When it rains, it pours. Soon after getting a quick rundown on Seattle's new Delancey pizzeria, we received the following field report from Natalie Broulette (aka The Soho). Have at it! —The Mgmt.
Words by Natalie Broulette | As an adopted New Yorker who moved to Seattle a little more than two years ago, I've learned that great pizza in Seattle is about as hard to come by as bad pizza in New York. I know Northwesterners are sick and tired of East Coasters coming in and knocking their cuisine, and I don't mean to say there isn't good pizza here. Tom Douglas's Serious Pie is a contender, Tutta Bella serves up noble Neapolitan, and even local chain Pagliacci has its charm. But for me, none possess the, let's call it "cravibility" of New York pizza.
The much-buzzed-about restaurant became the Great Pizza Hope of Seattle long before its doors even opened. Why? Because the pair behind the operation is food-focused author and Orangette blogger Molly Wizenberg and her husband, Brandon Pettit, a composer turned chef, formerly of New York. Thanks to Wizenberg's blog entries tracking the restaurant's progress and Pettit's loyal Twitter following, Seattleites have long been rooting for this little venture/experiment to succeed. Fortunately, it does.
Named for Pettit's favorite subway stop in New York City, Delancey is tucked away in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood among residences, a bakery, and a yoga studio. The space manages to be both modern and homey in its minimalism. The light fixtures are refurbished and handmade, the chairs are mismatched, and the tables consist of concrete poured into metal frames. But the centerpiece of Delancey, or of any great pizza place for that matter, is the oven, which summons you in from the sidewalk.
After sampling the country's best pizza, including Di Fara in Brooklyn and Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, Pettit went about formulating his own dough recipe and building the wood-fired oven. His research paid off. Delancey's crust is thin, chewy, and lumpy in all the right places with those telltale black bubbles around the edges.
I once shared a pizza with a Seattleite who refused to partake because the crust was "burnt." People like this probably won't care much for Delancey's Neapolitan-style pizza, and God help them. The rest of us can rejoice in the Napoli-meets–New York–meets-Northwest blend of influences and ingredients that really makes Delancey shine. Thankfully, this doesn't equate to salmon or geoduck pies on the menu, but rather locally grown, traditional ingredients—down to the Northwest-milled flour—prepared with old-school technique.
I sampled an extra-cheesy Margherita pizza called the Brooklyn that was a pleasing lesson in the basics. The tomato sauce possessed a certain sweetness, and the fresh herbs weren't tampered with. Each slice was rich and cheesy with its trifecta of grana padano and both fresh and aged mozzarella. I also tried the Padron, the same faultless building blocks topped with roasted padron chilies. Each pizza on the menu is intended to highlight a few key ingredients—thyme and crimini mushrooms in one case, zucchini and anchovies in another.
In similar fashion, the appetizers—cured meats and simple salads—are all about clean and basic flavors. One starter called Billy's tomatoes featured generous slices of the red pseudo-fruit piled with white corn and basil and perfectly dressed in a shallot vinaigrette. It was unfussy and delicious.
And dessert, typically a throwaway at a pizza joint, was an unexpected highlight. Unable to choose just one, I had a bittersweet chocolate chip cookie with gray salt and chilled peaches in wine. The cookie was crunchy on the outside and bursting with gooey chocolate on the inside. The white wine-soaked peaches were sophisticated and delicate, and the remnant alcohol was positively ambrosial. No chewy, toothache-inducing pizookies here.
There's not even a sign on the door yet, but Delancey has proven to be traditional yet inventive, modern yet unpretentious, and certainly worthy of the hype. It seems we've gotten the best of both coasts. I imagine the place will garner a loyal following, and two-hour weekend wait times will become the norm. I advise going early and often, or whenever the craving strikes.
It only took a couple of visits for Delancey to become my favorite restaurant in Seattle. I now long to try the places that Pettit went to across the country. Natalie's right about the desserts. When I go to Delancey, I tell my fellow hungry people in line to save room for dessert. The entire experience of dining there could not be better. I'm going as often as I can before the national reviews start pouring in and the wait becomes like it is in Phoenix for Bianco's joint.
"I've learned that great pizza in Seattle is about as hard to come by as bad pizza in New York." I almost stopped reading at this point....their is ALOT of bad pizza in New York....ALOT. For every DiFara, Luzzo's, Patsy's, etc... their are 20 bad places. I think Seattle might be one of the better pizza places in the country, maybe top 3 with Delancey, Pucinella, Picolino, Serious Pie, A bunch of Via Tribunali, and Tutta Bella. I think maybe the strongest pizza city on the west coast....including overrated San Francisco.
Not to be negative, but why are there pizza bubbles on their pies? They are burnt bubbles so that just tells me that they only check on the pizza once before taking it out. Even Domino's pops their bubbles. We don't have that in NJ/NYC Neapolitan pies.
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And dessert, typically a throwaway at a pizza joint, was an unexpected highlight. Unable to choose just one, I had a bittersweet chocolate chip cookie with gray salt and chilled peaches in wine. The cookie was crunchy on the outside and bursting with gooey chocolate on the inside. The white wine-soaked peaches were sophisticated and delicate, and the remnant alcohol was positively ambrosial. No chewy, toothache-inducing pizookies here. 
4 Comments:
It only took a couple of visits for Delancey to become my favorite restaurant in Seattle. I now long to try the places that Pettit went to across the country. Natalie's right about the desserts. When I go to Delancey, I tell my fellow hungry people in line to save room for dessert. The entire experience of dining there could not be better. I'm going as often as I can before the national reviews start pouring in and the wait becomes like it is in Phoenix for Bianco's joint.
A few photos from my visits to Delancey :)
suomynona at 1:45PM on 08/31/09
"I've learned that great pizza in Seattle is about as hard to come by as bad pizza in New York." I almost stopped reading at this point....their is ALOT of bad pizza in New York....ALOT. For every DiFara, Luzzo's, Patsy's, etc... their are 20 bad places. I think Seattle might be one of the better pizza places in the country, maybe top 3 with Delancey, Pucinella, Picolino, Serious Pie, A bunch of Via Tribunali, and Tutta Bella. I think maybe the strongest pizza city on the west coast....including overrated San Francisco.
othafa9 at 7:33PM on 09/01/09
Not to be negative, but why are there pizza bubbles on their pies? They are burnt bubbles so that just tells me that they only check on the pizza once before taking it out. Even Domino's pops their bubbles. We don't have that in NJ/NYC Neapolitan pies.
cervantes008 at 4:49PM on 09/10/09
Sorry to burst your bubble cervantes008,but I don't think you have eaten any good NJ/NYC Neapolitan.Bubbles like that are admired and desired IMO.
seriouspizza at 2:07AM on 09/12/09