Entries tagged with 'Manhattan'
Posted by Adam Kuban, May 13, 2008 at 10:45 AM
I love Alan Richman's write-up on Artichoke Basille's, the East Village newcomer that has been more than well-documented on this site. Richman, known for just a bit of cantankerousness, gets in almost 500 curmudgeonly words (long, mismanaged line; shabby digs; annoying patrons) before coming out with it: He likes it. He really likes it. "This is ordinary pizza," he says. "It’s also fabulous pizza."
He digs the fact that the place is free of pretense, "No flour from an ancient fattoria in Tuscany. No basil smuggled in from a dissident farmer’s market in Croatia. No fanatical obsessiveness."
Of the three slices on offer there, he liked the regular plain slice the most ("beautifully balanced"). It's not clear whether he was able to try the signature spinach-and-artichoke-dip slice, as a fresh pie of that variety was about two hours out when he visited.
The pizza here, he says, is what ordinary food used to be like in New York: "... superficially no different from food anywhere else, but in reality considerably better. It had little to do with superior ingredients and everything to do with New York know-how."
Artichoke
328 East 14th Street, New York NY 10003 (East Village; map)
212-228-2004
Posted by Adam Kuban, May 12, 2008 at 9:45 AM
We were in Midtown in the 50s taking in the last day of an exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art. But I also wanted to take in some pizza while I was there. Where to go?
With the Modern on 53rd and a hoard of mediocre good-enough-for-lunch slices surrounding it, I thought I was sunk. And then I remembered Angelo's Pizza, a coal-oven place on 57th Street, between Sixth and Seventh. And as I've never really done much about the place on Slice, I figured it was time for a revisit.
I'd been a number of times when I worked on 42nd and had even had a Slice Pizza Club outing there at one point. I'd never been that impressed with it. But last night's pie was good, if not great.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, April 16, 2008 at 12:20 AM
And it wasn't for the pie, folks. From reader "RC Pizza":
Adam,
Just wanted to let you know that New York's Bravest were called to Artichoke tonight due to the copious amounts of smoke bellowing out of the storefront at about 8:45 last night. I was standing in line for about 20 minutes when the store suddenly filled up with smoke. It was no doubt due to the liberal throwing of flour directly into the oven to ensure the pizzas didn't stick to the stone. Apparently these guys need to be taught a thing or two, because after you douse an oven with flour, it tends to smoke up. Luckily I got my slices right as the fire trucks pulled up, so I was happy. Anyway, I attached a photo of the firemen [above] scurrying about outside the 'Choke during the melee. Just thought that fire hazards might be of interest to the blog's readership.
Posted by Adam Kuban, April 14, 2008 at 10:30 AM
Photograph from JordanaZ, from the Serious Eats Photo Pool on Flickr
I've only ever been in the late evening. This is pizza insanity.
Posted by Adam Kuban, April 8, 2008 at 4:00 PM
More Artichoke for you: New York magazine interviews Francis Garcia, one of the cousins behind the new joint in the East Village. This bit of owner-operated goodness sounds right up our alley:
Do you live in Manhattan now or do you commute?
We’re commuting now. When we make a couple bucks back, we’re definitely going to get a place over here so we can start getting open earlier. You know the BQE — the traffic is horrible — and I’m someone’s who’s crazy: If I can’t get there to make the pizza, I don’t want somebody else doing it. It’s either got to be me or my cousin.
As you know, it's our belief at Slice that the best pizzerias have a singleminded, pizza-obsessed owner-operator behind them. Think Una Pizza Napoletana, Pizzeria Bianco, and, yes, Di Fara.
Posted by DJ Bubbles, April 7, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Artichoke, man. What can be said about this place that hasn't already been argued about on Slice and a slew of other websites in recent weeks? I have been to the joint three different times—twice last weekend after word first broke on Slice and Chowhound and once this past Friday night—and I'm here to say that their pizza has already improved.
I had a chat with Francis Basille, one of the owners who grew up making pies at Basille's in Staten Island and asked him about Eric Miller (doesn't know him from Adam—not Kuban, the proverbial Adam!), the ingredients he uses, and the opening of his restaurant in the pizza-saturated East Village.
