Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got, um, a question I can't answer because I've never been to Rome. Anyone out there wanna chime in? —The Mgmt.
Hello,
What does a pizza cost in rome? I need a little help/direction before I can start. Any nuggets of wisdom would be absolutely great and very much appreciated. Please help. Thank you for your help.Warmest Regards,
Janet
I received this interesting query a couple weeks ago and thought I'd share it with you. It involves word nerdery, which is a small interest of mine. Also—sorry for the slowness here this week. I've been on vacation this week. I'm in Wildwood, New Jersey. Haven't eaten much pizza—just did Sam's Pizza a couple times. OK. Back to the show. —The Mgmt.
From Sabella Pizza in Park Slope.
Barry Popik (barrypopik.com) referred me to you after I sent him this inquiry:
> Any sense of what the more common [term] is in the NYC area to describe a slice of pizza with no toppings (other than cheese): a "regular" slice or a "plain" slice? I checked the 4 relevant take-out menus I have, and saw two uses of each.
Mr. Popik's replied:
> PLAIN SLICE + PIZZA--13,300 Google hits
> REGULAR SLICE + PIZZA--7.060 Google hits
> CHEESE SLICE + PIZZA--25,200 Google hits
> PLAIN SLICE + PIZZA + BROOKLYN--710 Google hits
> REGULAR SLICE + PIZZA + BROOKLYN--864 Google hits
> CHEESE SLICE + PIZZA + BROOKLYN--1,101 Google hits
> ...
> I haven't studied this. Maybe you should ask the guy at the "Slice" pizza blog (slice.seriouseats.com).
> ...
> "Slice" (or "cheese slice") implies a plain/regular slice. That's what most people say.
> ...
> I prefer saying "plain" over "regular" -- "regular" is for the size of a pizza pie (regular, large, extra large). However, many restaurants use the word "regular" instead of "plain" because "plain" sounds drab for a slice. For a whole pie, "Pizza Margherita" is substituted for "plain pie."Note: I thought I was leaning towards "plain slice" -- but now, after thinking too much, I'm not sure.
Any thoughts appreciated -- because, surely, this is important stuff.
—David D.
Williamsburg, Bkln
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got some intel from Australia. —The Mgmt.
Best,
Lynda W.
Related
Pizza e Birra [Sydney Morning Herald]
Pizza e Birra bumps off an old friend [Tomato]
Pizza e Birra [Time Out Sydney]
The pizza challenge! First stop: Pizza e Birra [Foraging Otaku]
Top 10 Pizzas in Sydney [Put It in Your Mouth]
Good Pizza Is Hard to Find in Sydney [Anthony Bosco's Weblog]
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, some pizza-school intel. —The Mgmt.
I know there was a post a long time ago about the International School of Pizza, but today I saw an article in the digital zine Thrillist SF, and it seems the school is up and running—and has a nice little website: internationalschoolofpizza.comJust sharing. Might be worth posting now that it's open and accepting students.
—Jeffrey
1570 Stockton Street, San Francisco CA 94133 (at Union Street; map)
415-835-9888
internationalschoolofpizza.com
Editor's note: Mark H. (aka Famdoc), is back with another field report. You may be familiar with Mark's dispatches from the Reykjavik Pizza Company in Reykjavik, Iceland; Jule's Thin Crust in Bucks County, Pennsylvania; and the Kula Lodge on Maui. Here, word on upcoming locations of Frank Pepe's —The Mgmt.
On our way back from picking our daughter up from school in Boston (the more you pay for tuition, the less school they actually provide), we stopped in New Haven for our favorite lunch. Having been to Pepe's a few times before, we had hoped to try Sally's, but found it closed. Hours posted in the window are 5PM-11PM only. Our hands were forced: another trip to Frank Pepe's. The line snaked out the door, but we were seated in ten minutes. We ordered three individual pies: tomato/spinach, tomato/mozz and clam.All were delivered in fifteen minutes. All had delightfully crisp crust, with just the right amount of char. Unfortunately, I found the tomato sauce a bit bland and the ratio of cheese to sauce on the tomato/mozz to be tipped to far in the direction of the mozz. The clam pie was loaded with garlicky/salty clam chunks.
We took a few slices home in the famous Frank Pepe box and noticed that the box was now emblazoned with the news that Pepe was opening two more outlets, adding to its original New Haven and more recent Manchester and Fairfield locations: they're opening one at the Mohegan Sun Casino in a few months and one in Yonkers, NY a few months later.
A veritable Neopolitan Pizza empire on the rise.
—MH
Looks like the Jonas Brothers pizza video post started a cascade of email. —The Mgmt.
Adam,
Although the packaging by Horse the Band was fairly enjoyable, it was sorta already done years ago by Gainesville, Florida's Less Than Jake.The record was called Rock and Roll Pizzeria. It was put out by No Idea Records and came in a hand-silk-screened pizza box with a magnet, guest check, and menu.
Around 1996.
Just a heads up.
—James
I knew I was going to get some crap about the Jonas Brothers post from yesterday morning. Slicester Josh G. writes in with this. —The Mgmt.
Photograph from Talk About the Passion
If you're going to have The Jonas Brothers showing up on your blog, you should also know about the Pizza EP by Horse the Band.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizza_(EP)
I purchased the record when it came out because the packaging is awesome. It comes in a pizza box, looks like a pizza, and there were coupons and even one of those table things that keeps the cheese from sticking to the box.
http://www.tatp.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/horsethebandpizza.jpg
Thanks,
Josh
Clicking in to the Slice inbox this morning, we've got a dispatch from the front lines of the mechpizza wars. It comes to use from Dustin M., who has written for us about the Flatbread Company in Maine and Aperitivo in Midtown Manhattan. —The Mgmt.
Photograph from Eric Neely's Chuck E.'s photo series
Hey Adam,
Here is my true pizza confession from this past weekend...
So I'm driving along the Bully (usually reserved for Queens Boulevard, but whatever), when I notice a sign that I knew quite well growing up. It was a Chuck E. Cheese's. Boom. Bamn. Thank you Ma'am.
I remember their pizza very fondly and always had a thing for their sweet sauce. I was genuinely excited about my little adventure, completely ignoring the fact that I was about to walk into a Chuck E. Cheese's as a single 29-year-old man with no children with him whatsoever. I have no doubts that security was watching me from the moment I stepped in there.
Clicking in to the Slice inbox last night, I found this great response to the Domino's debacle from Philip G., who comments here as Prairie. It's a great message and reminds me that I probably was a little harsh in my rant the other day. Take it away, Philip! —The Mgmt.
Photographs courtesy of Philip G.
Adam,
It's been a long day. Like most days at the restaurant it was a 12+ hour, action packed, pizza filled day. I've been thinking a lot about the Domino's business. Internet-wide people have started to raise the torches to tear down big chain and mass produced pizza. I get it. I really, really get it. I manage a pizza buffet, old friend, and though we are small company (six locations) we are harmed by any bad exposure that a pizza place gets. A lady just today asked me (very angrily)why my pizza guy wasn't wearing gloves...a long discussion for another day.
When I started here in 2008 I knew that it was a change from what I was used to cooking at home and eating. Like Domino's, Pizza Hut, and Papa John's the pizza that we serve at my restaurant isn't New York Style, Neopolitan, or anything close to it. It is American Pizza. It is a well produced and easily defined style....and people like it. Lots of them! As GM of the restaurant I am responsible for making people happy. They give me money, sure, but more importantly they trust me and my team to serve them hot, fresh, and delicious food. The customers rely on us and their trust is very important to me AND my employees.
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got a great piece of pizza TV intel from Tony Muia, the proprietor of the Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour.
I just wanted to give you a heads-up about an episode I taped for the Food Network's Food Detectives, hosted by Ted Allen. The episode tried to disprove the idea that NYC water is what makes NYC pizza so great. They had John LaFemina, the chef from Apizz in Manhattan, make dough with water from NYC, Chicago, and L.A. I was one of the judges, along with Mario Cantone, Joey Ciolli from Grimaldi's in Arizona and John, the chef at Apizz.
It's interesting to note that Joey Ciolli actually has a machine at the Grimaldi's in Chandler, Arizona, which I've seen, that turns Arizona water into NYC water. He actually talks about it in the episode.
The problem is that the show aired last night at 9 p.m. and then at midnight, but the Food Network didn't bother to tell any of us who were on the show. Some of us saw it and some of us didn't. Anyway, they're repeating it again this coming Sunday at 4 p.m. on the Food Network, so keep an eye out for it.
Take care,
Tony
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got ...
Adam,
Went to Kesté last night and had a very, very satisfying meal. The place was packed, but we were able to get a table for four after less than 30 minutes. It seemed like every Italian-speaking New Yorker was eating there. Anyway, after having gone to Co. twice, most recently on Saturday, I think I can say Kesté is far better—in terms of value, authenticity (though I realize that's not quite what Jim Lahey is after), and taste. Despite being a bona fide pizza fiend, I could not finish my Margherita at Kesté, which is priced at a very reasonable $12 (albeit, this is after also getting to taste a slice of the PHENOMENAL "pizza del re"). I hope they do well, and I think it deserves a spot in the upper echelon of Neapolitan pizzerias.
Faithful reader,
Justin
Related
Kesté Pizza & Vino: What You Can Expect
First Taste: A Gallery of Co. Company Pizza
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got an awesome piece of intel on Staten Island pizza.
Hey Adam,
As a Staten Island resident for all of my life, I thought I could give you some insight on the places i've been to, as well as a new place that seems undiscovered, but in my opinion, has better pizza than Joe & Pats and definitely Nunzio's.
First, you have to understand my reasons for e-mailing you. I am a college student in my first year at Loyola College in Maryland, and cannot go without pizza. If you could, foward me some suggestions to pizza down here in Baltimore that is similar to NYC pizza because my roommate (who is from Queens) and I are HURTING. While I may have told my parents I wanted to see my brother's play, I made a trip last weekend back just because I needed some EDIBLE pizza in my system. Most of the stuff my roommate and I have tried down here is just thick crust, tons of bad cheese garbage. So once again, if you know of anywhere down in Baltimore that would have similar pizza to NYC pizza, please point me in that irection.
