It gets a 9 out of 10 from me. The flavors and textures are what you expect from the best pizza in NY and the trip out to Midwood and the wait is an adventure in itself.

BUBB (Bouncer Under the Brooklyn Bridge)

2009-10-24T14:11:00.003-04:00

If I was on Family Feud and the question was "Name A Place with A Bouncer," I imagine "pizza place" would not be among the top 5 answers on the board. I'd like to think I'd do well with "strip club" or "dive bar".

But if any of those 100 people surveyed had ever waited in that roped off line at Grimaldi's, then "pizza place" wouldn't be such a crazy guess. I don't know if I would call Crazy Chris (as he introduced himself to us later) a bouncer per se because I don't think he necessarily ID's anybody or stops people from coming in if they're wearing sneakers. But he had that gruff attitude that made you wonder if he'd eventually pick you to sit at a table and enjoy their famous pizza.

We had anticipated the line at this popular destination in DUMBO literally under the Brooklyn Bridge and so weren't too fussy to wait about 35 minutes for a table. But it was intimidating every time Crazy Chris would throw open that door, point at a few unsuspecting lunchers and pull them inside. I knew he wasn't all brute because once in a while he would send a wink to one of the pretty girls in the queue. Very charming.

Once we were chosen and beckoned inside, the vibe changed. It was warm and welcoming and people seemed happy. A very different atmosphere from what you'd expect at a club or bar. We were shown a table that was practically a communal table. The girls sitting next to us, already deep into their pepperoni pie, barely noticed that we even sat down. I guess we weren't as charming (or intimidating) as Crazy Chris.

Our waiter arrived rather quickly and we placed a simple order for a small pie with sausage and mushrooms. This was the first of two pizza excursions for me today, so I had to be careful and eat light. Plus, the small 16-inch pie was actually big enough for three, in my opinion. At $12 for all that pizza, it seemed to be the best deal I've discovered so far.

My first observation was that it was a bit soggy. All the sauce fell to the middle, as it tends to do with coal oven pies. And the pizza was far from a piece of artwork. This is old school pizza, established before we cared about pretty food. If there is any food pornography going on here, it's dirty, smutty, disorganized. But that's how some people like it - their food and their porn.

Putting the visuals aside, I went in for my first bite. It was definitely flavorful. I wasn't crazy about the sausage (I even found a piece of cartilage or something), but the cheese and the tomato sauce were well proportioned and delicious. The basil was not overwhelming, but you could taste the herb. The dough was soft and fluffy, if lacking the intense char that I anticipate from coal oven pizza.

The pizza was definitely worthwhile. It's not exactly what I've come to expect on my journey - with all my authentic Neapolitan tastings. But I realized this is what many people want from traditional New York pizza, especially visitors from elsewhere in the states. They want fresh, cheesy inexpensive pizza that tastes good. And that's what this is. I feel like my parents would much prefer this to the tomato-y gourmet pies at Lombardi's.

Grimaldi's is constantly regarded as one of the best. It's old-fashioned and does the job. I think most visitors to New York looking for flavorful, well-made pizza would be more than happy to wait in line and experience the pizza under the Brooklyn Bridge. Just make sure you don't cross Crazy Chris - otherwise you might be turned away hungry.

Is Grimaldi's the best pizza in New York? Survey says... possibly. It's definitely a local favorite and tourist destination. This is what people come to expect from NY pizza and I have to admit it's pretty delicious. I give it an8 out of 10.

Take A Load Off, Franny's

2009-10-24T00:23:00.000-04:00

A new day is upon us. Who would have thought a few years ago that you could walk into a pizza place and find out where every single ingredient came from and on what farm it was grown? And I'm not even talking about the required San Marzano tomatoes (which are grown at the foot of Mount Vesuvius) for a Neapolitan pizza.

No, I'm talking about where the pork for the pepperoni is from and the farm that grew the peppers. And let's take it to the next level and learn how the kitchen grease is made. Franny's in Brooklyn has a whole list of these resources on the back of their menu. I'm surprised we don't get the name of the cow who produced the butter.

