A New Year always brings about the opportunity for renewed optimism and reconciliation. It's a time to set new goals and get your priorities in order. As I was walking down Second Avenue, I decided I had two New Year's resolutions: I wanted to be healthier in 2008, and I wanted to try the remaining pizza joints in Manhattan that I hadn't already hit. I know, I'm kinda setting myself up to fail the first resolution if I am successful with the second. At any rate, it was with that spirit that I decided to grant a temporary Bubble amnesty to the Abitino's on 39th and Second Avenue, despite its recent transgressions.
As many of you know, Abitino's is a chain pizzeria (instinctive suspicion should immediately arise in all of you) that took over the space that the former Joe's pizzeria once inhabited on the corner of Bleecker and Carmine in the West Village. Sure, there is still a Joe's on Carmine Street, but those in the know always felt that their corner joint cranked out the better pies. Since then, I've always held a certain level of disdain for all things Abitino, and there are more of them now than ever before. As I peeped inside this Abitino's window to get a look at its plain slice pie, things looked safe enough for me to continue my mission and head in. I may have been in the mood to grant second chances on New Year's Day, but I certainly am not granting a total reprieve to any NYPie poseurs: you have to earn your stripes in this town (and on this website, for that matter)!
From the looks of their pizzaiolos, these guys had done just that. Their top pie man was a grizzled veteran who just happened to be pulling out a terrific-looking fresh mozz and sausage pie as I stepped up to the order box. Too bad it was going to be delivered, I would've housed a couple of those slices. But no, I was there to do my job, and that was to report objectively to the New York pie public by trying a plain slice. As I gave my order to the second-in-command, I was immediately concerned, as he was certainly either hungover or stoned. It was New Year's, though, so I guess that was pretty much to be expected. However, that behavior can lead to slice indifference, which can only mean one thing—an over-reheat!
Every New Yorker knows what I mean when I say that—the pie man is either too busy or too lazy to take the slice out of the oven after an adequate amount of time and the slice ends up being blazing hot and burnt. That's never a good thing, and I oftentimes make a point of telling the pieman reheating my slice to make it short and sweet. For obvious reasons, though, I knew that this guy wasn't really hearing me no matter what I said. Sometimes you just gotta let it ride, right?
I actually lucked out—the slice came out really warm, but not too hot—I was good to go. I took my slice and dressed it with a little garlic powder and parm. I checked the upskirt (above)—some nice brown char, a pleasant surprise considering their standard gas oven. You guys all know my mantra for slice greatness: balance. The large amount of cheese had me concerned. It didn't help matters that it looked like the aged mozz was on the greasy side but, again, this joint came correct—the cheese was a little salty but all together quite good. Although, the sauce wasn't made with San Marzanos, they did use a good blend of sweet plum tomatoes, and it didn't really taste like they added a bunch of sugar (another violation of the Bubbles pie code). To top it all off, the crust, although thin, held everything together nicely and had a chewy interior.
Needless to say, I was fairly impressed. Although I can't speak to the quality of other Abitino's, this was a good New York street slice—certainly better than anything you could find at a random Ray's. For you Murray Hillers out there, I'd put it on par with Libretto's. The guys at the 39th and Second Avenue Abitino's had started off 2008 the best way they could, hungover or otherwise—by turning a one-time hater into a repeat customer.
Until next time, Bubbles out!
Abitino's
Address: 733 Second Avenue, New York NY 10016 (39th Street, Murray Hill; map) Phone: 212-661-1919 Website:abitinospizza.com
Man, Bubbles, I never thought I'd see Abitino's get raves on Slice. But I know your motto is "I call 'em as I see 'em," so I'll have to trust you on this one.
The one on Bleecker closed recently -- late last year. I think I have pix of the shuttered location. Probably couldn't hack the rent there, which is why Joe's moved out.
It's not too far from Adrienne's. I've only had the plain slices from there but they are really good. I'd say the best downtown. They have "grandma" style slices also, which are supposed to be good. If you go, get a cannoli. They're homemade and outstanding.
I'm not sure I agree about Pizza Italia -- standard pizzeria fare, a decent grandma slice but too much cheese on everything. I work in the neighborhood and never thought they were anything special. In this area, I'm partial to Grotto on New street (not counting Adrienne's since they are a different animal). They make a nice balanced slice that often has a little char. Their Tuesday special (two slices and a soda for $4) is a tradition in my office.
we had an abatinos briefly on the UWS. it's already mysteriously changed name to pizza paradise or something lame like that. I guess lame slice, lame name.