Now I'm gonna have a chat with you guys about why Artichoke's reception has been so incendiary—there have certainly been differences in opinion and we'll see if we can get to the bottom of this once and for all. I want to hear from those of you who've tried the joint when it first opened and went back in recent days to see if anyone agrees with my contention that Artichoke's plain slice is better now than it was when they opened.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, April 7, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite visit Artichoke, give it 3 of 5 stars:
This is not dainty stuff. Portions are huge, even sloppy. Grated cheese is strewn with abandon, and tomato sauce liberally applied. The pizza is lumpy, a little heavy-handed with the muzz, occasionally burnt, and undeniably delicious. Of the three varieties usually on hand, the square Sicilian (made with a combination of fresh mozzarella, Polly-O, and a sprinkling of pecorino and Parmigiano-Reggiano) is our favorite, a hungry-man study in contrasting sharp, salty, sweet, and creamy flavors. The round “Neapolitan” is nearly as good, though you might fault its somewhat stiff, unyielding crust. The best thing the U.G. can say, however, about the artichoke-spinach pie is that Keith Richards apparently loves it. Thick, bready, and anointed with a super-creamy sauce enriched with butter and wine, it’s Garcia’s pride and joy, but kind of an acquired taste.
Previously: Artichoke coverage on Slice
Posted by Adam Kuban, April 2, 2008 at 4:15 PM
On Friday I posted an entry with the emailed text of two tipsters eager to hip Slice to Artichoke, a new pizzeria in the East Village. Later, in the comments of that post and on Eater, people raised concerns that we had guerrilla marketers in our midst. I'd like to address that.
Are They Shills?
Are they? I don't think so. In email exchanges I've had with both guys since publication of that post, they've seemed aboveboard.
If I'm being fooled, however, then I will admit that in my rush to "break news" about a potentially hot new pizzeria, I didn't read those emails with the amount of skepticism that I'd like to think has kept Slice free of shills over the years I've been publishing.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, April 1, 2008 at 11:45 AM
Because the name David Chang causes some foodies in this town to wet their pants, I wanted to highlight this comment that just came in on last Friday's Artichoke entry:
When I stopped in yesterday afternoon, the fellow ahead of me was telling the pizza makers, "My sous chef says the cauliflower fritters are amazing." This fellow recently opened his third restaurant, and he wanted to extend good wishes to a new business in his neighborhood. The guys at Artichoke -- Francis, Sal, and Carl -- hadn't heard the name "Momofuku," but they were glad that this fellow, David, stopped in to introduce himself, and to pick up a few pies. No joke.
It's from über-Chowhound Dave Cook, whose blog Eating in Translation, is a must-read.
Just a thought: Isn't this strangely reminiscent of the early days of Momofuku, when none other than Mario Batali trumpeted the then-unheralded upstart as one of his—and his staff's—favorite lunch spots?
Related: Momfuku Master David Chang [Serious Eats]
Posted by Ed Levine, March 31, 2008 at 12:00 PM
I walked into Artichoke, the latest pizzeria to be deemed the "new Di Fara" around 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Of course it seems to me that being deemed the new Di Fara is the food equivalent of being deemed "the new Dylan" in singer-songwriter circles. But I digress. The place was abuzz with activity, but there was nary a slice in sight.
I was told to come back in 30 minutes. After an unscheduled appetizer of fried chicken at Momofuku, I circled back to Artichoke. There were four people in the place. I sidled up to the counter and watched the three men behind the counter scurrying around cooking broccoli rabe and artichokes. There was a pile of irregularly shaped house-baked loaves of bread on the customer side of the counter. I eyed them longingly but no one encouraged me to take one.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, March 28, 2008 at 2:30 PM
"Manhattan has its Di Fara." —Eric Miller, tipster
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.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, March 26, 2008 at 8:30 AM
The New York Times's Peter Meehan on Nizza:
It offers a wide variety of salads, pizzas that aren’t destination fare but are easy to scarf and a selection of main courses, the best of which — a fried lamb chop Milanese and a wild boar lasagna — are filling enough to get you through a four-act play.
New Places: Nizza [NYT]
Posted by DJ Bubbles, March 18, 2008 at 12:30 PM
The sixth slice is as good as the first. Yes, I just said 'sixth.'
I would like to piggyback off of the Real Slim Shady's recent comments on America's Favorite Pizza Weblog and take it one step further with respect to his top two NYC pizzerias. I recently visited both Di Fara and Patsy's within 24 hours of each other, and my memories of both are still fresh in my mind.
