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From The Wood-Fired Ashes

Posted by Adam Kuban, July 7, 2004 at 12:25 AM

A nice story in the Times by one of our favorte food writers, Ed Levine. Levine visits Chris Bianco in Phoenix. Bianco is a Bronx native who moved to the Valley of the Sun and worked his way to crafting what Levine says "might be the best pizza in America."

What makes the pizza so good? Levine says it better than we can (primarily because we've never been):

His crust is simultaneously thick and thin, puffy and crisp on the outside and softer and chewy on the inside, with hole structure like great bread. His mozzarella, which he and his staff make every morning, is creamy and slightly tart. The sauce tastes like the ripest tomatoes in concentrated form. His sausage tastes of fennel and pork, with just the right meat-to-fat ratio.

The Rosa, one of six pizzas, is made with red onion, Parmigiano-Reggiano, rosemary and Arizona pistachios, and is as multilayered and intense as Mr. Bianco himself. The Wiseguy pie has smoked mozzarella (he smokes it every morning in his wood-burning oven over pecan wood), roasted onions and fennel sausage.

My first bite of the Wiseguy melted in my mouth, as all great pizza does. The elements blended like a great jazz rhythm section.

Make their own mozz daily?! Not only that, but they grow their own herbs on premises. My word.

But Pizzeria Bianco is far from an anomaly in the Phoenix area. Grimaldi's has opened a western outpost in nearby Scottsdale. Looks like Arizona has become a pizza oasis of sorts.

Lucky for Slice, editor and publisher Adam K.'s sister recently moved there. When we visit her, we'll also stop by Bianco and the Grimaldi's shop. Until then, we can only encourage the sis to go there herself. (And take a few pictures while you're there!)

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Tags: Arizona, Phoenix, Pizzeria Bianco, Reviews, U.S., wood-oven