PrintThe Best Grandma Slice in New York?
Ladies and gents, Slice's favorite drive-by pizza reviewer is back after a long absence. That's right, DJ Bubbles, whose credentials are best explained by the man himself in his message below, has resurfaced with the following email, to which he attached two photos—one presumably of himself and the other, I'm guessing, his dog, who I'm going to christen DJ Doggles. Buon appetito! —The Mgmt.
Attenzione, New Yorkers: Slice is in Bubble Trouble again as New York City's number one player hater is back on attack. The primogenitor of the Definitive NYC Top Ten Pizza List (the most commented-on article in Slice's history) has undertaken many exploratory slice walks throughout New York County in search of the borough's best grandma, or nonna, slice. Rest assured, I found it, and it certainly was not the Levine-endorsed Maffei on 22nd Street and Sixth Avenue nor the bootleg hybrid that is Lazzara's pan pie. No, my new No. 1 nonna hosed both of those knockoffs.
All you Upper East Side yuppies need to take your goods to Vinci's on First Avenue (between 61st and 62nd streets) after your weekend jaunts to Bed, Bath, & Beyond for Manhattan's top grandma pie. Starting with a dough that’s chewy and pliant, the bottom has a golden-brown upskirt coming out of their standard Baker's Pride convection oven. No judgments, please.
While the mozz is aged, it's still moist and has just a bit of sharpness that provides a strong contrast with the smattering of tomato sauce. The sauce is the real star here, as you can taste its sweetness in concert with a subtle tang that lets you know what you're dealing with here—a real pedigree. Dare I say Vinci's sauce is cut with a couple San Marzanos for good measure? It sure tastes like it. To top it off, they throw on some chopped garlic that is baked in with the pie—great touch. Both times I've tried this stuff, I grabbed a reheated slice and knew that this was something to write Slice about. Having a slice right out of the oven would be out of this world—talk about really taking Maffei to school.
As an aside, the good DJ is still looking forward to an evening of pie-tasting with da Slice boyz, and I don't just mean my main man and fellow Syracuse alum, Seltzerbomb, but also Adam "AK-47" Kuban and former New York Times stalwart Fred Levine. Guys, come strong, have a take, and don't suck. PEACE!
—Bubbles out!
P.S., My next article will focus on my recent trip to Naples, where several of Fred's favorites, including Ristorante L'Europeo's "Margherita" (although, it should probably be reclassified as a "Filetti," per Anthony Mangieri's menu autentico, right Fred?) were put to the test and, once again, bested by a find of my own—the good 'ol Buffalo Brothers (Fratelli e Bufala). I spit hot fire!
Vinci's
Address: 1122 First Avenue, New York NY 10021 [map]
Phone: 212-751-1122
More Dispatches from the Bubbster
DJ Bubbles Wishes You a Happy New Year
A Sunday Night Slice Walk
Vezzo, the DJ Bubbles Drive-By
Isabella's Oven, The DJ Bubbles Drive-By
The Syracuse Pizza Manifesto
From the Mailbag: 'The Definitive Top 10 List'
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it pleasant. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
3 Comments:
my personal favorite grandma slice is from driggs pizza (on driggs near n7. my italian boyfriend swears by it, it's just like his grandma used to make.
j at 6:38PM on 07/30/07
Dude that used to be my weekly slice joint when I lived on 62nd in the early 90's. It must have changed hands a few times since then because I certainly don't remember any Grandma slices in that greasy joint back then.
BrianPrestonCampbell at 8:38PM on 07/31/07
Brian: Could be that they added it since then. The grandma slice/pie phenomenon in the five boros has taken off in the last couple of years. Used to be more a Long Island thing before that.
Adam Kuban at 11:39AM on 08/01/07