When Patsy's of East Harlem is "on," as AK likes to say, they are not only number one in New York, there is some serious distance between them and Di Fara, and I'll tell you why: balance. I may sound like a broken record to some of you, but let's lay it down, and if the comments pour in disagreeing with me, then so be it.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, March 18, 2008 at 8:15 AM
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.
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Posted by DJ Bubbles, March 11, 2008 at 8:00 AM
"I don't get why Vezzo is so popular just like I don't get why some people spend their Saturday nights at one of those souped-up frat houses on Third Avenue."
Every neighborhood in Manhattan has its pros and cons. It's probably true that a lot of West Villagers would say they have nothing to complain about. But, then again, they still have to deal with the fact that Bleecker Street Pizza sits on Seventh Avenue South. Snap! You could argue that some 'hoods have more pros than cons when matching one up against another, but I guess there's an upside and downside to living anywhere in the city. I mean, take my 'hood, Murray Hill, for instance. You could certainly say the place is a toolbox, given the type of crowd that frequents the Third Avenue watering holes. But, its residents also have the benefit of three strong pizza delivery places (Totonno's, Pizza 33, and Libretto's) that allows me to see past some of Murray Hill's shortcomings.
So why am I getting greedy and trying to find a fourth? Why did I insist on trying Vezzo a third time this past weekend, knowing that I had been disappointed on my first two orders? Is it the consistently strong crowds it draws, making me wonder if I've missed something? Is it the flack I took after my first post on Vezzo was critical of the place? Should I feel bad about that (I'll answer that one now—F NO!)? Was it the promising crisp crust that maybe just needed to be topped with higher quality ingredients? These are all viable questions, but here's the most important inquiry: Is Vezzo back in BUBBLE TROUBLE? Let's find out.
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Posted by DJ Bubbles, February 27, 2008 at 9:30 AM
Pizza Box: A new top-5 Manhattan slice contender? Find out below »
It's all good in the hood. I am happy to report that the state of the slice below 14th Street in Manhattan could be much worse. I know I haven't hollered at you in a minute, but I've been around town, and I'm about to break it down.
In recent weeks, I've traversed all three Villages, SoHo, and several other sub-14 neighborhoods—stopping at joints that haven't been hit by a DJB Drive By and checking in at some of my familiar spots. I've hit up Vinny Vincenz on two different occasions, took Una Pizza to school on a Sunday night, and housed random slices at random joints. Should I ease off the pie pedal to appease my Doc and go for the six pack? No, it's not gonna go down like that—I'm keeping it real and charging it back to the pie game! Here's a breakdown of some of the highlights (and disappointments) of my recent jaunts.
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Alphabet City bar Niagara takes over neighboring pizzeria Sal's. Says Grubstreet: "The new pizza canteen, whose name was still being decided upon at the time of this writing, will also benefit from Niagara's liquor license—not to mention its exhausted, famished customers. Expect to pick up a slice by the end of next week."
Posted by DJ Bubbles, January 15, 2008 at 4:00 PM
A New Year always brings about the opportunity for renewed optimism and reconciliation. It's a time to set new goals and get your priorities in order. As I was walking down Second Avenue, I decided I had two New Year's resolutions: I wanted to be healthier in 2008, and I wanted to try the remaining pizza joints in Manhattan that I hadn't already hit. I know, I'm kinda setting myself up to fail the first resolution if I am successful with the second. At any rate, it was with that spirit that I decided to grant a temporary Bubble amnesty to the Abitino's on 39th and Second Avenue, despite its recent transgressions.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, January 9, 2008 at 11:00 AM
From the New York Times:
Covo: A spacious duplex Italian restaurant anchors a new commercial complex. It adds its brick oven pizza, pasta dishes, and hearty main courses to the cluster of restaurants in the area: 701 West 135th Street, 212-234-9573.
Website: covony.com
Posted by DJ Bubbles, January 3, 2008 at 3:00 PM
Isabella's Oven, 365 Grand Street, New York NY 10002 (near Essex Street; map); 212-529-5206
It's been a while since the Bubbster has had much to say about anything on this fair weblog. I've been astray for some time now, but I've found my way home. Although, I must say, it doesn't feel much like home in recent weeks. Isabella's Oven causing such an uproar on the site because of a recent dip in quality certainly isn't music to my ears. And who wants to respond to comments in CAPS from Jeff B when he suggests that Two Boots is on point. Isabella's on its worst day would take Two Boots to special ed. That's almost as bad as Prairie condemning Pizza 33 without trying it but instead passing judgment based on a picture of its Margherita on Flickr. Say what you will about 33, but just say it after you've tried it!