Now for some opinions on the current state of pizza in Staten Island: [After the jump.]
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got ...
Hey Adam,
So every year we travel to the Catskills, and I was looking for a new place to stay, and check out what I stumbled upon. Looks like we have a winner!
—Chris
----------------------------
Dear Chris,
I hope you booked this place already. Because a legion of hungry, pizza-mad, vacation-needing Slice readers now know about it. ;)
Hasta la pizza,
Adam
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got some quick tips from Mark H. (aka famdoc).
In the past week, I've had the opportunity to enjoy two fine variations on the concept of pizza.
At Nizza, in the Theater District, I enjoyed a fine version of socca, a snack found commonly around the city of Nice in the South of France (also known as farinata in the region around Genoa in Italy), made with chickpea flour. Nizza: 630 Ninth Avenue, New York NY 10036 (b/n 44th and 45th; map); 212-956-1800
At Moustache in Lambertville, New Jersey, we had what might be the finest zatter bread served in the U.S. A blend of herbs, sesame seeds, and olive oil spread over a pizza crust, it was a perfect starter to a fine Middle Eastern meal. Moustache: 77 South Union Street, Lambertville NJ 08530 (map); 609-397-7777
Thought I'd pass these recs on to fellow slice fans.
—Mark
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got ... oh boy.
Repeat nonfatal shootings (of the same man) outside a pizza place. Talk about dedication to your favorite slice!
Love the site, as a denver transplant from ny, your blog lets me live vicariously (and jealously) through all the great pizzas you are privy to.
Thanks,
Rachel
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got ...
GenealogyBank.com (a subscription service) has been adding the Boston Journal. I went through it and found the following long, interesting article [subscription required] on pizza, from 1903. This is two years before Lombardi's establishment opened on Spring Street in New York City, the so-called first pizzeria in America.
A similar, 1905 article from the New York Sun about pizza on Spring Street is on the Library of Congress website, FYI. Both articles spell it pizze.
P. S.: I just added a post on Pizza Margherita.
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got a question that Slice readers might be able to help with.
Photograph from Nick Sherman of Pizza Rules! (Confidential to Nick: Are you still updating your site? Pizzadom misses you!)
Hey Adam,
There's a Two Boots opening up in Los Angeles in January, and I'd like to know if I should be even remotely excited. As of now, I am not. I've read a mix of good and bad, but I'm coming to you for the truth.
New York Pizza Tour 2 is slowly getting hashed out on this end. I'll hit you up for another round of your patented gems when we get closer.
Hope all is well.
—Lance
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got some intel on Aperitivo in Midtown from Dustin, who checked in in early October with some dirt on Flatbread Co. in Maine. Enjoy. —The Mgmt.
Ahoy Adam!
Hope all has been well with you these days. Big downer about Co., right? Well at least for those of us who have yet to try it anyway :)
780 Third Avenue, New York NY 10017 (b/n 48th and 49th street; map); 212-758-9402
Anyhoo, since I first read about Aperitivo (the new brick-oven spot in Midtown) on Eater about 2 weeks ago, I have been eagerly awaiting somebody (nudge nudge) to review it, so that I knew whether it was worth dropping slightly over $20 for a pie.
My main reason being is that I work so close to it and Midtown East kind of struggles with good pizza joints (sans Naples 45). So after much googling and continually coming up empty, I said screw it and just went myself (along with the wonderful ladyfriend who I have not ordered to do anything since that day at Flatbread Company up in Maine). And, boy, am I glad we didn't wait any longer!
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got some scholarly research to delve into. (Emphasis mine.) ...
I'm in the American Studies graduate program at Penn State-Harrisburg. A link on your blog about Northeastern Pennsylvania being the Pizza Capital of the U.S. led me to a short research paper last spring, so I thought I'd share it. Most of this is nothing new to you experts, but you may find some of the info I found in mid-century city directories interesting.
—Tim
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got ...
Saw this stupid thing in the paper this morning and had to send it to you. Sorry about the cheap-o scan.
Hope you dudes are doin good,
Andy
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got some hot, exotic pizza action from Thailand, courtesy of A Hamburger Today contributor Matty Jacobs. —The Mgmt.
Man, this should really get caught in the spam filter.
Spoiler alert: the pizza was horrible.
More spoilers: I'm going to try to do a burger review for A Hamburger Today from Thailand. Mike's Burgers is apparently the best burgers in all of Thailand. We shall see.
—Matty
On Wednesday, we had to bring out the truth hammer and give Vice magazine a knock to the skull with it for some wack stuff they'd written in their NYC pizza guide.
Today, friend of Slice Scott "Pizza Tour" Wiener writes with this follow up:
They say Grimaldi's has been one of the best for 1,000,000 years? I understand hyperbole, but it's a common misconception that the spot is one of the oldest in the city. It opened in 1990. Nothing to get all worked up about, but the year puts things into perspective. I was watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 1990. Papa John's was already three years old. My point is, as good as Grimaldi's is, most people don't realize it opened as recently as it did.
Word.
Slice's editor (in striped shirt), at his own make-your-own-pizza birthday, circa 1982.
Dear Slice,
We are looking to throw our little girl a third birthday party at a decent pizza place in Brooklyn or lower Manhattan, where the kids can make their own pies and be involved in the whole process. South Brooklyn was our No. 1 hope, but it's expensive at 10 bucks a head for adults or kids. Was wondering if you knew of any alternatives?
Thanks,
Elliot
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got ...
Dear Slice,
Did any Slice readers get a photo of Lunetta's portable brick oven at the Atlantic Antic on Sunday? They built a brick oven on top of a small trailer and were baking small pizzas. The line was too long so I didn't get to try it, and when I came back to photograph it, they had packed up and left. Any info?
—Andrew M.
P.S. I though at first it was Lucali's, but I swear they had a Lunetta sign up.
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got an awesome, awesome review of Flatbread Company pizza up in Portland, Maine. Thanks to homeslice Dustin for dropping this cheesebomb on us!
Avid fan of Slice here who first off wants to thank you for your daily distracting posts, which most certainly help the work day go by far more easier. The concept of "food porn" always seemed weird to me, but there's no doubt that my addiction to your site (which obviously stems from my addiction to pizza), has enlightened me to understand said concept. And it's come to the point that whenever I eat a really good pizza, the immediate thought process is that I must alert you and all the fellow Slicers out there. And finally, I have found a place that deserves such accolades. So without further ado, let me speak of a wonderfully wonderful place in Portland, Maine, called Flatbread Company.
Location visited: 72 Commercial Street, Portland ME 04101; map); 207-772-8777; flatbreadcompany.com
Pizza style: Artisanal, rustic, sustainorganic pies
Oven type: Wood-burning clay oven
Now, as any food patron will tell you, almost as important as the quality of the food itself is the quality of the preparation, environment, and service. Meaning, if one were to go to a restaurant that is known for great food, if the waiter or waitress is a jerk or if you see bugs all over the place, there's no way you're going to enjoy the meal as much as you would if the environment was friendly and clean.
There's no doubt that psychology pays a huge factor with enjoying anything, and eating pizza is no different. And let me say that Flatbread Company is an excellently run establishment that promotes all locally grown, organic ingredients, combined with a positive and friendly vibe (one might even say a hippie sort of vibe, meant in the whole peace and love sort of way). And these days who isn't a fan of a.) organic b.) locally grown c.) peace and love? Right? ;) Not to mention that the restaurant is located directly on the Portland waterfront, which is quite beautiful.
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got a question about early-morning pizza.
Hey there. I love the Slice blog. Keep up the good work.
I do have a question though. Would you happen to know of anywhere in Manhattan that a decent pizza can be obtained at 6 a.m.? I work from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., but I'm usually up from 3 a.m., so by 6 to 8 a.m. or so I'm ready for "lunch." Even a decent place open by 10 a.m. would be nice.
Thanks in advance,
Drew
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got an email that's been sitting in my tips jar for far too long. Apologies to Kyle, who sent it in, and to you folks reading this. I should have passed this info along sooner.
Hi Adam,
Just wanted to pass along a little article that I saw in the Charlotte Observer regarding a new pizza joint headed by [renown baker and author of American Pie] Peter Reinhart, among others. It looks like it opened up [early September], but I haven't been able to find too much information about it yet. I'd swing by, but unfortunately am located elsewhere in the state. North Carolina is certainly no pizza mecca, but hopefully this place can put Charlotte on the pizza map.
And here's the restaurant's site: dineatpietown.com
—Kyle
710 West Trade Street, Charlotte NC 28202 (map)
704-379-7555
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got some criticism of UPN.
Just had dinner there Sunday evening for the first time. Is that really supposed to be some of the best pizza in New York? Because all three of us were just totally underwhelmed. The crust was tasteless and soggy where it wasn't unpleasantly burned, and except for some nice cherry tomatoes, the toppings were nothing special. My friends were visiting from D.C. and wanted some really great pizza, so we trekked over there at my suggestion. I must admit I was mortified. Yuck!
Thanks for listening,
Cybercita
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got ...
Adam,
I don't know if you've seen Ghostbusters II, but, there's a scene where Dan Ayckroyd's character is discussing what to eat with Harold Ramis's character:
"Chinese?"
"Thai?"
"Na, too spicy."
"Pizza!"
"Thick or thin?"
"Chicago." (Ayckroyd's character).
My question is, in 1989 (or even today), would there have been any place in NYC to get a Chicago style of pizza? I'm thinking that this was Ackryod's little joke on NYC.
Thanks,
Thomas H.
Saline, Michigan
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got ...
Hi Adam,
Avid pizza eater, and Slice reader here. I stumbled upon this secret birthday cake that my girlfriend was trying to hide above the refrigerator last night. Yes, today's my birthday (and, no, this isn't a shameless self-promotion). Instead of angel food or chocolate cake, I'll be eating pizza. Possibly for dinner, too. We're familiar with local pizza spots in San Francisco, but do you have a "must go" for a birthday celebration?