This is definitely the latest craze, especially in New York and other major urban areas. They call them locavores, people who only eat local, sustainable food. And I'm all for it - it's good for the environment, helps the economy, and makes for healthier, fresher meals. But the listing on the back of Franny's menu almost feels as if they're showing off. It comes across as slightly pretentious and ridiculous - do we seriously need to know where their cleaning solution comes from? But I guess it is good to know that it's environmentally friendly.

The good thing is that this is only a back page announcement and the reason I came here on a crowded Tuesday night (although I gather most of their nights are busy) was for what's on the front page. Franny's is more than a pizza place. The menu is comprised of pizza, salumis (cured meats), rustic Italian appetizers, and usually pastas (we were informed their pasta machine was sick tonight).

We started with a great wood-roasted octopus appetizer. I could immediately tell that there was a chef back there who knew what he was doing. The flavors were nicely balanced and all the textures were lively and eclectic. Of course, the local fresh ingredients only helped matters. And I gathered that the octopus was cooked in the same wood-oven our pizzas would soon be entering. I was getting more excited to try their much publicized pies.

There were some interesting and playful options on the menu. All the pizza choices were literally named and the list of ingredients served as the way to order. We settled on three pies: (1) the tomato, buffalo mozzarella, sausage, and hot peppers; (2) buffalo mozzarella, garlic, oregano; and (3) clams, chilies, parsley.

Each pie was individually portioned between 10 and 12 inches. I was surprised and a little frustrated that the pies were not cut. Did they want us to eat it with a knife and fork (as is the traditional Italian way), fold it up and eat it with our hands, or were they just being lazy (or once again, pretentious)? Since we were sharing, we had to cut our own pieces and it was not easy and more than a little messy.

When we finally got the pizza sliced, or mutilated, as it were, I finally had my first bite. And I really enjoyed it (and all the subsequent bites) Across the board, the flavors were lively and balanced. You could tell the ingredients were fresh (even if I hadn't seen the back of the menu). The clam pie could have used some more clams, but the ones that made it were plump and tasty. It rivals Lombardi's version, but they're different enough that I don't want to crown a winner in that race.

The first pie was closest to a traditional pie. And I think it was the favorite around the table.

The second pie which had no tomato sauce had lots of flavor from all the garlic and herbs, but I would have liked a bit more cheese. I felt the cheese on all the pies sort of got lost in the fluffiness of the dough.

So, now the dough. It was light, airy, and delicious, but not what I expect from pizza crust. It was much closer to Indian nan bread. That's my big criticism with their pizza. It felt like a variation on the classic dish rather than what most people expect when they order pizza. But I enjoyed every bite.

I can't recommend Franny's enough, but more as a restaurant and less as a pizzeria. We had a great experience and will totally come back. But in my search for the city's best "pizza", this can't quite compete. It's sort of its own delicious beast. And if you want to know what farm that beast comes from, just flip over the menu.

Is Franny's the best pizza in New York? I almost feel like it's in a league of its own. The food is fantastic, but I almost can't consider it pizza. Taking all that into account, I give it a 7 out of 10.

Mangia a Luzzo's

2009-10-23T01:12:00.001-04:00

When I get pizza, I want it to be made by people who know what they’re doing. I guess that’s obvious, but how many times have you gone into a generic NY pizza joint and the pizza is being cooked by Mexican line cooks or Bengali entrepreneurs? Nothing against those guys, but do you think they’ve really been to Italy (or even Arthur Avenue in the Bronx) to study the art of pizza making? I doubt it.

And pizza is from Naples and in case you haven’t heard, Naples is in Italy. So it’s refreshing and calming when I walk into a pizzeria and the employees sound more like Roberto Benigni than Gael Garcia Bernal. And that’s what happened when I walked into Luzzo’s in the East Village.

I was pleased to see and hear that everybody from the servers to the hostess all spoke Italiano. Between the thick accents and the rustic, old world atmosphere, I had that rare experience where I felt transported to the country of gelato, chianti, and, well, you know, pizza.