The last time I was at Isabella's, Luigi was there, too. I had brought a friend to share in the magic, and Luigi didn't disappoint—he never did. It pains me to think that the joint is now among the chain Patsy's of this city. Isabella's was much more than that. I feel like I'm writing an obituary right now, but let's not get carried away—Isabella's management may take notice and set things straight.
Alright, enough of the hijinx. Sliceheads, just because I've been incommunicado of late does not mean I haven't been pounding the pavement (and the Zantac, for that matter) making sure that I'm staying on top of all things NY-PIE!
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Posted by Adam Kuban, January 3, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Eastvillagepodcasts.com pits two East Village pizza mainstays against one another: Two Boots vs. Lil' Frankie's. If you've had both and have taste buds, I think you know who wins this one.
Posted by Adam Kuban, December 12, 2007 at 2:00 PM
New York Pizza Suprema calls this an "upside down pizza," but it's essentially a Sicilian slice that goes crust, cheese, sauce instead of crust, sauce, cheese. We had it for lunch today at Slice–Serious Eats HQ.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, December 10, 2007 at 11:00 PM
Roma Pizza in better days, before it unexpectedly closed last week.
Last week saw the passing of Roma Pizza on West 27th Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues. I'm probably speaking for everyone on the block—which is home to FIT and the Serious Eats/Slice office—when I say it was an unexpected event. One evening, we were buying slices there for a quick dinner, and the next morning the place was being cleaned out by an auction. By the time the 4 p.m. coffee break rolled around, there was a black plastic trash bag outside the door with the handle of a pizza peel peeking out of it.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, December 10, 2007 at 9:00 PM
This was rather early in the day; I have more pizza and Santa pix when the streets were thronged with (3,000!) Santas. However, I was shooting film today; the other rolls won't go in for a day or two. Deck the halls with mozzarella!
Cheers,
Barbara
Dear Barbara,
If you get those rolls processed and have some more good Santacon pix on it, feel free to send them in! This is great. Viva la Santacon!
Hasta la pizza,
Adam
Posted by Adam Kuban, November 30, 2007 at 5:00 PM
Memo to Jeff B.: DUDE. Chill the frak out. We get the point. You think Isabella's Oven sucks. Did we need the drive-by on every post about the place?
That said, you bring up a good point. Here's the deal ...
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Posted by Adam Kuban, November 27, 2007 at 6:00 PM
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?
—Bret S.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, November 19, 2007 at 6:30 PM
From left: A Di Fara half-plain, half-artichoke pie; pizza-makers at Franny's; an Isabella's Oven Margherita D.O.C.; Una Pizza Napoletana's marinara pie.
Last year around this time Slice/Serious Eats contributed to Pim Techamuanvivit's Menu for Hope charity raffle. Our giveaway was a guided pizza tour for four. Well, the winners—Anthony Kinik and Michelle Marek of Montreal food blog An Endless Banquet—finally made us make good on our prize. (It took them almost a year because they live in Montreal and I secretly think they were waiting for the loonie to beat the dollar before making a trip to the U.S.)
Anyway, after much back-and-forth emailing, we settled on a proposed route: Di Fara, Franny's, Adrienne's Pizzabar, Isabella's Oven, Una Pizza Napoletana, Joe's Pizza, Bleecker Street Pizza.
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Starting November 24: Thursday and Friday, 5 p.m. until sold out of dough; Saturday and Sunday, noon until sold out of dough.
Posted by Adam Kuban, November 13, 2007 at 12:00 PM
Slice's Manhattan Pizza Map lists all pizzerias we have reviewed and/or mentioned in Manhattan. Clicking the pizza icons will bring up address, phone number, URL (if any), and a link back to all entries Slice has on the particular pizzeria. It's a handy way to visually navigate what Slice has to offer. The map legend is at right.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, November 7, 2007 at 11:07 PM
Dear Slice,
Walked by last night and noticed the corner shop is all boarded up. It seems that Abitino's is no more.
—Marc M.
Well, supposedly it's under renovation, but with the awnings and signage removed, looks like this branch of Abitino's is closed.
Pizza fans will remember that the corner location used to house Joe's before it relocated to the middle of the same block.