Thanks for your help, and long live pepperoni.
—Chris C.
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got this awesome email from Justin C. in Zambia....
I'm a federal civil servant currently on a four-month detail to Lusaka, Zambia, and until recently I had accepted that I'd be without good pizza during that time. Lusaka is the capital of a very undeveloped country, and the options are very limited even in the city. There are a couple fast-food pizza joints here (South African chain Debonairs and Pizza Inn), but they're terrible.
A couple colleagues recommended I go to Black Knight, a local bakery/coffee shop chain that makes pizza. The location in the Kabulonga neighborhood of Lusaka is the only one offering pizza, so after a few weeks of emptiness in my life, I finally (and skeptically) checked it out.
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got ...
I want to get pizza for lunch for Jaime B.'s going-away party.
Is Waldy's any good? How many people can I feed w/one of his large pies? (Any guesses? I know I can call and ask.)
What about Pizza Suprema—how many can I feed with one of their larges?
I still have horrible memories of my attempt to treat Adam w/pizza from Lazzara’s on his bday at Blueprint, and not having nearly enough food.
Is there anyone else you’d suggest? (Am I too far away from Lazzara’s to ask them to deliver?)
What about "Co.," Adam—any indication that it has actually opened? (I can walk past on my way home, I suppose.)
—Talley
Clicking in to the Slice inbox, we've got this awesome email about making a pizza cake!
Yes, kids, this is a cake!
I wanted to share a story of pizza (and cake) with Slice readers. A few weeks ago, as my boyfriend Jed's birthday was approaching, he decided to plan a party with another friend of ours at her apartment in Manhattan. The invitation promised homemade pizzas by the man himself, and I did not doubt it—Jed is always down for a pizza party. Pizza has actually played a major role in our relationship. I remember one of the first times we hung out involved grabbing a pie at Arturo's on Houston Street. Many more pizza dates followed. For my birthday the following year, he gave me the ultimate pizza present—a round pizza pan, pizza slicer, and pizza cookbook. That winter, we put that gift to use and made many delicious pies. One of my favorites was the half pesto, half tomato-sauce pie that we made using smoked mozzarella.
Clicking in to the Slice inbox we got this bit of intel from Slice reader and frequent commenter Brian Preston-Campbell.
Not sure if anyone else has given you any intel on this, but I was driving back into the city last night and came down Worth Street to turn left onto the Bowery. While I was waiting for my light to change, I noticed that there's a sign in the restaurant window at the corner of Worth and Bowery (in the very heart of Chinatown, mind you) that says, "Coming soon, brick oven pizzeria." I don't have any further details since I was in the car and it was raining heavily at the time. Might be something, who knows.
Regards,
Brian
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got a quick picture from Mark H. ...
Seen outside of Cafe Galleria in Lahaska, Pennsylvania. I presume it's the owner's car. Cannot comment on the quality of the pies, but I've purchased dough from the pizzaiolo here, and he is cheerful and hard-working. —Mark H.
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got a report from the field regarding the Patsy's 60¢ pizza event yesterday.
Hey, Adam,
Hope you are doing well! We went to check out the Patsy's Pizza anniversary last night and when we go there a little after 7 p.m., they had already cut off the line and weren't serving anymore—the angry mob must have broken up shortly before we got there. Eater has a full account of the line cut-off situation. It was a bummer not to get the anniversary deal, especially after treking uptown, but I figure, it was a goodwill promotion and it's not like Patsty's owes me anything. Now, if I had been waiting for three hours in the heat, expecting to be able to order pizza, I probably would have been seriously steamed (and hungry). There are a bunch of pictures from our Patsy's trip in our Flickr.
What did strike me was that the management acted like the promotion had always been set until just 7 p.m., but everything I read said 10 p.m. Some people in line said that previously they had signs up that said until 10 p.m. Were you able to get the promotional pizza?
Take care,
Brownie
I received this intel quite a while back. I'm not even going to say when. Suffice it to say that the gatherer of said intel, science fiction author Diane Duane, emailed me recently to nudge me to publish it. (Apart from sci-fi, fantasy, and TV and film scripts, Diane also writes about food at European Cuisines.) Here it is, Diane, and thanks for the report on one sliver of the Irish pizza scene. —The Mgmt.
A red-onion-and-pepperoni pie at Gotham Cafe in Dublin.
First, a note from a native (though rather displaced) Manhattanite: Love your site.
I note, however, that while your sidebar has listings for other countries, in particular the UK, there's nothing for Ireland. Can I give you a suggestion?
There is at least one reliable New York-thin-crust-style pizza to be had in Dublin city proper. (There are tons of pizzerias, of course, but they tend to go more Continental/Italianate than New York-ish.) It can be found at Independent Pizza Co. in Drumcondra (a near-city-center suburb on the main road leading up toward Dublin Airport) and at Independent's city-center sibling, the Gotham Cafe on South Anne Street (just off the main pedestrian shopping street, Grafton Street).
David and Jackie, the owners, are both Irish but have a great love of the New York end of things, and for the past ten years and more have gone to considerable lengths to produce a pizza that tastes like an upmarket New York slice. (They don't do slices, by the way—it's whole-pie or nothing around here, though the small pie would approximate a couple of New York slices in total area.)
A Gotham Cafe pie with sausage, applewood-smoked cheese, and onion.
Live flame ceramic ovens produce great crusts. Everything hand-shaped, no machines are involved. Good toppings—excellent mozzarella, in particular, from the famous Sheridan's Cheesemongers a few doors down—with a wide range of topping possibilities, including some optional Irish additions you're unlikely to see in New York (applewood-smoked cheese, black pudding, etc).
Just got an email from Rene regarding the mystery that bhavensampat solved this morning. He's super grateful, bhavensampat, and I am too! Thanks for your help. —The Mgmt.
For 60 years all I got was a blank stare and not a word. I was beginning to think I was treading on sacred soil. I think it's a great story and I'm convinced none of the hundreds of pizzas I've tasted compared.
Thanks for your interest. I don't know the name of the 1940 place. It was on the uptown side of 50th Street, just east of Ninth Avenue. Louigino's was on 49th Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues, sometime in the '60s.
—Rene L.
Related: Dear Slice: Can You or Your Readers Tell Me the Name of This Pizzeria?
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got a version of stump the band. Can any of you folks out there help Rene?
I have told my story to dozens of pizza owners and have received no comment, not even a blank stare.
In 1939 or 1940, I was introduced to pizza and became an ardent adherant. For years I traveled extensively and always tasted pizzas everywhere. I must admit that in the last ten years pizza has improved greatly. But my story never aroused a hrumph. Please help me.
About 1960, I visited Louigino's on 49th Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues in Manhattan. After tasting the pizza I called over the owner and told him that after hundreds of pizzas all over the States and Italy, I hadn't tasted one like his since 1939 or '40. He asked me where I had it. I told him on 50th street just off Ninth Avenue. He told me that that was his brother's place. I understand they went back to Italy. I have always hoped someone could tell me about them.
While pizzas have improved greatly, I don't think anyone can beat theirs. Please, please, comment.
—Rene L.
I just discovered the same way Columbus discovered the new world, since really it was there the whole time! Anyway, cool. I love pizza. Though I am pretty married to just getting plain slices. Toppings are for suckers!
But anyway, your site reminds me of my mom's photo obsession: pictures of pizza places. I don't know why, but she always takes photos of pizza signs when she travels. It's gotten to the point that I take them for her when I travel. But so far my favorite was Pizza Doctors in Lacrosse, Wisconsin. I'm not home, so I can't send it, but it's up on my band's Flickr. I don't know if it's still there. I hope it is.
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got ...
Hello,
Love your website. Just made it to Frank Pepe for the first time and thought I'd share.
Drove from New York City to Cape Cod this past Saturday and pulled over in New Haven. Couldn't remember the name of the pizza places in New Haven, so the first cop I saw I asked for directions to "that famous pizza place." He gave me directions to Frank Pepe.
I arrived there at 1:45 p.m., and even though it was 95 and humid, there was a line down the sidewalk. And even though I was alone, I had to wait 20 minutes for a table. I couldn't believe how many people were there. Hello, it's 95 and humid why aren't you all at the beach?
I saw this story on Yahoo! Food and thought that you might be interested. I read this story on the best pizza in america how can you say best in the US when you have not tasted the best you go to popular cities looks like all on the east coast oh ya you may have tried Calf. Well guess what there are 50 states so you should try them all before you say the best in the US Your list of states does not ever include all 50 so how can you say the best. Well open your eyes and look at a map and wow you will discover there is a state called Oregon ........ In Oregon there is the best pizza I have ever had and its at the Flying Pie on SE Stark st. in Portland, Or its not a large place but its the best..... its been there for years and I have taken many of people there that say they have to best in there town then they taste Flying Pie and cant wait to come back oh ya its not cheep. So don't forget your Visa or Master Card... that is if your really into finding the best you will try the best .....
—Maryann
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got ...
I am really disappointed that you haven’t done a review of Amore Pizza in Flushing, Queens. It is in the Pathmark shopping center on Linden Place and the Whitestone Expressway. I have been going there for years and can't believe that you haven’t been there yet. Give it a shot. It is worth the trip.
Thank you,
Mike
Clicking in to the Slice inbox tonight, we've got a field report from Nick "Beef Aficionado" Solares:
The curious tale of Artichoke continues. I walked by today around 12:30 p.m., shutter was up, there was a guy inside, but they were closed—no pizza anywhere in sight. Walked back at 5:30 p.m. and one of those cute little paper-plate signs was posted saying that they would open "for dinner." Walked by again at 9 p.m. and the shutter was down completely. Here's a photo (from my pocketpc/phone, hence the poor quality).
Cheers,
Nick
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got ... an email from a guy in some band or other.
Hi, Adam,
I posted a review of Di Fara's on my band's website, http://site.yeahyeahyeahs.com/, that I thought you would be interested in checking out.
Dom for president!