So expectations were high to taste authentic and fresh Neapolitan pizza. The menu was a bit more extensive than I had expected. In addition to the large selections of la pizza, there were le insalate, le paste, le panini, and le red wine.

I ordered the Napoletana, which was basically a margherita with the addition of anchovies. The service was a little cold, but attentive. And it really didn’t take too long until my 12 inch arrived. But while I waited, I had plenty to look out with all the interesting Italian memorabilia on the wall.

The pie arrived and it was quite beautiful. The tomato sauce was bright red and almost glowed. The orbs of mozzarella di bufala looked like gorgeous fluffy marshmallows. And the garnish of fresh basil in the middle seemed to put everything in balance. This was the most good-looking of all the pies I’ve tried so far.

But how did it taste? I’m pleased to say that it tasted pretty good. For me, those beautiful cheese bulbs were the highlight. They were so fresh and flavorful. They alone were worth the rather steep price tag of $18 (for a 12-inch pie). I chose anchovies, so I blame nobody myself, but the saltiness from those little fishies was a bit overwhelming.

The sauce was as bright and lively in my mouth as it was on the plate, with a slight sweet tanginess. The crust didn’t have a whole lot of flavor but it was soft and tender and perfectly cooked. As visually pleasing as it was, I wish the basil had been spread out a bit more evenly. But all the ingredients were fresh and delicious. And I was pleased that this was the lightest of all the pizzas I’ve tried thus far.

I was amazed that I couldn’t stop eating it – even with all that anchovy saltiness. But I had to restrain myself (and walk home to burn some calories) since I had sampled another pizza earlier in the day. Good thing for doggie bags or pizza boxes or whatever.

The pizzaioli here is Michele Iuliano who I believe was walking around and re-filling water (is that possible?). He is the only pizzaioli who uses a combo wood-and-coal oven. True Neapolitan pizzas are only cooked in wood oven pizzas, but regardless of what the rules are, Michele makes a really good pizza. And he’s truly Italian. You have to at least give him that!

Is Luzzo’s the best pizza in New York? Well, it’s definitely a well-made light Neapolitan style pizza in a rustic comfortable setting and that’s why it gets an 8 out of 10.

Artery-A-Choke

2009-10-21T01:21:00.000-04:00

Sometimes maybe I’m just wrong and the rest of the world is right. For instance, I never liked The Sixth Sense. I just didn’t think it was a good movie and I saw through all its smoke and mirrors. My eclectic tastes and smug opinions have often been controversial among my friends. So this is your warning to not trust anything I write in this blog.

The reason I doubt myself now is because of Artichoke Basille's Pizza. Artichoke, as it is commonly known, has been highly acclaimed in the New York Times, New York Magazine, Time Out, the list goes on. And all the other food blogs are acting as if the Pizza Messiah has just arrived. Also, the presence of an interminable line down 14^th Street proves that the pizza is incredibly popular around the city.

Two cousins from Staten Island opened Artichoke a little over a year ago in a tiny, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it storefront close to Stuyvesant Town. They only sell four pizza options with two beers on tap. There’s no place to sit inside, but if you’re lucky enough to score a seat on the benches outside, you won’t have to stand at the cramped bar area. But let’s be honest, a good slice is eaten on the go anyway.

I had my first (and I thought my last) Artichoke experience a few months ago when I came in to try their namesake slice. It was a pretty large slice for the price and it featured a homemade artichoke dip on a thin crust. It definitely had some flavor, but it reminded me of an artichoke dip you’d get at a T.G.I. Friday’s type restaurant. I finished the slice, but felt like I was about to have a heart attack. It was so greasy and rich that I don’t think I was able to eat for days (or, at least, a few hours). It really turned me off to the possibility of trying Artichoke again.

Well, now that I have officially begun my search for the best pizza, I felt like I should give Artichoke a second chance. And this time I would try their popular Sicilian slice.

I went at an off hour, but was still amazed that there was no line. I had forgotten about the blaring Bon Jovi music. Could they really play Bon Jovi on a loop at all times? I thought Jersey was on the other side of the river.