Posted by Adam Kuban, October 28, 2007 at 10:00 PM
After starting a six-pizzeria pizza crawl at Franny's, travelers board the" Pizza Express."
This afternoon I had the pleasure of riding aboard what I'll call the Scott Wiener Pizza Express.
Scott Wiener is a true pizza lover, one who keeps a pizza journal that's legendary among those who know him, and his love and enthusiasm for the pie is truly infectious. So much so that a little more than 20 people showed up for a tour that would take us from Prospect Heights to deep Brooklyn, up to East Harlem, and back again to Brooklyn (see map, after the jump).
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Posted by Ed Levine, October 24, 2007 at 10:00 PM
If you find yourself headed to Madison Square Garden for a Knicks or Rangers game or a concert and you have 15 minutes or less to get something to eat, Pizza Suprema is the answer to your prayers. A mere two blocks from a Garden entrance, it looks like a generic pizzeria. Don't be fooled. The regular slices have a crisp crust, a fine if overly sweet sauce and a little too much cheese. Have one regular slice and one slice of the marinara pie—a Sicilian slice coated with marinara sauce containing flecks of fresh onion, then sprinkled with just enough Romano cheese to give the whole thing a pleasant tang. The Sicilian crust is thick but surprisingly light, with enough oil to keep it moist. If you're still hungry (and I don't think you will be) get a Roman slice, basically a stuffed slice with a crisp crust filed with sausage, pepperoni, ham, and cheese. After your stop here, you can go to the Garden totally sated, armed with the knowledge that you won't have to spring for the absurdly expensive hot dogs.
Address: 413 Eighth Avenue, New York NY 10001 (at 31st Street; map)
Phone: 212-594-8939
Posted by DJ Bubbles, September 27, 2007 at 5:45 PM
Or, 'A Plain Slice Review of Pizza 33, Mike's Pizza, Andiamo Pizzeria, Pizzanini, Ben's Pizzeria, and DeMarco's'
View Larger Map
This past Sunday, like so many of mine, was all about the pie. I started with a noon jaunt down to Luzzo's to reconfirm my love for the Naples-born Margherita DOC. However, as I was coming from uptown, I stumbled first upon good ol' Vinny Vincenz, as it's only one block north of Luzzo's on First Avenue. I had to at least stop in and grab one of Vin's excellent Sicilian slices, just to use it as a base case! Besides, Vinny has always been a friend of Slice's, and they even have E-Rock's classic review of the joint taped to their window—if other pie joints could only be so savvy! Of course, if I were Vezzo or L'Asso, I don't know if that would be such a good idea.
Anyway, Luzzo's was terrific (although you have to order their Margheritas with extra mozz, since they're awfully stingy with that), and Vincenzo was on point, Sicilian-style, and I went home satisfied. As a quick aside, I will say that Luzzo's crust is on par with Isabella's (on a good night, of course). The best indication that Luzzo's is on point has to be that it sits a half block from Una Pizza Napoletana and still draws comparable crowds on Friday nights.
At dinner time, I realized I hadn't been on a slice walk in some time. A slice walk is a pilgrimage to pie that I make every so often, typically on Sunday nights, where I have dinner by means of trying 3 or 4 slices from different Manhattan pizzerias. A slice walk is how I've tried, by my own modest estimate, approximately 200-plus pizzerias in Manhattan alone. These walks will never be all inclusive—I'm not eating pizza from a "deli" where I can also buy Rolos, and I'll never buy a slice from a joint after walking in and looking down at a monstrosity of a slice pie (trust me, you can tell when a slice is gonna be downright bad after going on enough of these, or so I thought).
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Posted by DJ Bubbles, September 10, 2007 at 5:00 PM
Vezzo
Address: 178 Lexington Avenue, New York NY
Phone: 212-839-8300
The draw: Strong word-of-mouth recommendations to the DJ, "Thin Crust Pizza," two sister pizzerias (Gruppo and Posto) that are also doing very well, a brick-oven, cash only (often indicative of high quality, e.g., Patsy's of East Harlem, Una Pizza Napoletana), and an exceptional Zagat rating for Gruppo (26 for quality—Vezzo makes the same pie, trust me).