Best regards,
Brian
The Slice mailbag is bursting at the seams lately. Reaching in today, we've got longtime reader Don Luis, whose geographic location leaves him isolated from pizza and calzones. —The Mgmt.
It's been a while, but I've been working on my pizza and calzone, fine tuning the recipe.
Pizza is not widely available in Puerto Rico, so my only real choice is to make my own. What do you think? http://cocinaluis.blogspot.com/2008/05/calzones.html
Your post on Smitten Kitchen's pizza tips prompted this, and while I agree that you can do all of those things, I don't know why you would. A pizza stone, in particular, makes a world of difference. I've had mine for 20 years, and I think it cost me $20. I leave it in the oven all the time.
I make bread, pizza, or calzone at least once a week, and I used to do it by hand, but my trusty KitchenAid takes a lot of the work out of it. My recipe uses 1 kilogram of flour, and that's a bitch to do by hand.
I use all purpose flour and add vital wheat gluten because I can't get bread flour here. I got this tip from an email exchange with Bob del Grosso, who is very generous with his advice.
—Don Luis
Another one regarding the Sam's post from Monday.
Good morning!
I read your post about Sam's Restaurant. Agree about the pizzas—amazing! You mentioned in your post, six TVs with reeling footage. These are part of Windows Brooklyn, the first-ever show curated like this in Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens. Sam's Restaurant is involved, as well as Margaret Palca Bakes, among many many other stores. There is an installation at Margaret Palca called Eat Your Words. But there are cookies involved.
Just wanted to alert you to this so you could perhaps make readers privy to this information. The artist at Sam's who has the TVs is Stephanie DiGregorio. The work is called Tarantella.
You can find more info and the map of all participating locations at: windowsbrooklyn.com
Thanks for reading and enjoy!
Best,
Andrea Wenglowskyj
Clicking into the Slice mailbag, we've got this nice note, with a great link, from M. W. —The Mgmt.
I’ve been enjoying (and commenting upon) the recent Sam’s post, and thought you might in turn like to see this video. It profiles a few Carroll Gardens establishments, talking with the proprietors, etc. There’s a lot of time devoted to Sam’s, mostly an interview with Louie Migliaccio [the waiter/server/busser/bartender there], but a bit with his father, Mario, who talks about making pizza. There’s also the owner of D'Amico's Coffee. It’s not all pizza- or food-related, but I think the majority is.
--------------------
Dear M. W.,
Thanks for the link! This is a great video. Beautifully produced, with great stories. Really gives you a sense of what the neighborhood used to be like. Again, I'll say it: I'm so glad that Sam's is still kickin' as a reminder of times gone by.
Hasta la pizza,
Adam
You should try the bacon, chicken, chipotle pizza at Waldy's on Sixth Avenue.
—Robby T.
Dear Robby,
I'll try it just for the topping combo, which sounds kind of interesting. Now the crust delivering those toppings ... it needs some work. Waldy's is actually fairly close to the Slice office, but I gave up on it after too many tough-crusted pies. That par-baking thing that they try to sell as a plus on the website ("The crust is par baked ahead of time rather than pre-cooking the entire pizza then reheating it, which creates a uniquely crisp texture") just kills those pies.
But, yeah. I will try it just for the topping combo.
Hasta la pizza,
Adam
Clicking in to the Slice mailbag this morning, I've got this email from Lance R. in L.A. He's asking me for my recs vis à vis his itinerary here in New York City. I've answered him below, but I figured this would be a great question for any opinionated homeslices out there to weigh in on. Please do, and help a brother in pizza out. —The Mgmt.
Alright, Kuban, you gotta help me out.
Like that other person who recommended Bollini's in L.A., I am coming to New York exclusively for food. Four days over the Fourth of July.
I know you get questions like this all the time, and you're probably thinking Read the site or Get Ed's book. I have and I have. And I wrote you a big, food-coma-induced review of Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix that you never put up (probably with good reason), so I've at least tried to give back. But I really need your guidance.
If it was just me it would be all pizza, but I'm married. Here's the schedule:
Friday: Dinner at Babbo
Saturday: NEED PIZZA FOR BREAKFAST AND/OR LUNCH. Una Pizza Napoletana for dinner (have to go for the kinship with Bianco, the master)
Sunday: NEED PIZZA FOR BREAKFAST AND/OR LUNCH. Dinner at Luger's
Monday: Lunch at Jean-Georges. NEED A PIZZA TO END ON; flying out of Newark
I'm in Midtown, so that might be a problem. Brooklyn seems to own. I am thinking Di Fara for sure, but I'm mixed up on the rest. Can you just give me your top three or so? We're literally not doing anything else but eating so traveling isn't a problem.
And just in case anyone writes you for LA pizza advice, here's how it looks:
1. Mozza
2. Vito's on La Cienaga
3. Joe's of Bleeker in Santa Monica
4. Village Pizzeria on Larchmont
5. Casa Bianca in Eagle Rock
That said, I'm going back to Bianco after I get back from NYC because it is the best place on the earth.
Thanks in advance, and I love the blog even I get left hanging.
—Lance
Editor's note: Clicking over to the Slice inbox, we've got this great message and pix. —The Mgmt.
Hi Adam,
I am CaneRosso on Slice, and I thought you might think these photos were cool. I own a pizzeria in Dallas called Campania Pizza, and my wife had a surprise party for my 40th there Saturday night. At any rate, here are a few pics of the cake she had a friend make.
—R.J.
Editor's note: A number of readers have flooded my inbox with reports on Artichoke, a new place on 14th Street in the East Village. —The Mgmt.
First with the word was Eric Miller, who today snapped the pix you see here:
As a pizza enthusiast, I get excited by the mere whispers of a new pizza joint opening up in my neighborhood. In the East Village, we have Vinny Vincenz and Una Pizza, but now it's time for a new slice. For a few weeks now, the buzz has been about Artichoke on 14th Street between First and Second. I tried it last night, and may I say—Manhattan has its Di Fara.
It's a small location without any seating and free—yes, free—bread (cooked on premises) and cauliflower fritters to snack on while you wait (I hate cauliflower with a passion, but these were amazing). And then the pizza comes out bubbling. The sauce is sweet, and the cheese layered on in perfect proportions with an ample amount of char at the bottom for a crisp crunch with every bite. This place is the real deal and with the "traveling beer" in 32-ounce styrofoam cups only two weeks away, it will sure be the talk of pizza town.
Also reporting is homeslice Steven B. His raves and more pix, after the jump.
Reaching into the Slice mailbag ...
Thanks to you and others at Slice for updates on the world's greatest food—pizza Napoletana Margherita. As a frequent visitor to New York City, I have come to love this simple, delicious combination of crust, sauce, cheese and a little basil and olive oil.
I have visited almost all of the noteworthy pizzerias in the five boroughs (see my top five listed below) and am puzzled by the lack of recognition for the original Patsy's on First Avenue between 118th and 119th in East Harlem. I have never been disappointed in a Patsy's pizza, as the coal oven produces the best smoky, crispy, chewy crust and a great balance between flavorful sauce, creamy fresh mozz, and basil on top.
Hey guys, love reading the site, wish I had more independent pizzerias here in the U.K. rather than the same old chains. Still, I’ll be building a wood oven in my garden this year so I’ll have authentic taste.
Anyhow, I think I have found the most disgusting "pizza" yet (if you can call it that)—with a video on how to make it. [Video follows after the jump; warning—it will play automatically. —The Mgmt.] Love to know your thoughts:
http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-pizza-lamb-leg-steaks
Regards,
Matthew P.
Debden, Essex, UK
I took a visit out there last week and spent a considerable amount of time talking to Domenico DeMarco, 71. I was there to investigate the price spike but ended up learning a lot about the 150 or so pizzas he makes a day, such as cooking the pies at 750°F for five minutes; the use of Israeli basil and Italian flour.
But there is one thing I'd like to clear up. DeMarco uses four types of cheeses—not three. There are three types of mozzarella and of course the signature Parmigiano-reggiano he hits every pie with just before serving them.
Anyway, I noticed repeated media accounts of just three cheeses, and I wanted to set the record straight. And one other thing, DeMarco says a slice cost 20¢ when he opened in 1964. A pie cost a buck. Those were the times.
—Adam G.
I am a devoted slice eater and pizza worshiper from Providence, Rhode Island. I am writing to you from the state of Esprito Santo in Brazil.
Before I left for my trip, I had the pleasure of dining at Angela's Coal Fired Pizza in Saugus, Massachusetts (actually, immediately before leaving from JFK, I stopped at L&B Spumoni Gardens, Nathan's, and Di Fara within a two-hour period). Angela's opened in November, I believe. As far as I know, it's the closest coal oven to my Providence home. It may be the only one in Massachusetts as well.
Just got the following email, with the photo at left, from homeslice Philip G.: "I'm inside this place right now.... Will report back."
Fifteen minutes later the photo at right zooms through with the following message: "Typical (and amazing) [New Haven] apizza. Its like Pepe's, minus the shitty wait times." (A photo of Zuppardi's interior follows after the jump.)
Philip G. has provided numerous tips, so much so that I'm going to nickname him "PG Tips." (The Brits and Anglophiles among you will get that.)
Address: 179 Union Avenue, West Haven CT 06516
Phone: 203-934-1949
About your article on regional pizza styles... I don't know if this really rises to the level of "style," but people here in New Mexico eat green chile on their pizza. Most people also dip their pizza in ranch dressing. It's so common that all of the local pizza places serve green chile as a topping, and most have some kind of "green chile and ____" topping selection.
The chile I can deal with, but the ranch dressing thing is vile and wrong (I'm from Chicago, so I have pizza ethics), but I haven't seen it done anywhere else so it may be a "style."
—Stephanie H.
View Slice's Brooklyn Pizza Map »
Not sure if it has popped up on the Slice Radar yet, but this place looks promising:
http://www.robertaspizza.com/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/robertas-pizza-brooklyn
http://bushwickbk.com/archives/259
I am going to check this place out very soon. Since I moved to Bushwick, I've been driving all the way to Fornino [Slice Fornino Archives] to get the real deal.
