Seems Slice is making a virtual road trip west. Here's yet more out-of-state New York–style-pizza news, this time from the Contra Costa Times out in Bay Area's Contra Costa County.
But it sounds like Berkeleyites are in good hands: Will Gioia, the proprietor, is Brooklyn-raised. Moreover, Filucci claims that the California pedigree brings fresh ingredients to the pie and compares Gioia's use of fresh, organic cremini mushrooms to the canned "yellowish-beige," "briny," and "cold" mushrooms of Gotham slices. So it's not the use of Thai shrimp on an otherwise New York slice she's talking about—it's just the Californian attention to high-quality ingredients. Sure, California chefs have a reputation for such persnicketiness, but we could point to several Big Apple pizzerias that use only the finest ingredients.
Anyway, we'll stop picking nits here and cut to the meat of the article. Here's what she says about Gioia:
The mushroom pizza I'm devouring in my car is the perfect blend of New York and Bay Area. The crust is thin and crisp, the sauce is red and sweet-tangy, the cheese is modestly distributed -- so far the perfect New York slice, and then the mushrooms are fresh, organic, woodsy creminis. In New York, pizza mushrooms come out of a can; they're yellowish-beige; they taste briny; and they're often still a little cold when you bite into your slice.
Will Gioia wouldn't serve cold, briny mushrooms in his pizzeria, even though he's probably eaten his share while growing up in Brooklyn. At his pizzeria, Gioia merges his sweetest food memories -- walking down the block with a slice and a Coke -- with his Culinary Institute of America training and his Oliveto, Zuni Cafe and Mazzini Trattoria experience.
The Hopkins Street location is tiny -- just enough room to squeeze in, order your slice or pick up your pie and duck out. Or you could sit at one of the handful of stools and scarf down your slice, or order from the sidewalk through the takeout window -- just like in Brooklyn.
There's the plain cheese ($2.50 slice, $10 pie), with homemade sauce (Gioia says he uses canned tomatoes in his sauce, but when the season really hits, he'll start using fresh tomatoes). [ continue reading >> ]
A bit pricey for slices, but it is the Bay Area. Slice wonders if prices there match the public-transport fares, as they're rumored to do here. If so, BART's a rip-off.
I am originally from New York and moved to the Bay Area four years ago. Since then I have been looking for not great, but good pizza out here. You guys back East really take it for granted. I know I did. There are lots of East Coasters out here so I ask every one I meet, any good pizza? Well I was jut told about Gioia and went to see it myself. I met Will who owns the place. Great guy. Even better -- great pizza. It hits all the right notes. Great crust (really hot oven), great sauce, and the perfect blend of fresh mozz, low-moisture mozz, and I think, Pecorino (?). Anyway, he will do VERY WELL. Go try it now before the lines are too long. And wear your Birkenstocks. You'd get your ass kicked for wearing those back in Brooklyn.
I have long tried to figure out what it is about NYC pizza that can't be duplicated anywhere else. I've heard all manner of theories: it's the water, it's the flour, it's the this, it's the that. The only thing I haven't heard people talk too much about is "the" oven, the "Baker's Pride", the same double deck oven you see in almost all NYC pizzerias. After sampling pizza all over Northern California and deciding not to torture myself any longer, I stumbled upon a number of places that had Baker's Pride ovens where the pizza was decent, in some cases, I might even go so far as to say good.
At Gioia's, they've got the Baker's Pride. Will is a good friend of mine and if his pizza was bad, as a friend and fellow New Yorker, I'd be the first to tell him, "[Will], this shit is wack".
I've been to his place several times and everytime I go in "just to say hi", I walk out three slices later: happy, nostalgic and reminded of summers in Brooklyn, Staten Island and Manhattan ordering slices through a window. Now all they need are Gino's Italian Ices and I'll be straight.
I have been in California for 30 years and have yet to taste pizza as I remember it from NY. There was a place in Westwood Village off the UCLA campus called Lamonicas who flew their dough, cheese, and sauce in from NY every day. The pizza was passable but not the real thing. Don't they sprinkle olive oil on pizzas in NY? No one does that here. I now live east of Sacramento and am at the mercy of many shops that claim to be NY style pizza. None of them come close. There are websites to order NY pizza from shops in NY. Has anyone had any luck with any of these sites?