The facts: Wow, it's Sunday night and it's been a busy weekend. Kinda want to just stay on the couch, maybe order in. A dinner jaunt doesn't sound good right now, not even for a pie. I know, pretty pathetic. I had been seeing some big crowds while walking past Vezzo lately and I decided to see what all the fuss was about. And, although you know that I don't like to rate a joint's delivery pie, in this instance, it wouldn't have made a bit of difference. A trip to Vezzo for a fresh made pie would not undermine any of the DJ's conclusions contained in this article.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, August 24, 2007 at 11:55 AM
Address: 456 Ninth Avenue, New York NY 10018 (b/n 35th and 36th streets; map)
Phone: 212-563-7741
The Skinny: Good mozzarella on the Margherita; careful balance of crust, sauce, and cheese; crust could stand some more salt and some more crispness. The Provençal seems to be a sort of Mitchel London specialty, and, with its interesting mix of fresh mozz, Gruyère cheese, and herbs de Provence, was our favorite pie on each of our visits.
Cost: large Margherita, $13.95; small, $7.95. Large Provençal, $13.95; small, $7.95. Premium pies run $1 to $2 more.
From left to right, top to bottom: Mitchel London Pizza's large Margherita, whole pie, on August 10; the upskirt shot from the August 10 pie; our large Margherita from August 13; the upskirt from the August 13 pie.
Yeah. I know. It's been a while since I've evaluated a pizzeria. So when news of the recently opened Mitchel London Pizza hit the web a couple weeks ago and I saw how close it was to the office, I figured this would be an easy opportunity to get back in the saddle.
I visit first for a solo dinner after work on Friday, August 10, and order a large Margherita. The space is clean and efficient looking, equipped with no-nonsense stainless steel racks and prep tables, as befits its history as the production kitchen for London's catering business. Pizzas are rolled out very thin with a rolling pin before being built up and slipped into a small Wood Stone gas-fired oven that doesn't look like it could handle more than a couple pies at a time.
The Margherita arrives soon after I order at the counter, take a seat, and puzzle over the crossword for a bit. In appearance, it seems to have the right balance of crust, sauce, and cheese. In taste, well, that's another matter. The crust is barely crisp and lacks any hint of saltiness. The cheese is good (nice, buttery fresh mozzarella), and the tomatoes are just fine (canned San Marzanos). But the thin, bland crust, though pleasingly tender, leaves me wanting more from this pie.
I know that London is passionate about food, and he serves excellent burgers and cupcakes next door at Burgers & Cupcakes, so I chalk this one up to the place's overall newness and the fact that London was not at the oven at the time of my first visit. I hope for a crisper, tastier pie on my next trip, which I plan for the following Monday, August 13.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, August 14, 2007 at 4:00 PM
Over lunch, a Serious Eats colleague told me about the opening of Accademia di Vino.
"What's that? Some kinda wine bar? Not interested," I said.
"But it's got grilled pizza," she said.
"Well, why diddincha say so?"
One of the dudes behind this place—executive chef Kevin Garcia—came up through Al Forno, my colleague said, where he worked as something called a tournant, or a roundsman. Al Forno is, of course, the grilled-pizza mothership—the joint in Providence, Rhode Island, where George Germon came up the idea of slapping pizza dough on a grate over coals. Mr. Garcia also did a turn under the late Vinny Scotto at New York City's Gonzo, the place credited with bringing grilled pizza to the Big Apple. (Mr. Scotto himself learned the art of the grilled pie at Al Forno.)
Accademia di Vino, will open to the public tomorrow night (August 15) in the old Mainland space at 1081 Third Avenue, on the Upper East Side, at 64th Street.
So, lo and behold, we get back from throwing down some slices (what else did you think I'd be eating?), and there's a flack attack in my inbox. I'll let it do all the non-intriguing non-pizza talking, after the jump.
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Posted by DJ Bubbles, August 14, 2007 at 11:30 AM
Ladies and gents, the always opinionated DJ Bubbles has checked in once again. Because I never know when he's going to strike, I'd been unofficially calling his stunning dispatches "drive-bys." Now I'm formalizing it. Here's the DJ Bubbles Drive-By on Isabella's Oven. It's a must-read, so do click through the jump. —Adam
Words by DJ Bubbles | It has been said before that having a great meal can be a transcendent experience. When someone has poured all his soul, energy, and being into something so divine, you can taste it in every bite. It isn't something that happens all that often in these times, but when it does, you don't soon forget it. To say that I had one of these experiences this Saturday may be true—I'm still not sure. How is that possible, you ask? That's a good question, and all I know is it happened on my second trip to Isabella's Oven after a very mediocre first visit. The difference in pie quality was immediately apparent after I had my first slice of an individual Margherita while sitting on Isabella's outdoor patio. However, the questions regarding this newbie's consistency linger, and I have to ask myself—was this past Saturday the beginning of a beautiful friendship or a flash in the pan, mere pizza fool's gold?