PS: Here's a report from my friend Jamie: http://theknownuniverse.us/index.php/archives/1998:
The rustic ski-camp feel of the wood paneling under the high loft ceiling, cords of wood stacked near the doorway, long, beer hall style tables, and the smell of burning wood was great, but 40 bucks for a couple of pizzas, including coffee and dessert (no liquor license yet) quickly dashed any illusions of eating there five nights a week. Still, the pizza was great and you certainly can’t beat the convenience, so no complaints from me.
Sitting at the long banquet table next to ours was a guy with a notebook and a camera, taking pictures and scribbling notes for a blog or a newspaper. It led me to do a google search when I got home. Sifting through countless blogs posts and newspaper articles, pro and con, everybody is talking about Bushwick.
I just got this email from my mom, and, boy, did I freak out.
Adam,
Saw this article [below right] in the KC Star on January 6. Looked interesting. Too bad we didn't see this while you were in town. We might try this, but not anytime soon, as you left us with so much pizza in the freezer. Hope the pictures get to you. We had problems trying to figure out the attachment part. Let me know if you get the pictures or not.
—Mom
You don't know how much this hurts, ladies and gents.
Subject: Thanks for the inspiration
After viewing the image on your site a while back of the McDonald's pizza, I forwarded it to my boyfriend for what I thought would be a laugh. He described it as the most amazing thing ever and requested it for his birthday. We did our best to recreate.
—Lisa B.
Hope you're thoroughly glutted on leftover turkey sandwiches at the moment.
Quick question, I was thinking of finally hitting Patsy's this weekend and was wondering if it's worth the trip to the original up in Harlem? I thought all the Patsy's were owned by the same people but I noticed the original isn't listed on their website. So really who else can I turn to with such a pizza conundrum?
Another email from the Slice mailbag. This time from Mark Graban, who built a backyard wood-burning pizza oven at his home in Texas. You'll see why Mark sounds a little miffed. —The Mgmt.
Did you catch the episode of Kitchen Nightmares that featured a restaurant, Sebastian's, in Burbank, California? The idiot running the place had two wood-burning ovens running, and they were just for show. Frozen dough, microwaved crap, it was awful. And, worse, the moron wouldn't take the advice of chef Gordon Ramsay.
You can watch the whole episode online. Or read more on Eater L.A.
—Mark Graban
Editor's note: Digging into the Slice mailbag, we find this dispatch from the (long) front lines at Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix. —The Mgmt.
Line, line. Everywhere a line.
I am a longtime reader of your blog and fellow pizza connoisseur. I wanted to report on my recent experience at Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix.
My parents recently relocated to Phoenix after living in New York and then New Jersey for pretty much their entire lives. Our family has been accustomed to eating some of the nation's best pizza, (Di Fara, Grimaldi's, Patsy's, DeLorenzo's Tomato Pies in Trenton, New Jersey). When we read the reviews here about Chris Bianco and his pizza , we planned an evening out to try these locally famous pies.
What do you know about Pepe's in Park Slope?
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/462495
—Mark H.
Dear Slice,
I was recently turned on to your website and really enjoyed it. I see that you did a decent job mentioning some good Bronx places we frequent, like Louie & Ernie’s, Coals, and Tosca. We live in Pelham Bay, and I am happy to report that we still have a ton of great pizza parlors in our neighborhood. I’m almost afraid to mention this, as I don’t want too many tourists to come and the prices to go up. But really isn’t it a crime not to share the news on great pizza?
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.
Reaching into the Slice mailbag today we find a tasty-looking photo from reader Paul Lang:
Adam,
I'm a fan of the blog and recently went to Europe for a quick trip. In Rome (Trastaverre was the specific neighborhood), my wife and I ate at Taverna della Scala Ristorante. We had a terrific pizza Margherita (photo attached) that had the perfect combination of crisp crust, appropriate amount of cheese, and fresh tomato sauce. Combined with the €9 house wine and a long day of hiking the city, this pizza really hit the spot.
I thought I would send along the pizza experience to contribute to your community. Keep up the great work!
Always,
Paul Lang
Paul,
Thanks so much for the picture and advice. Photos and tips are always welcome so that we may better promote the pizza experience among the all the homeslices out there. It's always good to have one more suggestion for ol' Roma.
Hasta la pizza,
Adam
Taverna della Scala Ristorante
Address: Piazza della Scala 19
This just in from the Slice mailbag, with the subject line "pizza in CT."
Dear Slice,
So, I’m a devoted pizza addict and enjoy your website. I feel compelled to write because everyone loves an underdog and I keep seeing emails posted from people recommending Modern Apizza. Make no mistake, these are people who want to root for the underdog for the sake that they can one day say “I was a fan before they were famous”. There is no comparison to Sally’s (or Pepe’s Clam). Modern produces a nice, fresh, relatively non-distinctive wood-fired pizza. All you can say is it is good, fresh and in any other city would be fantastic. But not in New Haven.
I don’t think you’ve reached there yet and let me tell you, this is not the hidden gem that you’re being promised. It’s good, you’ll eat, but you’ll be left wanting. You’d be better hitting Luna or Harry’s in W. Hartford which is even further than NYC but at least somewhat distinctive.
You are forewarned! J
John
Friend of Slice Fred S., always a good source for humorous pizza or burger news, checks in with this:
Adam,
I assume you saw this morning's amNew York. [The NYPD is suing Florida pizza chain NYPD Pizza for trademark infringement. —Ed.]
The thing I wonder about is why people in the rest of the country always want to associate their food with New York. I’ve seen “New York Style” salad bars all over the place, and once, in Petersburg, Virginia, I saw a peeling painted sign advertising “New York Style Fish Sandwich.” What’s that, do you suppose? I’ve had fish sandwiches in New York and they’re the same as you get everywhere else.
Once in Madison, Wisconsin, [NAME REDACTED] and I (in town for a convention) went into a pizzeria that offered a choice of regular or “New York Style” pizza. [NAME REDACTED] asked the guy what New York Style was, and he said, "It's the same as regular, except ruder. We tell you to take your pizza and get the hell out.” I have to admit, those folks in the heartland sure do get off a good zinger every now and then.
--F.S.
P.S. In amNew York see also page 33, which has blurbs about Five Guys and Cascarino's as part of a College Point neighborhood survey. It says that Five Guys serves only well-done burgers, which is fine by me, though my brother Ben (now deceased) would not have been pleased. His view on cooking meat was, “Lead a cow past a lighted match and then slaughter it.”
Hey,
Just thought you should know: Went for dinner at Dom's place tonight. Looks like he finally caved in to the D.O.H. because he was actually wearing a hat. It was a little blue train conductor's cap. Pizza was better than ever. We had a regular and a pepperoni/onion pie. It doesn't get any better than that.
—Jon S.
Jon,
Thanks for the update. Next time: Pix, please! ;)
Hasta la pizza,
Adam
The recent mention of Slice on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire prompted this email from a former New Yorker who did some time in my hometown of Olathe, Kansas, before moving to Minneapolis. This "rant" made my day after I opened it Saturday afternoon. Enjoy! —Adam
Dear Slice,
I just discovered your website courtesy of the fact that it was a question on Millionaire. My first search on your site was for Lento's because I went to elementary school one block away. (I am over 50 now.) Last year I was in New York for a reunion and saw that Lento's was gone and was saddened indeed.
I have not yet had time to explore your site but was interested to note that your father had tried opening a pizza place in Olathe, Kansas. We resided in Olathe from 1981 to 1988, and I can remember hunting for a place that had a brick oven. People who had grown up there didn't even like pizza from a brick oven because they had grown up on the chain stuff and that was their definition of what a pie should be. As I recall, there was a brick-oven pizza place at Oak Park Mall, one near Johnson County Community College, and one in a mall near Kansas City, Kansas. That one was run by a guy who had come from Brooklyn and was really good but a lengthy drive up from Olathe if you had a quick hankering for a slice. So my question to you is: When and where in Olathe did your father try this pizzeria? I certainly would have been one of his customers if I knew about it. We lived up the hill from the Nazarene college.
Now, I did notice you lamenting the quality of pizza in Manhattan. That is because, with the exception of Little Italy, pizza is not from Manhattan. New York–style pizza is a misnomer. Pizza came from Brooklyn (and branched into Queens). Pizza was on every corner in the Italian and Jewish neighborhoods of Brooklyn. At that time, Catholics abided by the dietary restrictions, so pizza, calzones, and strombolis were standard Friday night fare. Some places in Manhattan that are now residential were not back then, so pizza places for carry-out were not needed. What has developed in Manhattan is the quick and dirty—customers may or may not come back but there will always be another—rather than the family-owned-and-operated places that counted on developing repeat business in the neighborhoods.
In fact, even as late as the early '80's I took my husband to New York with our kids. I parked him in Nathan's while I went to get tickets at TKTS. The man bought slices of pizza there, and when I got back he said he didn't understand why New York pizza was so special! Fool. You don't go to Nathan's to buy pizza! Even though he was from the Midwest, I thought he had listened to me rant often enough that he knew that.
Once, while living in Chicago, he asked one of my coworkers, who was from Rockaway, about New York pizza. My coworker gave the best definition, and I still remember it: "New York pizza is 50 percent wax paper and 50 percent olive oil dripping down your arm." I thought that truly summed it up.
When we moved to the armpit called Cleveland, I took the Yellow Pages and called every pizza place listed and asked if they had a brick oven. If the response was "a what?" I said, "Thank you, if you don't know what it is, you don't have one."
Now, if you are ever in the Twin Cities area, there is an interesting pizza place there called Punch. They have a special oven that runs at 800°F. You barely get it ordered and paid for and it's ready. While the aficionado looking for "New York pizza" will not be satisfied, it is a very good taste to try.
Thanks for letting an old lady rant. If I have repeated things that are elsewhere on your site, I apologize.