I realized I was definitely still in New York, when I looked at the prices. My Sicilian slice cost me $3.50 and was smaller than I had remembered. It was cut to order and I was sent on my way with my pizza and my paper plate.

If that plate had not been there to soak up some of the grease, I may not have had an artery left unclogged. The pizza was just as greasy and heavy as I had remembered. In addition to the mozzarella, there was a surprising amount of grated Parmesan (I’m guessing from one of those green Kraft containers) and the soggiest fresh basil I have ever encountered.

This pizza is messy, cheap (not in price) and over the top. The grease is truly overwhelming and the excess of cheese pulls off with each bite leaving very little by the heart stopping finish. The basil is either not terribly fresh or just overcooked. But it too gets lost because it slides right off the pizza as you start in. Everything gets lost in the first few bites that you’re left with nothing except the tomato sauce and a bit of parmesan cheese. And for this I paid $3.50!?!

I did enjoy their crust. It was very crunchy and almost burnt. But it felt as if it had been fried because I could tell that if the cheese and oil didn’t kill me, then the crust would do the trick. The whole experience reminded me of the cheap, probably microwaved pizza I would get at the bowling alley or roller rink when I was a teenager.

I think Artichoke is perfect for an inebriated (you'd have to be drunk to do this to your body) late night snack (they're opened until 3am most nights). I could definitely see how this pizza would do the job of soaking up a night of debauchery. But for a grown-up palate or somebody looking for fresh and authentic pizza pies, I would recommend an alternative. But after all, this is the East Village and dirty and hip are all the rage – which is great for a bar or a club, but not what I’m interested in when it comes to my food. I guess I just don’t get it. I must be wrong.

Is Artichoke Basille's the best pizza in NY? As is evidenced by all the hype, I suppose it depends who you ask. In my humble opinion, the grease and oil are just way too much and the ingredients not fresh enough to balance that out. I give it a 4 out of 10, but again, I very well could be wrong.

In the Beginning...

2009-10-19T23:28:00.000-04:00

It’s weird to feel like you’re a tourist in your own city. However, for me, the experience is oddly exciting because those of us who live here tend to take the city for granted. I’ve always been one of the very few New Yorkers who actually enjoy walking through Times Square either right before Broadway shows begin or right after they end. There’s such a buzz in the air and everybody is exciting to be going to a show on BROAD-way! I feel like I’m on vacation when I go to the theater district. Now if only I could end the evening relaxing in one of those fancy hotels and watching their free HBO.

Lombardi’s is naturally a big tourist destination. It was the first pizzeria in the country. Genaro Lombardi brought his tomato pies to Little Italy in 1905 and the rest is history. The restaurant has since moved to a new location a block away and is now owned by a family friend of the Lombardi clan. But it still holds claim to the birthplace of American pizza. And I knew full well what I was getting myself into when I decided to go for lunch on a crisp chilly Saturday shortly after noon.

I was pleasantly surprised how quickly the waiting list moved. It took only about 10 or 15 minutes for them to call my name. We were led through one room after another, passing families and couples enjoying pizza. The enormity of this maze-like restaurant was a little surreal. One false turn and you’d end up in the kitchen.

The restaurant has undergone a major expansion (a whole new bar and front area) in the last few years, which is good because it means they have more space to turn their tables quicker (which means a shorter wait for us), but could be bad because each pizza can’t get quite get the same attention as before. We all know that when companies grow, quality often suffers in the process.

Now this was my first ever visit to Lombardi’s so I can’t say how or if the quality has changed, but I can confidently say that they still have fantastic pizza. We ordered the original, which is your traditional margherita and we had to try their famous (and quite expensive) clam pie, which has no tomato sauce, but plenty of olive oil, cheese, garlic, and freshly shucked clams.

I started with the margherita, which noticeably had more tomato than anything else. It’s clear that this pizza (and therefore all pizza) is a direct descendant of what was originally called a tomato pie. There were nicely distributed perfectly melted globs of fresh mozzarella and some garnishes of fresh basil.