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Posted by DJ Bubbles, July 30, 2007 at 6:00 PM
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.
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Posted by Ed Levine, July 18, 2007 at 9:45 AM
photographs courtesy Isabella's Oven
I had a truly great pizza in a new pizza place on Saturday, and though I'm not going to tell you that I have seen pizza's future and its name is Isabella's Oven, the way Jon Landau did a zillion years ago when he saw Springsteen live and declared that he had seen rock and roll's future, I will say I had a pie that would easily make a New York City top ten list and maybe a national one as well.
Now in New York, when you declare a pizza place that's not on anybody's radar to be Pizza Hall of Fame-worthy, there can be hell to pay. But I'm willing to stand the heat of the wood-burning oven.
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Posted by Ed Levine, July 15, 2007 at 6:00 PM
On many hot summer weekends in New York City, we end up renting a car and high-tailing it out of the city to beat the heat and smell some grass and flowers. And though I hate paying Hertz for an extra hour (they charge a fortune), I have incurred that charge at least once because I just had to stop at Sal & Carmine's to pick up a pizza. Frankly, it's worth it, because the pizza there is that good.
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Posted by Ed Levine, July 12, 2007 at 10:00 AM
You've heard of semisweet chocolate, right? Well lately I've been encountering a lot of what I call semiserious pizza, most recently at Dean's Pizzeria, yet another pizza "concept" from the folks who have given us the Patsy's mini-chain, Angelo's, and Goodburger.
What is semiserious pizza? It's pizza that has many of the characteristics of serious pizza—made with good (if not great) ingredients, baked in an oven that can hold temperatures as high as 800 degrees (either gas-, wood-, or coal-fired), and served as whole-pie only. The only thing missing from semiserious pizza is the presence of a passionate pizzaiolo owner, someone who lives and dies with every pie.
That's my problem with Dean's. Dean's is actually pretty good pizza. It makes thin-crust Neapolitan pies and grandma pies, all with fresh mozzarella and decent canned tomatoes. It's certainly much better than the average New York slice joint (Dean's only sells whole pies, by the way), but it's not great, and the reason it's not great is that it's a concept, meant to be rolled out to multiple locations. It's faux great, or semiserious, like I said.
Related: Gael Greene on Dean's Pizzeria
Dean's
Address: 215 West 85th Street, New York NY 10024 (UWS b/n Broadway and Amsterdam Ave.; map)
Phone: 212-875-1100
Additional Location
Address: 801 Second Avenue, New York NY 10017 (Midtown East b/n 42nd and 43rd streets; map)
Phone: 212-878-9600
Posted by Adam Kuban, July 9, 2007 at 10:10 PM
A round-up in New York magazine lists. Stop me if think that you've heard this one before:
Solo Pizza
Address: 27 Avenue B, New York NY 10009 (East Village, near 3rd Street)
Phone: 212-420-7656
Chickie Pig’s
Address: 121 Ludlow Street, New York NY 10002 (LES, near Rivington)
Phone: 212-254-9972
URL: chickiepigs.com
With a name like Chickie Pig's, this place better be damn good.
Mosco Pizza
Address: 105 1/2 Mosco Street, New York NY 10013
Phone: 212-227-9150
Not for Tourists notes: "Good pizza in New York is pretty run-of-the-mill. You can get it anywhere. Anywhere, that is, except Chinatown. I’m not talking about the new Chinatown (i.e. Little Italy). I’m talking about East Broadway and Doyers Street, where pizza is anathema. Thankfully, Mosco Pizza opened up on (you got it) Mosco Street, much to the satisfaction of Asian-cuisine-weary NFT office workers. The pies are good, and they sell slices for two bucks each."