—ffrrggyy
An awesome email from the Slice inbox today:
Dear Slice folks,
My name's James, and I'm a fan of your site. Waaaaay back around 2001 or 2002, I wrote and recorded a song. It's called "Dom," and it is about a certain pizzaman in Brooklyn, about whom you know a little something. It's a little out of date now.
I know the guy that makes the bestest pie in town
His ass is not under the bridge
You will not find him in Coney Island
You will not find him in Bay Ridge
Dear Slice,
If you ever make it back to New Haven, you could do a lot worse than Abate, just a little way down Wooster Street from the better known places. Always overlooked because of its famous neighbors, you won't get slow or rude service there, and the pizza is excellent. Modern is excellent also. Considered one of the big three but seemingly without all the attitude of the other two. I've had some great pizza at numerous places in the greater New Haven area. There are some mediocre places in New Haven as well, but, in general, the standard is a lot higher there.
On a totally unrelated subject, I saw someone raving about Casserta's in Providence, Rhode Island, and comparing it to the best of the best. Bleecch, I say. As a frequent visitor to Providence, I think they have a fantastic Italian section—great restaurants and salumerias to die for. But pizza? Markedly inferior. Regular slices at Casserta's were mediocre. Spinach pie is great if you enjoy a mini calzone stuffed with lots of soggy, gray-green, overcooked frozen spinach. Tried pizza at three different places in the area and was disappointed at all of them. I finally decided it was just something they didn't do well in Rhode Island (they do a lot of other things well).
—Jim H.
Dear Jim,
Thanks for the tips. Slice has been to Pepe's and Sally's the "famous neighbors" of Abate that I'm sure you're referring to. Modern Apizza has long been on our to-try list, but Abate itself is a new one for us.
As for Rhode Island, Slice hasn't been. What about Al Forno, home of grilled pizza? We've heard great things about it. Have you been?
Hasta la pizza,
Adam
Dear Slice,
Hey man... I'm interested in opening a pizza place but don't know how to make a pie. How would I find out how to make a killer pie?
—J.E.
Dear J.E.,
A great place to start would be pizzamaking.com. Good forums there that deal with all sorts of pizza-making activities.
Also take a look at Jeff Varasano's painstakingly detailed account of his attempt (and eventual success) at cloning a Patsy's pie.
Hasta la pizza,
Adam
Dear Slice,
I couldn’t help but notice that you have no listings for good pizza in Washington, D.C.! Well, if you ever find yourself down this way, I strongly suggest you come to my neighborhood of Mount Pleasant and check out Radius Pizza. While I would not call it 100 percent New York–style pizza, it is awesome and has been rated the best pizza in D.C. by a congresswoman from Manhattan, albeit the Upper East Side. ;-)
In my opinion, Radius is the best pizza that Washington, D.C., has to offer.
Sincerely,
Gil G., Washington, D.C.
Dear Gil,
Thanks for the tip. What about 2 Amys? Slice has heard some great things about that place, too.
Hasta la pizza,
Adam
RADIUS PIZZA
Address: 3155 Mount Pleasant Street, Washington, DC 20010 [map]
Phone: 202-234-0808
Pizza Intel: DCFoodies.com, DCist.com, Washington Post
2 AMYS
Address: 3715 Macomb St. NW, Washington DC 20016 [map]
Phone: 202-885-5700
Pizza Intel: DCFoodies.com, DCist.com, Washington Post
Dear Slice,
I was looking at the page you dedicated to Bay Ridge pizza. You spent so much time on Lento's (which, believe me, I miss terribly) that you left out the regular Bay Ridge Brooklyn pizza that everyone loves so so so much!
Lento's is (or was) a specialty. It was special thin-crust pizza that you could only get by the pie and could only get there. There is a pizzeria on every other corner, and some are good and some are bad, but placing all of your faith of the best pizza in Bay Ridge Brooklyn leads me to believe that you didn't actually try any Bay Ridge Brooklyn pizzerias.
Dear Slice,
You forgot to include northern Virginia in your lists. And the best of the best is Pomodoro (Tony, the owner, is from Naples, by way of Brooklyn). —Larrie F.; Fairfax Station, Virginia
Thanks, Larrie. We're always looking for good recommendations for pizza made by New York City expatriates. —The Management
POMODORO PIZZA AND PASTA
Address: 12152 Fairfax Towne Center, Fairfax VA 22033 [map]
Phone: 703-273-7405
Still getting through all the emails from the exposure in the New York Times the other week. Here's one that illustrates how pizza can grab hold of you at an early age, coloring your experience with the dish your entire life. —The Management
Dear Slice,
Just saw your website mentioned in the New York Times article on "Brooklyn-style pizza." I actually was able to use the map capability [Note: The Slice Map seems to have stopped working with the updated versions of Firefox and Internet Explorer. Sorry. —The Management] on the website to find an aerial view of the very place I grew up in Queens. From like a few hundred feet up! Which, if you read the Times article, has some resonance with what one of the guys who drove to that pizza place in Brooklyn (he drove with his wife and friends from Staten Island) said when he thinks of what he wants in a pizza: It brings him back to his childhood.
Though born in Brooklyn, childhood for me was Queens. Pizza for me was Littleneck Parkway and Union Turnpike (Glen Oaks) from my teenage years and on. The pizza place was Lorenzo's, owned by a neighborhood legend; we called him Larry.
If you're interested in some of the details ... the after-school special, "slice ana Coke" for ¢25, we thought it was the best in Queens. Larry was an artist of sorts. I can still see his face as he pressed out the crust on the board, tossed it, spread the sauce, dropped on the cheese, all the while dispensing words of interest to one or two guys hovering close. There's plenty of history there, years of hanging out through the '60s.
Larry opened four more pizza places within a two-mile radius of the original spot. One day years later, I walked into a pizza place on the Bowery in lower Manhattan and Larry was the man behind the counter.
Larry was a legend in that part of Queens.
I just might try to check out the pizza place featured in the Times article. If I do, I'll let you know what I think. Here in Connecticut, so far, the pizza makes a ride to Brooklyn or Queens for a slice seem not so unreasonable.
May all your slices be hot,
Bob from Queens
West Hartford, Connecticut
Thanks, Bob. I wouldn't be so fast to discount Connecticut pizza. There are some good pies there. But it's a whole different animal from what you grew up on in Queens so it's understandable why you'd consider driving down to New York City to grab a slice.
It reminds me of the idea that Times culture editor Sam Sifton posited in Ed Levine's book Pizza: A Slice of Heaven, the "Pizza Cognition Theory." A snip: There is a theory of cognitive development that says children learn to identify things only in opposition to other things. Only the child who has learned what is not brown, the theory holds, can discern what is "brown."
Pizza naturally throws this theory into a tailspin. The first slice of pizza a child sees and tastes (and somehow appreciates on something more than a childlike, mmmgoood, thanks-mom level), becomes, for him, pizza. He relegates all subsequent slices, if they are different in some manner from that first triangle of dough and cheese and tomato and oil and herbs and spices, to a status that we can characterize as not pizza.
"I don’t particularly care to walk in to a place and watch a guy past his prime “whip” up pizza and (what seemed like the case the last time I was there) who looks bored and careless as to what he was doing. As I mentioned earlier, consistency is something I look for, and the only thing I find consistent about his pizza is that he doesn’t make them all the same. ;) " —Nicky M., on Di Fara
How’s it going, Slice?I will give you a little history on myself, and offer up my recommendation. My grandfather had two Italian restaurant/coal-oven pizza places in the city and appeared on the radio making pizza to music, or Musical Pizza. I myself, have been making pizza for seven years, most notably working at Villa Bay, which Arthur Schwartz praised for having great food and pizza. Due to having a poor location and terrible parking, my friend Jack had to close the place down.
One thing I found interesting, and really is the way that I came across your website, was your article of Famous Famiglia at Yankee Stadium. I actually worked for Famiglia for two years, and want to note two things.
Quite a while ago, Slice reader Will F. wrote to us:
I have found a counterpoint to New Zealand's Hell Pizza. It is Al Volo, a more traditional Italian pizzeria located in the greater Auckland area. I took a shot a writing my own review here: Al Volo Pizza, but perhaps
their website, which has a spiffy animation of the pizzaiolo doing his thing, would be more informative: www.alvolo.co.nz.
No, Will, we think your take on it is more informative:
The pizzas were classic neapolitan pies--extra thin crust, measuring about 12" in diameter. According to the pizzaiolo, the oven ran on native manuka wood and burned somewhere between 300 and 400 degrees Centigrade (roughly 575 F to 750 F). The pies only were in the oven for two or three minutes before they were done. The crusts were crisp, if a little flimsy due to their thinness. However, the sauce was somewhat bland. This may have been related to the kind of tomatoes used (I couldn't say for sure), but it also suffered from an apparent lack of any seasoning. The difference between the cow and buffalo mozzarella was suprisingly clear when sampling them side by side with the buffalo possessing distinctive tang and a creamier texture. Olive oil proved to be an excellent addition to the Al Volo pie, while basil was key for the margherita, though it probably could've used a few more leaves.
Thanks, Will!
AL VOLO PIZZA
Address: 27 Mount Eden Road; Auckland, New Zealand [map]
Phone: 09 302 2500
Al Volo Pizza [Cat Eats Brains]
Photograph of Al Volo pie by Will F.
Dear Slice,
My girlfriend is a native of Brooklyn, although she now resides in Oxford, England, getting her master's degree. She often complains about the lack of a good NYC-quality pizza (a complaint she has about any city outside of NYC). I was looking into mail-order NYC pizza that I could send her and that she could pop into the oven. Any thoughts?
Cheers,
Andrew E.
Dear Andrew,
This is one we get a lot, but luckily, the answer is easy enough. Slice did a bit on this last year. I'll rerun it here and hope that it'll be of use to you. Of the following three pizza shippers, Flying Pizza reports that it can do overseas but that the FedEx costs on that will run $65 to $75. Still waiting on the other two outfits to get back to me ...