Harrison, that's a lame cop out. Come on now, people in NY never root for a chain to succeed and neither do I, but there are far worse slices in the city. Aside from a handful of joints (joe's, sal and carmine's, patsy's east harlem, NOT Pizza Suprema.....AK 47 and Fred), you aren't going to walk into too many Manhattan joints and get an amazing slice. If you're lucky, you'll get something solid - decent ingredients, good balance, and crisp crust - that, hopefully, hasn't been sitting around too long....that's the state of the slice in Manhattan as I see it.
Agreed. We have enough C+/B- slices around that we don't need a C-! Besides they lost points with me when I saw the counter guy spraying the windex all over inside without removing the pies!
I don't know if it's really a C-, homeboy. I will say that I had libretto's and it is for lunch today right when they opened and it was an entirely different pie - it is better than abitino's and that was my mistake to put them on par with each other. In my defense, though, libretto's are a consistent B- on a weeknight around 8. Just a stale slice with good (not great) ingredients that's been lying around for 45 min or so, nothing more, nothing less. But coming fresh out of the oven and a one minute reheat, you're talking B+ territory. The crust has a small snap but its interior is just so much more agreeable - chewy, pliant, and fresh. Dress it up with a little garlic powder and parm (almost every slice in the city could benefit from that - very few can stand on their own), and you're good to go, son!
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A New Year always brings about the opportunity for renewed optimism and reconciliation. It's a time to set new goals and get your priorities in order. As I was walking down Second Avenue, I decided I had two New Year's resolutions: I wanted to be healthier in 2008, and I wanted to try the remaining pizza joints in Manhattan that I hadn't already hit. I know, I'm kinda setting myself up to fail the first resolution if I am successful with the second. At any rate, it was with that spirit that I decided to grant a temporary Bubble amnesty to the Abitino's on 39th and Second Avenue, despite its recent transgressions.
7 Comments:
Man, Bubbles, I never thought I'd see Abitino's get raves on Slice. But I know your motto is "I call 'em as I see 'em," so I'll have to trust you on this one.
The one on Bleecker closed recently -- late last year. I think I have pix of the shuttered location. Probably couldn't hack the rent there, which is why Joe's moved out.
Adam Kuban at 4:49PM on 01/15/08
You guys should try Pizza Italia on Stone St. downtown.
http://www.menupages.com/restaurantdetails.asp?areaid=0&restaurantid=2172&neighborhoodid=0&cuisineid=0
It's not too far from Adrienne's. I've only had the plain slices from there but they are really good. I'd say the best downtown. They have "grandma" style slices also, which are supposed to be good. If you go, get a cannoli. They're homemade and outstanding.
BigAl72 at 6:16PM on 01/15/08
I'm not sure I agree about Pizza Italia -- standard pizzeria fare, a decent grandma slice but too much cheese on everything. I work in the neighborhood and never thought they were anything special. In this area, I'm partial to Grotto on New street (not counting Adrienne's since they are a different animal). They make a nice balanced slice that often has a little char. Their Tuesday special (two slices and a soda for $4) is a tradition in my office.
sloppy at 12:27PM on 01/16/08
we had an abatinos briefly on the UWS. it's already mysteriously changed name to pizza paradise or something lame like that. I guess lame slice, lame name.
harrison at 4:55PM on 01/17/08
Harrison, that's a lame cop out. Come on now, people in NY never root for a chain to succeed and neither do I, but there are far worse slices in the city. Aside from a handful of joints (joe's, sal and carmine's, patsy's east harlem, NOT Pizza Suprema.....AK 47 and Fred), you aren't going to walk into too many Manhattan joints and get an amazing slice. If you're lucky, you'll get something solid - decent ingredients, good balance, and crisp crust - that, hopefully, hasn't been sitting around too long....that's the state of the slice in Manhattan as I see it.
DJ_Bubbles at 11:46AM on 01/18/08
Agreed. We have enough C+/B- slices around that we don't need a C-! Besides they lost points with me when I saw the counter guy spraying the windex all over inside without removing the pies!
harrison at 5:41PM on 01/24/08
I don't know if it's really a C-, homeboy. I will say that I had libretto's and it is for lunch today right when they opened and it was an entirely different pie - it is better than abitino's and that was my mistake to put them on par with each other. In my defense, though, libretto's are a consistent B- on a weeknight around 8. Just a stale slice with good (not great) ingredients that's been lying around for 45 min or so, nothing more, nothing less. But coming fresh out of the oven and a one minute reheat, you're talking B+ territory. The crust has a small snap but its interior is just so much more agreeable - chewy, pliant, and fresh. Dress it up with a little garlic powder and parm (almost every slice in the city could benefit from that - very few can stand on their own), and you're good to go, son!
DJ_Bubbles at 6:12PM on 01/24/08