PrintFDNY Visits Artichoke
And it wasn't for the pie, folks. From reader "RC Pizza":
Adam,
Just wanted to let you know that New York's Bravest were called to Artichoke tonight due to the copious amounts of smoke bellowing out of the storefront at about 8:45 last night. I was standing in line for about 20 minutes when the store suddenly filled up with smoke. It was no doubt due to the liberal throwing of flour directly into the oven to ensure the pizzas didn't stick to the stone. Apparently these guys need to be taught a thing or two, because after you douse an oven with flour, it tends to smoke up. Luckily I got my slices right as the fire trucks pulled up, so I was happy. Anyway, I attached a photo of the firemen [above] scurrying about outside the 'Choke during the melee. Just thought that fire hazards might be of interest to the blog's readership.
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10 Comments:
isn't it 'FDNY'?
doobybrain at 1:16AM on 04/16/08
and isn't it 'pizzas' and not 'pizza's'? My pet peeve = improper use of apostrophes (or is it apostrophe's?).
BrianPrestonCampbell at 9:36AM on 04/16/08
I'm surprised the owners didn't tell them they weren't open yet and to come back in a few hours like they tell every customer.
ESNY1077 at 9:38AM on 04/16/08
GEEZ, folks! Gimme a break. I was up late when I posted this one. Still, it's nice to see someone's reading this site. And I hate spelling, grammar, and style errors as much (if not more) than you do. So thank you for the correx! They've been fixed.
@ESNY: HAH! Snap.
Adam Kuban at 10:07AM on 04/16/08
Is my family alone in having found the pizza (both artichoke and regular slices) awful? Crust was cardboard-like and thick. Toppings were uninteresting with the regular slice being nowhere near as good as at most slice places, certainly not comparable to Bleecker St. pizza or many others downtown that we frequent, and the artichoke topping gooey and sour. We didn't finish either slice and would not return so are puzzled by the other raves.
tsiblis at 12:04PM on 04/16/08
Wow! I was there last night around 9:20, and nary a word about the fire department's visit (though it was smoky). Perhaps that's why there was hardly any line. BTW, I tried all three slices and the Sicilian was my favorite. Yes, the crust was black on the bottom, but it I loved its moist and crisp texture. But is it worth waiting for in a long line? No--but New Yorkers LOVE their lines!
homesicktexan at 12:11PM on 04/16/08
I must take issue, Texan. Ask the people waiting on line if they're native. Chances are, not. We don't even form a line for getting on the bus! (And, unlike the rest of the country, we wait on line, not in it!)
BaHa at 12:29PM on 04/16/08
"Toppings were uninteresting with the regular slice being nowhere near as good as at most slice places, certainly not comparable to Bleecker St. pizza"
Haven't been to Artichoke yet -- it was closed when i first went and last night the line was 25 people deep. But from my observations, it looked like people were having fun waiting on line (singing along to the music - Stones, Cheap Trick, Sinatra). I kept seeing people walk out of the store with pizza in their hands; nodding and saying "yumm" with each bite. So all the blog buzz, NY Mag, Slice hype aside....I think seeing people's reactions is an even better measure of the food.
But I have been to Bleeker Street Pizza (and reviewed it on Yelp) -- that pizza is WAY overrated. Crisp my @ss! The nonna maria was too crisp it broke apart when folded!
Will try to make it to Artichoke this weekend and will report in. But reading the Yelp boards and other blogs -- seems people are really into the experience. Toppings? I thought they only serve 3 pies and no toppings except cheese?
Some dude even filmed having a broccoli rabe sandwich from Artichoke. http://moourl.com/rabewich
All comments about the queue aside, isn't the point of being a true Noo Yawker is to find ways to get around the line (go at off-times, get chummy with the people behind the counter, etc), rather than wait in it?
clarence at 10:01PM on 04/17/08
If all they can do is make one pie at a time for the 30 minute long line of people, why are they even open to the public yet? I waited THIRTY full minutes and when I got to the front was told it would be another 10 minutes for a slice of whatever was coming out. Insanity. I will never return. Being a New Yorker I should have known better.
Mahogany at 8:39PM on 04/18/08
>>> certainly not comparable to Bleecker St. pizza or many others downtown that we frequent, and the artichoke topping gooey and sour.
Any hype whatsoever about Bleecker Street Pizza needs to die. Its one real claim to fame was a feature on Food Network, therefore people think it's great.
It's fine for just a slice, but why ever go there when Joe's is three blocks away?
NYCviaRachel at 3:06AM on 04/23/08