Hasta la pizza,
Adam
Rocco's Pizza: Bay Ridge–based Rocco's offers four 12-inch pies (left) delivered overnight. The pizzas are "plain" (translation for non–New Yorkers: no toppings, just cheese), shipped via UPS in a package equipped with leakproof refrigerant gel packs. The pies will be frozen on arrival, with reheat instructions included, so recipients can either pop them into a preheated oven or deep-six them for enjoyment later. Cost: $74.25 — $39 for four pies plus $35.25 shipping.
FlyingPizza.com: Eddie's New York City Pizza, based in Brooklyn's Sunset Park, offers 18-inch plain pies. According to its website, "The pies are sealed in special packaging that allows you to remove individual slices from your refrigerator or freezer as you need them." You can order as few as one pie or packages of four, eight, or 12 pies. Shipping (FedEx 2nd Day Air) is included in the price. Order online or by phone: 800-969-NYPIES Cost: One pie, $19.95; four pies, $64.92; eight pies, $124.96; 12 pies, $179.40
IWantNYPizza.com: This site offers pizza from a network of New York state–based pizzerias. You order a pie, and your order is "routed to a participating pizzeria" and shipped via second-day delivery on iced gel packs. IWantNYPizza.com delivers Sicilian pies in addition to the regular round pies. It also offers a "Pizza of the Month" option and a "Make Your Own NY Pizza" four-pie pack comprising dough, sauce, cheese, and seasonings. Cost: One regular pie, $17.98 plus $31 shipping; One Sicilian pie, $19.99 plus $31 shipping; Make Your Own NY Pizza, $49.99 plus $31 shipping.
Dear Slice,
Got to your site from the NY Times article on Domino's Brooklyn Pizza. Since I live in NC now, this is what passes for pizza down here. I am originally from Brooklyn and haven't had a good slice of pizza since the last time I was in NY.
I notice that the state of NC doesn't have a link on your site. Does this mean that there is no place in the whole state to get a good slice of pizza? I live near Matthews, which is Southwest of Charlotte.
Any suggestions would be appreciated, although we aren't ready to move back to NY....yet. —Susan V.
Dear Susan,
The Pizza by Location list in the left-hand sidebar indicates that we've got some sort of blog post (review or commentary) from a specific city, state, or country. If there's no link, there's no content for that area.
But don't despair! Just because we don't have a North Carolina link there doesn't mean there's not good pizza to be had in the Tarheel State. Fellow pizzablogger Tom Sliker maintains the New York Pizza Blog, which seeks the best New York–style pizza joints outside of New York City. In North Carolina, he lists:
Roma’s Pizzeria: Atlantic Beach
Anthony’s Pizza: Bryson City
Carlo's Pizza: Charlotte
I hope you're close to one of those.
Hasta la pizza,
Adam
Dear Slice: I'm one who isn't supposed to eat wheat products and am looking around for places that offer alternative dough in their pizzas. The only ones I've been able to find are Cafe Viva on Second Avenue, which offers a spelt pizza crust, and Risotto on Bleecker Street, which offers a rice pizza crust.Do you have any other recommendations of places that offer other crusts or pasta restaurants that offer pasta that isn't the standard wheat flour? Thank you, S.A.S.
Dear S.A.S.: There's an Upper East Side joint whose name we really dig. Try Slice, at 1413 Second Ave. I think they may have some options for you. —Ed.
More Times collateral. This time, a question from a new reader in Miami:
Hi there Adam: Learned about you from the nytimes.com article on Totonno’s vs. Domino's. I moved here to Miami two years ago, and as a third-generation Manhattanite, I must tell you that I really miss good pizza. I loved Totonno’s, but since I lived in Greenwich Village for the past 15 years, I really loved a slice from Joe’s off of Sixth Avenue near Cornelia Street as well as the pizzeria on University Place near 13th Street (my old neighborhood). Those were my weekly haunts.The reason I’m writing is to see if you know of any pizza places here in Miami that are at least good if not very good. With all the transplants from New York and the surrounding areas, there must be something! Only places I have found are a small chain called Archie’s, which is OK, and also a place called Spri that is just so-so. But it let me tell you, it’s no New York. Honestly, if I could find a great slice here, Miami would be Utopia!
Let me know if you have any insight. Great job with your site – I think it’s hilarious and wonderful! —Emily G.
So how 'bout it readers? Any suggestions for good New York style pizza in Miami?
Friend of Slice Sara B. sent us the photo above, saying, "Here's the felt pizza I made, inspired by the one I saw posted on Slice. When I first saw the felt pizza, I thought '28 bucks for a felt pizza?' Then I made a felt pizza, and I know why it's 28 bucks."
Slice: Was it a combo of labor and materials that made it $28 for you? Or materials alone?
Sara: Labor—felt's cheap. You can't tell, but each mushroom, pepperoni, etc. attaches to the pizza with velcro, which took a while. I guess if you make felt pizza all of the time you'd breeze through it.
After much discussion and smacktalk about it in the Comments section, Slice was able to get a copy of the infamous "Syracuse Pizza Manifesto" by pizzafans D.J. Bubbles (right) and M.C. Treats. Though less a "manifesto" than a list, it is nonetheless helpful for pizza-craving 'Cuse folk. We'll see if this starts a flame war with the pizza cognoscenti in Syracuse the way it did between Bubbles and Mr. Cutlets.
THE LEGITIMATE [SYRACUSE] TOP 1010. PEPPINO’S: Great crust, good cheese, but a little too greasy.
9. MARTINO’S: Grab a great slice (much better than ordering a pie here) and be thankful that there is at least one decent joint on Thompson Road.
8. JOHNNY’S: Thicker than most so pile on their fresh toppings and enjoy.
7. GINO & JOE’S: Gotta go north for this pie but it’s worth the trip for their slices; if you can stand the grease.6. MOVINO: Wood-burned oven pie. A little pricey but worth it. Give the pesto slice a try. Toppings are a little stale, stay with the plain cheese pie.
5. DINO’S PIZZERIA: The crust is too bland and there’s not enough sauce, but they still serve a great NY style pie.
4. ZJ’S PIZZA: Number one on the Hill for a reason. Terrific slices, so-so pie.
3. NICK’S TOMATO PIE: The only place to eat after the bars close in Armory.
2. LA PIZZERIA OF NORTHSIDE: A little dirty inside, but try a slice, you won’t regret it. Good luck finding a time when they’re actually open.1. PEARL STREET DELICATESSEN: This place could make a profit in NYC. Using Grande mozzarella, a sweet sauce, and a crispy, thin crust, these gents make it just the way it should be made in the state of New York.
Honorable Mention: Fratelli’s, Bosco’s Pizzeria, Varsity Pizza, Acropolis, Dominick’s (tomato pie), Mario & Salvo’s, and Twin Trees.The "You Need To Try Harder" List: Slices, La Seniora, Sabastino’s, Dorian’s (it’s a shame that the Westcott Nation© has two bad pie joints and no good ones), Cosmo’s, Pavone’s, Niko’s, Uncle Chubby’s, and of course, all of the chains.
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 Best Grandma Slice in New York?
From the Mailbag: 'The Definitive Top 10 List'
This just reached our desk at Slice HQ:
Breaking! We are ordering pizza for lunch at our office today — no pepperoni! This email was just circulated to our office.
------ Forwarded Message
Conversation: No Pepperoni
Subject: No PepperoniGrimaldis is out of pepperoni! Salami will be taking its place today, hope that's OK with everyone.
Dear Readers,
The email I just received from Scott is only one of many similarly heartening missives I've received in the last month or so. If you've written me and felt like your email has gone down the wrong series of tubes, don't be discouraged. I've read them all and have sorted them away with intent to post them on the site and/or respond via email. I will henceforth make a more concerted effort to respond to your internets sooner rather than later.
Why am I so sluggish? Well, in the past I've often used the excuse "work has been too crazy" when I more accurately should have said "I'm suffering from Blog Depression" or "I'm just too damn lazy."
I should have knocked on wood all those times I used the "busy at work" excuse. You see, a couple months ago, I took a new position with my longtime employer, and ever since, things actually have been so busy at the office office that by the time I get back to the home office at Slice HQ, the last thing I want to do is look at a computer screen. Anyway, things have started to calm down at the job and once again I have a bit more patience for home computerizing, so I'll go back through my inbox and respond to you all.
Moreover, I'd like to thank everyone who has written lately. The response you've shown to this site bolsters my spirits and confirms that I'm not just clogging up the internet's tubes the way the Hut stuffs its pizza crusts. Please keep dumping your emails onto the big truck that is the internet.
Thank you and hasta la pizza,
Adam
Something's going on in Pizzaland. Over the last month, Slice readers have become especially communicative. We've received more great emails in the last few weeks than in any given period during this site's existence. I don't know what we did to earn the goodwill, but keep it coming! This email came over the transom at Slice HQ this morning. Please stay tuned for some additional words on these emails later in the day. —The Management
Dear Slice, Thank you for doing the Lord's work by providing one-stop shopping for all my pizza news needs. I am a huge fan of the site and it has enlightened my own pizza eating with its histories and pizzeria documentation. I've made many a journey to the coveted pizza coves of Manhattan and Brookyn, but since my home is New Jersey, I tend to concentrate my research in the Garden State.I'm not sure if this came across your pizza crimelab computer yet, but last Friday the Star Ledger published an article about the state's best pizza as part of their Munchmobile series. Every summer, the paper selects a small crew of foodies to accompany a reporter and photographer on weekly outings across the state. Each 'muncher' gets to select their food specialty. Here's a link to the article, but it doesn't contain any photographs. If you're really interested, I can send you a hard copy.
Anyway, I spent a glorious day in the Munchmobile (a van with decorations and a giant hot dog atop its roof) and had trouble tasting anything even close to my current obsession: Grimaldi's.
However, there was one pizzeria called Santillo's in Elizabeth, that deserves a seat right next to Grimaldi's up in pizza heaven. If you're ever interested in taking a short trip across the Hudson, I would love to host you for a Santillo's tasting. It's the oldest brick oven in New Jersey and clocks in at 160 square feet.
Keep fighting the good fight, and please let me know if I can ever be of any service. I tend to travel out of the area, and I keep detailed notes about every new pie I try in my Pizza Journal.
