Slice
Pinch in the 'Daily News'
I WONDER HOW IT MEASURES UP
The New York Daily News today carries a story about a novel new pizza joint called Pinch: Pizza by the Inch.
Pies are made in 4-inch-wide strips, like skateboards, and when you eat there, you can get 4 inches for $2 (roughly a classic slice), 12 inches for $6 (half an ordinary pie), on up to 36 inches for $18 (enough for a party).
All this would be just a gimmick if the pizza wasn't good. But it's super: thin-crusted, charred along the edges, painted with fresh tomato sauce and lightly topped with a mix of three cheeses. Add-ons cost extra and range from the usual suspects like sausage, anchovies and pepperoni to some creative but never-too-silly condiments such as soft-roasted garlic cloves, chilies in oil and roasted squash.
Notice the use of the word "painted." The Times ran a short item last week about Pinch (which I didn't blog because it didn't appear on the website, oddly enough) that described the pizzeria as such: "...they back swaths of thin crust that are 36 inches long and 4 inches wide and lightly painted with tomato sauce ..." [emphasis added]
An interesting idea, I guess, and I'm hopeful it'll be good. Both reviews mention the thin, crisp crust and the lightly applied sauce. Sounds like these guys might have their crust-sauce-cheese balance down. I'll investigate this weekend and report back on Monday.
Pinch: Pizza by the Inch
Address: 416 Park Avenue South (29th Street)
Phone: 212-686-5222
Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Payment: Cash and cards