The crust was nicely charred, although some slices were crispier than others, and had a slight smoky flavor. The abundant tomato sauce was fresh and well-seasoned with just a hint of sweetness. I was a bit disappointed that there wasn’t a more generous serving of basil, but the tomato sauce was so perfectly seasoned that it really wasn’t necessary aside from aesthetics.

The clam pie (which somehow sounds dirty) was worth the $26.95 spent on the 14 inches. The pie was crowded with fresh clams (I was pleasantly surprised that these didn’t come from a can) and garnished with a lemon. The clams were chewy and delicious and all the flavors came together like an Italian masterpiece. This could have been incredibly heavy and decadent since it features all the ingredients for a nice linguini white sauce. But it was really just right. And I was amazed that the light thin crust held up the weight of those beautiful bivalves.

As we left the restaurant (with our to go boxes in tow), I really felt like I was one of the few locals. Everybody was snapping photos of celebrities on the walls and of the beautiful thin crust pizzas. Only tourists do that. How embarrassing! Oh, by the way, check out this picture I took of the famous coal-oven at Lombardi’s. Isn’t that great?

Is Lombardi’s the best pizza in the city? It’s certainly the oldest and paved the way for future coal-oven pies. I’m excited to report the pizza still stands up and impresses with all its balanced flavors and perfect textures. It’s definitely one of the best, and my rating of 9 out of 10, makes it a safe recommendation for visiting tourists and locals alike.

Passing on Patsy's

2009-10-17T02:10:00.000-04:00

If Ray's is the McDonald's of New York pizza, then Patsy’s is the Starbucks. They seem just as abundant but they're a lot hipper and well-regarded. Okay, maybe there’s only seven locations, but it seems like I pass one more often than I don’t. They’ve become neighborhood staples that are known for their pasta and salads just as much as their coal-oven pizza. They are also usually over-run with families and children – loud children!

The original Patsy’s is still standing in East Harlem and seems sort of removed from the other incarnations. Besides the food, the name, and the similar font, it’s a completely different restaurant.

First off, the menu is a bit different. I often stop into one of the other locations to pick up an arugula salad, which was not to be found on this menu. This is also the only location that sells slices to go. There are two rooms: the take out area and the slightly more refined dining room. I was here with some friends to try the original coal oven pizza. So we got the white table cloth and everything.

The prices were a bit expensive. An original pie was $12 (fine!), but each additional topping was $3. Three bones!?! They’re charging three bucks just for fresh basil. Seriously, they better drown that thing in basil for me to get my money’s worth.

So we ordered one original pie and, to a second one, we added fresh mozzarella and basil (even though we got completely price raped). The waiter informed us that this is called a Margherita. Did we look like we just emerged from our caves?

Cynicism aside, the service was surprisingly friendly and helpful. The pizza took a little longer than I expected (especially considering coal oven pizzas should cook for no longer than two minutes). And when the two pies were brought to the table, I got a little overwhelmed. They were 18 inches of pure bread and cheese. How were we supposed to finish these monsters?

Patsy’s has a reputation for their incredibly thin crust pizza. The pizzas in front of us bore a closer resemblance to Kate Winslet than Calista Flockhart. The dough was quite bready and a bit floury (not to be confused with flowery). And the slice fell limp before I was able to get it into my mouth - in other words, a bit soggy and not firm at all.

The margherita was terribly disappointing. It was bland and the ingredients didn’t seem all that fresh. The basil tasted more like a black tea leaf than the slightly sweet herb I expect in Italian cuisine. And the tomato sauce had no zing and no depth of flavor.

The original pie looked like it could have come from any corner pizza shop. The cheese was slightly yellow looking and the tomato sauce was sort of pasted to the crust. The flavor here fared better than the margherita. But it was what you’d expect from this ordinary looking pie and was really nothing special.

From what I’ve read, Patsy’s has taken a decline in the last few years. I wish I had tasted it in its heyday, but what I sampled this night was pretty forgettable (except for that slightly greasy sensation lingering in my stomach). Maybe the focus has shifted to all their other locations (I do remember having a nice pie at the 60^th Street location many years ago), but this original wasn’t too original. Just as Starbucks did recently, maybe Patsy’s needs to re-think their ever expanding empire and focus more on the pizza itself.