Try Tony's Pizzeria down here in Ventura, best slice of pie since I left Spring Street. The crust is absolutely the most perfect on the west coast. A quick stop off the 101 freeway downtown, looks like a hole but it rules.
New Yorkers shouldn't wonder that Berkeley might put up good pizza. Berkeley is chock full of ex-New Yorkers. It's one of the first places New Yorkers head for when they come to California. Many of us never leave, and one of the main things we talk about when we find ourselves sitting next to another ex-New Yorker is the pizza. We've had a few shops that sold pretty good stuff. Gioia's is interesting because it smells 100% right. It's the most New York experience you can get out here. On the other hand, the pizza, as your article says, is a blend and a disappointing taste after those smells have sent you off to heaven.
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Seems Slice is making a virtual road trip west. Here's yet more out-of-state New York–style-pizza news, this time from the Contra Costa Times out in Bay Area's Contra Costa County.
6 Comments:
I am originally from New York and moved to the Bay Area four years ago. Since then I have been looking for not great, but good pizza out here. You guys back East really take it for granted. I know I did. There are lots of East Coasters out here so I ask every one I meet, any good pizza? Well I was jut told about Gioia and went to see it myself. I met Will who owns the place. Great guy. Even better -- great pizza. It hits all the right notes. Great crust (really hot oven), great sauce, and the perfect blend of fresh mozz, low-moisture mozz, and I think, Pecorino (?). Anyway, he will do VERY WELL. Go try it now before the lines are too long. And wear your Birkenstocks. You'd get your ass kicked for wearing those back in Brooklyn.
Slice Jon Parker at 10:12PM on 08/11/04
I have long tried to figure out what it is about NYC pizza that can't be duplicated anywhere else. I've heard all manner of theories: it's the water, it's the flour, it's the this, it's the that. The only thing I haven't heard people talk too much about is "the" oven, the "Baker's Pride", the same double deck oven you see in almost all NYC pizzerias. After sampling pizza all over Northern California and deciding not to torture myself any longer, I stumbled upon a number of places that had Baker's Pride ovens where the pizza was decent, in some cases, I might even go so far as to say good.
At Gioia's, they've got the Baker's Pride. Will is a good friend of mine and if his pizza was bad, as a friend and fellow New Yorker, I'd be the first to tell him, "[Will], this shit is wack".
I've been to his place several times and everytime I go in "just to say hi", I walk out three slices later: happy, nostalgic and reminded of summers in Brooklyn, Staten Island and Manhattan ordering slices through a window. Now all they need are Gino's Italian Ices and I'll be straight.
Slice Adam Saint-Prix at 3:31AM on 08/19/04
I have been in California for 30 years and have yet to taste pizza as I remember it from NY. There was a place in Westwood Village off the UCLA campus called Lamonicas who flew their dough, cheese, and sauce in from NY every day. The pizza was passable but not the real thing. Don't they sprinkle olive oil on pizzas in NY? No one does that here. I now live east of Sacramento and am at the mercy of many shops that claim to be NY style pizza. None of them come close. There are websites to order NY pizza from shops in NY. Has anyone had any luck with any of these sites?
Slice finallyinsf at 6:43PM on 01/04/05
when in SoCal, go to Bronx pizza in San Diego. They have the best New York style pizza on the left coast..period
Slice wes at 11:31AM on 01/05/05
Try Tony's Pizzeria down here in Ventura, best slice of pie since I left Spring Street. The crust is absolutely the most perfect on the west coast. A quick stop off the 101 freeway downtown, looks like a hole but it rules.
Slice Boots at 6:03PM on 03/26/05
New Yorkers shouldn't wonder that Berkeley might put up good pizza. Berkeley is chock full of ex-New Yorkers. It's one of the first places New Yorkers head for when they come to California. Many of us never leave, and one of the main things we talk about when we find ourselves sitting next to another ex-New Yorker is the pizza. We've had a few shops that sold pretty good stuff. Gioia's is interesting because it smells 100% right. It's the most New York experience you can get out here. On the other hand, the pizza, as your article says, is a blend and a disappointing taste after those smells have sent you off to heaven.
Slice Mike Bradley at 6:47PM on 11/09/06