Best,
Scott Wiener
Thanks for the tip, Scott. The Munchmobile failed to register a hit on the Slice "crimelab computer." (Heh. I like that). Good thing we don't work for Homeland Security. I'd love to take you up on the offer. I'll be in touch about taking a trip to Santillo's. You're right, it's but a short trip over the Hudson — and I love Jersey, so it'd be nice to visit again. Talk to you soon. —Adam
The Munchmobile: Primo pizza [Newark Star-Ledger]
Slice Archives: New Jersey
We received this email from reader Chris P. last week. We think it sums up the Slice ethos while diagnosing a nasty but tasty condition that had previously been hidden right under our noses (or maybe we were just in denial). --The Management
Yes, gentleman, it is true: We have a disease: pizzaholism.Personally, I think it is genetic. I inherited my pizza-eating compulsion from my mother, who at least has the self-restraint to only eat it once a week. A "weekend warrior" she is. But alas, self-restraint was not part of the DNA package I receieved from her half of the family.
My name is Chris, and I have a pizza-eating problem (applause).
So it is with great joy that I have discovered Slice. Finally, I can share the details of my daily
longings for the freshly grated Parmesan and deeply blackened crust of Di Fara, or the razor thin crust and mathmatically perfect distribution of sauce and cheese at Patsy's.As a born and bred New Yorker, I have been eating pizza for as long as I can remember. I didn't really begin to discriminate until I was about 16, when I started frequenting Joe's to the exclusion of local spots on my way home from school in the West Village. Since then it has been a slow but steady climb to pizza connoisseurship.
There are a lot of people who love pizza. In fact, I would venture to say most people, in their heart of hearts, do love it. But there are a few for whom pizza is not just a favorite food, but something of a religion. A food above and beyond all other foods; a perfect food, and also the quintessential New York fast food (if can you call DiFara's fast).
I like your site so much I'm going to submit a review for a pizza place that has not appeared on your site. It's on the Upper West Side, not too many people know about it, although it is deservedly very popular with the local residents.
But I have to go back there and do some more research first.
Keep up the good work,
Chris
As for the mystery site on the UWS? We dont know. I guess we'll have to wait for Chris's report.
Dear Slice: Help!!!! I'm originally from Huntington, New York, but have moved here to Rochester, New York. Do you know why the pizza here is so bad?? Is it the water?? Do you know of any place I can get an edible slice??? I miss the food down there. Do they mail pizza? --Matthew P.
Dear Matthew: We're not all that familiar with Rochester, so we're going to open this one up to readers, as we often do with request for trusted pizza intel outside the NYC area. Readers?
As for mail-order pizza, we did a post on this late last year. There are a few options, although they're pretty pricey: Mail-Order New York Pizza. -- The Management
Dear Slice,
I was reading your article on the coal-oven pizzerias in Florida. Surprisingly enough, there are a few more locations opening up throughout the area. There is a company called Coal Fired Pizza Co. opening in Wellington and a second location in Coral Springs. Both are due to open the first week of July.
I know this because I am the designer/builder of these ovens. Now David Manero of Manero's Restaurant Group, Gotham City, and Shore is opening up a coal-oven pizza restaurant on PGA in Palm Beach Gardens.
The myth of the coal ovens causing pollution has passed with the use of anthracite coal. Clean burning with almost no smoke and zero carcinogens.
-- Jon Illingworth, factory sales rep, Doughpro
Jon: You don't know how this kills me. Until recently, Ma and Pa Slice were residents of Wellington. They move back to Kansas, then all these coal-burners spring up. --The Management
Slice reader Will B. writes us:
Been enjoying your site for quite some time, ever since I decided to try some different recipes to mix up my pizza-making. Anyhow, I'd been searching for a good t-shirt for when I'm making pizza for folks, and finding none I took matters into my own hands. The result is here. Figured the Slice crew may also be looking for such a garment.
I'm a pizza fan, Brooklynite, and avid reader of Slice. I was wondering if you'd ever heard of the Colony in Stamford, Connecticut? My family has a long history with the Colony's pizza, and we're big fans. It's really thin — almost like a cracker — and very delicious.Anyway, we're making our annual pre-Easter trek to the Colony in a couple of days, and I'm thinking about putting a review of sorts on my blog. IF, that is, I decide to spread the word . . . It's already crowded enough!
The word is out! Now you'll have to blog it! We'll be watching for your report, Molly! —The Management
172 Myrtle Avenue, Stamford CT 06902 (map)
203-359-2184
The Skinny: According to Laura, proprietor of head-rush.com, "It's officially called Colony Grill. It's in Stamford, CT. They only serve pizza and drinks. No salad. No bread. Get over it. Yes the pizza is AMAZING. Thin crust LIke Pepe's and Sally's in New Haven only better. Less lines. No Ivy League snobbery with which you must contend."
Colony pizza [head-rush.com]
Here's a question we can't answer. (No surprise, as we're a little bare in our Bronx coverage, to put it mildly.) So we'll throw it out to the readers ...
Hi there,I'm sure you get a million of these questions, so here's question one million one. Anyway, I'm trying to remember the name and address of a bar/tavern in the Bronx that's known for its pizza — there was an article in the New York Times about it about several years ago. As I remember, the bar/tavern was nondescript, but the pizza was great — there was only one person who made the pizza, and he was on the older side. I think the place was in Eastchester or Mott Haven — not positive, though — any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
James
So, anybody out there got the answer for James? If so, leave it in the Comments section of this entry. Thanks.
I truly wasn't making light of Yom Kippur when I said yesterday that Slice, as a blog, would reflect on things we needed to atone for. So, here's the thing: In the past, Slice has taken a number of jabs at Chicago-style pizza. It was always my hope to get some Chicagoan riled up enough to start a deep dish blog, at which point, Slice and Deep Dish Blog could get all gansta and start some NYC–CHI cross-country rivalry.
This approach was a mistake, and I'd like to offer my sincere apologies to the people of Chicago, to Chicago's signature pie style, and to anyone else out there who is a devotee of the dish.
I may even be in the Windy City in the near future and will try to keep an open mind if and when I sample some of the city's finest.
OK. Now that my New York readers have picked themselves up off the floor, let me cut to an e-mail I received a couple months ago from an old J-school classmate who lives in Chicago. He was prompted to write regarding some rather nasty hate e-mail I had received and posted on Slice. He is wise in his words:
Hi Adam. Just had to get this off my chest...The amount of hatred between New York pizza people and Chicago pizza people — and any other kind of pizza people — is mind-boggling. (And what it all has to do with mafia profits in Vegas, motorcycle envy, and skyscrapers is another ball of dough altogether.) So the styles are different: What's the big deal?
The arguments about which is better or which is more authentic or more manly or smart always end up reflecting less on the pizzas and more on the arguers. When New Yorkers holler about deep-dish being an abomination or a casserole or a big pile of crap, they sound like petty, close-minded snobs. When Chicagoans screech about thin-crust being wimpy and droopy and boring, they sound like chest-pounding yokels.
It's pizza, folks. This is the most chameleonic dish in the history of the world; it can be big, it can be small, it can be from Naples, it can be from Missoula. That's the joy of it. Good bread, cheese, and tomato in almost any guise is pleasant; the joy of pizza is that it is simple enough to be all things to all people.
I love pizza: in New York, Chicago, Naples, New Haven, California, wherever. I love it at strip malls in Kansas and at bus stations in Israel. Yes, I understand that most everyone has geographic preferences for one or the other - and that's perfectly natural. But no one is an idiot because he or she prefers one over the other.
Now, don't get me started on hot dogs.
— Jeff
He said it better than I could. As of now, Slice is officially ending the hateration on Chicago pizza.
Peace out, y'all.
Photograph by Bobafred
An email from a reader ...
To the editors:
I really enjoy your site. Thought I'd give back a bit and send in a report from the field.
The other day I went to Totonno's and Grimaldi's. I'd wanted to try both places for a long time, and since I had the time, I couldn't resist going for it with both. I had one large, half-cheese and half–roasted pepper at both places.
Today a postcard (above) arrived from a couple of my homeslices now on vacation in Italy. (Click on image for full-size view.)
Adam,Came across Slice and really appreciate it and the content. As we all know, pizza is probably one of the most hotly debated food topics in the city.
I noticed you reviewed Frank's on 23rd in my hood (kips bay). I've been in KB for 9 years now and have eaten at every joint in the 'hood. Do you plan on doing any other reviews in the KB area? Most of the places are crap but there is a hidden gem in the 'hood.
Mike Due #3 pizza on 25th and 3rd makes really lousy pizza - undercooked, boring, no flavor it really is an embarrassment to Italians everywhere— but they make an unbelievable slice of cheese-less focaccia which must be sampled!
This focaccia is the old school bakery style pizza you would find in a Boston Bakery or outerborough bakery sitting on the counter under a cover. Mike Due uses a delicious onion/garlic mixture with a red sauce and cooks the dough to perfection (only on the focaccia slice) — crispy/firm. The sauce is slightly sweet because they slow cook the onions/garlic. If you top with a light shake of parm. you will be in heaven. Note — should be eaten at room temp, more flavor that way.
My two cents and I hope to read more about slice joints in NYC.
Best Regards,
J.B.
J.B.: We've got more than a few reviews in the hopper, just a matter of me writing them up. I've had a bit of writer's block going on regarding reviews (as some longtime readers may have noticed — more filler, fewer reviews as of late), as there seems to be only so many ways you can describe pizza, and I feel like some of the reviews tend to sound the same. Still, I'm working on some reviews. Can't promise any Kips Bay in this upcoming batch, though. We don't really follow a game plan in doing reviews, i.e., hitting a given neighborhood and covering it thoroughly before moving to another. We just sort of go wherever we get curious about or visit pizzerias in whatever neighborhood we happen to be in on the course of our regular, nonpizza lives.
Thanks for the tip on Mike Due #3. It'll be added to "the list."
MIKE DUE #3: 338 Third Ave. (at 25th Street)
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