Is Patsy’s the best pizza in the city? Maybe at one time, but the schlep to Spanish Harlem is only worthwhile if you’re visiting El Museo del Barrio or other sites. I give Patsy’s original location a disappointing 5 out of 10.

Early Bird Special

2009-10-14T16:11:00.007-04:00

Nobody in New York seems to eat dinner before 7pm. It just doesn’t happen. If you eat dinner before 7, you haven’t gotten the memo. Or maybe you’re just old. Old people eat dinner early. Whenever I go visit my grandmother in Florida, dinner is at 5pm sharp. 5:00?? I just finished lunch, for Chrissake!!

For years, I didn’t eat until 9 or sometimes 10. I would go to the theater or happy hour and then go out for dinner. It just made more sense – keep the night going as long as possible. Just like they do in Europe.

But now, I’ve become an old person! Now that I’m over 30, my metabolism has slowed and the cramps and acid reflux start early. Or maybe I've just stopped playing by the rules. Lately I try to eat dinner at an early bird’s hour, especially if it’s going to be something as artery clogging and calorie rich as pizza.

And on this new schedule, I discovered if you want to eat at a popular, impossible-to-get-into restaurant, go around 6:00 and you’ll probably be able to score at least a seat at the bar, if not an actual table! And this brings us to Kesté.

Kesté was recently named Best Pizza Pie of the Moment by New York magazine. I definitely questioned the integrity of their list since classic pies like Totonno’s and Lombardi’s were absent. And the inclusion of Artichoke Basille’s on any pizza list makes me a little sick to my stomach. I tried their artichoke slice once and thought I was going to have a heart attack right there on 14^th Street. Imagine a very heavy spinach artichoke dip placed on top of a pizza. Nothing fresh about it – just greasy, heavy, and nauseating.

But I was more than willing to give Kesté a try. I’ll give just about anything a try.

We got to Kesté around 6 and I was excited that we scored a table near the pizza kitchen. I heard this place has a long line at all times. John’s across the street was also line-less. I guess my new habit of eating out early has finally paid off.

I was amazed at how quickly our 12 inch pizzas were dropped on our table. Wood oven pies are supposed to cook for no longer than two minutes and this promise was fulfilled here.

We ordered the funghi, which was a standard margherita pie (tomato, mozzarella, basil) with mushrooms. And I picked the pizza del papa, which I learned was originally made for the Pope (hence the name Papa). It had a base of butternut squash cream, artichokes, red and yellow pepper, and a special smoked mozzarella cheese.

I realized I had never tried true Neapolitan pizza before this night. Roberto Caporuscio, who is the head of the American chapter of the Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoltetani and teaches classes on how to make this speciality 100 year old dish, popped my Neapolitan pizza cherry. And like an 18 year old hormonal girl, I never want to go back.

I was blown away by this crust - it was amazingly bready and chewy and had a yeasty fluffiness. This was a far cry from the thin crust pizza we're used to in NY. The bread sort of melted in my mouth and had a woody, earthy, buttery flavor. It also had a nice char on the bottom from the wood oven. It reminded me of a delicious edible pillow. If I hadn't eaten it all, I might have taken a quick nap.

The flavors were all bright and lively. The ingredients on the funghi were all very fresh and the tomato sauce was slightly sweet and slightly acidic. However, the pizza del papa wins for me because of that amazing smoked mozzarella. It was like taking a bite out of a campfire, but with gooey cheesy goodness. And without the actual burning sensation of a fire in your mouth. So maybe not like a campfire at all.

We were all very pleased with the pizzas. And we would have kept eating more, but we finished our two pies and knew that if we ordered another, it would taste delicious but our stomachs would not be too pleased later.

And we got the sense that the wait staff wanted us out. I didn't take it personally and attributed it to the fact that it was now after 7 and the line had begun to form outside. The rest of New York had finished happy hour and were now flocking to those hot dinner spots, including Kesté.

It took us a bit to maneuver through the crowd to get back onto the streets of the West Village. But we had a successful stress-free (except for the lack of water refills) dinner with some pretty amazing pizza. And we were satiated and back into the world with the whole night still ahead of us. Isn’t there some saying about the early bird catching the worm? Now if only these NY destination spots would take a nod from the Florida establishments and adopt the bargain price, I’d never eat past 5:00 again. Grandma, I’ll see you at dinner.

Is Kesté the best pizza in New York? It still remains to be seen, but I give it a solid 9 out of 10. The flavors excel and the textures are spot-on. And that smoked mozzarella gets a good 5 or 6 points all by itself.

Pizza, Pizza

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Which came first - the cheese or the tomato? The answer isn't nearly as mysterious as the much publicized chicken and egg debate. The first pizzas in Naples were known as tomato pies and were really food for the poor people. Cheese didn’t become a popular pizza topping until later.

When Genaro Lombardi (perhaps Geno to his friends?) opened his grocery store in Little Italy in 1905, it was the tomato pies that he sold to local workers. The pies cost five cents but if somebody was not able to scrounge up the nickel, they were allowed to pay what they could afford and Gino would cut them a piece worth that amount. Hence, the birth of the slice.

Lombardi’s was the first pizzeria in New York. And it’s a fact that two of Geno’s employees went on to open other famous pizza institutions in New York that still serve Neapolitan pizzas today. Antonio Totonno Pero was the first pizzola and probably the culinary genius behind Lombardi’s famous pizza. In 1924, he packed his bags and opened his own shop, Totonno’s, in Coney Island. John Sasso was also an employee of Geno who left with his own entrepreneurial ambitions. John’s of Bleecker Street still has huge lines down the street in the West Village.

Rumor has it that Pasquale “Patsy” Lancieri also worked at Lombardi’s prior to trekking uptown to Harlem (before the express trains existed) and opening his own pizzeria called Patsy’s. Patsy had a nephew named Patsy Grimaldi who trained with him and eventually opened his own place under the Brooklyn Bridge called Grimaldi’s. As you can tell, these guys were not terribly creative when it came to naming their stores.

These five self-centered Italians are still the heroes of pizza. They paved the way for everybody else who has entered the pizza race in New York. And it’s because of them we have such delicious pizza today.

There’s no question that New York pizza is the best, freshest in the country. Could it be the vast population of Italian immigrants in New York at the turn of last century? Could it be the skill of New York’s chefs over the rest of the country? Most likely it has to do with the city’s water and its rich mineral content. New York has some of the best tap water in the country. Surprise, surprise. Whatever the reason is, the pizza in New York is tops and I’m off to find the best pie in town. Pizza… I’m ready to Eat It!

Welcome to Eat This NY!

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I’m a self-proclaimed foodie. And whenever I travel, I always seek out the most authentic dishes a city or town has to offer. I can tell you where to get the best lobster rolls in Maine, the best BBQ in Texas, the best fish tacos in San Diego. So why am I slightly stumped when somebody asks me for the best bagel in New York?

Now, granted, finding “the best” is a next to impossible task. Putting the myriad of options aside, everybody has their own opinions and tastes. Can you really compare a dill pickle and a sweet pickle? Thin crust pizza vs. thick crust? It’s a matter of taste, right?

Maybe. But there have to be favorites. Certain names keep coming up when you search for the best this or the best that. And it’s recently dawned on me that I’ve lived in New York for almost a decade and there are staples that I have yet to hit. It’s like when you live here and have never been to the Empire State Building. First off, it’s over-run with tourists, but also you take it for granted because it’s always there. You’ll get to it one of these days.

Well, for me, that day has come. So follow my adventures of finding the best of everything (food wise, that is; I could give a damn about shopping) that New York City has to offer. And look out for the webseries to follow soon when my real life and my food excursions intertwine. It won’t be pretty, but it will be delicious.

It’s about time that I go to Lombardi’s for pizza and Carnegie Deli for pastrami. No more excuses. I’m just going to finally shut up and… Eat This!