Oven
Address: 60C Henry Street, Brooklyn NY 11201 (Brooklyn Heights, b/n Orange and Cranberry streets)
Phone: 718-468-6836
La Nonna Pizzeria Trattoria Paninoteca
Address: 237 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11211 (Williamsburg, near North 4th Street)
Phone: 718-302-5353
Posted by Ed Levine, July 9, 2007 at 4:15 PM
Photograph from blueneurosis on Flickr
I've begged and I've begged, but to no avail. I told Sal and Carmine my wife had a broken leg. They wouldn't budge. They wouldn't deliver. I've had the following imaginary conversation with Sal and Carmine many times. "But Sal," I plead, "you make one of the best slices in Manhattan. I mean, it's not even close. I love your charred crust, your sauce, your full-cream mozzarella. Do you know how many of your slices I've eaten in the past 24 years!"
I do a quick calculation. "Fifteen hundred. I've eaten fifteen hundred of your slices, and if you used fresh mushrooms instead of canned, that number would have easily doubled."
No dice on the fresh mushrooms and no dice on the deliveries.
Sal & Carmine's
Address: 2671 Broadway (b/n 101st and 102nd), New York NY 10025
Phone: 212-663-7651
Rating: 
This entry is an excerpt from my book Pizza: A Slice of Heaven. To read more, visit the Slice of Heaven archives here on Slice.
Posted by Ed Levine, July 3, 2007 at 3:45 PM
New York Times wine columnist Eric Asimov takes his two sons to Una Pizza Napoletana in NYC and pronounces both the wine and the pizza A-OK.
Of their kind (traditional Neapolitan–style) Anthony Mangieri's pies are as good as you can get in New York City. People carp about the price (more than $20 for an individual pie), but the fact is that Mr. Mangieri is slavishly devoted to each and every pie that comes out of his oven, and his devotion results in an ethereally light and tangy individual pie. His last-minute Sicilian sea salt shake is a stroke of pizza genius. Mr. Mangieri's individual pizzas are the definition of an affordable indulgence. It's silly to compare it to a slice at Di Fara or a coal-fired pie from Totonno's in Brooklyn. His pizza is simply a completely different animal and should be acknowledged as such.
Una Pizza Napoletana
Address: 349 East 12th Street (just off First Avenue), New York NY 10003
Phone: 212-477-9950
Related: All Slice entries on Una Pizza Napoletana
Posted by Ed Levine, July 3, 2007 at 2:00 PM
Über-chef, restaurateur, and television personality Mario Batali found out the hard way that even for famous chefs, cooking is easy and pizza is hard. When I wrote Pizza, A Slice of Heaven, I asked Mario to write about the difficulties of a well-known chef opening a pizzeria.
Words by Mario Batali | I'd always wanted to make pizza—not the regular, great New York City slices like the ones I eat at Joe's, right around the corner from two of our restaurants, Babbo and Lupa, or the great whole pies made in coal-fired brick ovens like the one at Totonno's in Coney Island, where we eat when Susi and I take the kids to the aquarium. Instead, Joe Bastianich and I decided we'd do a pizzeria and enoteca that would feature Sardinian flat bread, more like cracker or a lavash, that would be charred on a griddle. It'd be faster, different, and easier to do. Or so we thought.
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Posted by Ed Levine, June 26, 2007 at 9:00 AM
Editor's note: My friend and neighbor Brian Koppelman (writer of Ocean's 13, among others) loves pizza with designer toppings, for which he gives an impassioned defense here. It's an excerpt from my book Pizza: A Slice of Heaven.
Words by Brian Koppelman | MY FATHER, WHO FIRST INTRODUCED ME TO PIZZA, IS A PURIST. To him, a pie isn't legit unless it's built like the ones he ate during his high school years in Far Rockaway, Queens. Out there, among the row houses by the Atlantic Ocean, the neighborhood joints served it straight up: crisp crust, tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella. Maybe a sprinkle of Parmesan. That's all. No pesto. No goat cheese. Definitely no pineapple. That's how my oId man liked it. He's still a no-nonsense guy. I, however, am a fop hooked on "gourmet" pizza.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, June 21, 2007 at 2:54 PM
Dean's Pizzeria & Restaurant, a new Nick Angelis–affiliated joint is opening on the Upper West Side, as reported by the New York Times yesterday. Angelis is the man behind Nick's (locations in Forest Hills and on the Upper East Side) and Adrienne's Pizzabar (Financial District), and he's helping his sister, Mirene, with this venture.
Located in a former hotel ballroom with Greek columns and elaborate crown molding, Dean’s, along with its full Italian menu and full bar, is offering both an “old school round pizza” ($13 and $15, plus toppings) and an “old-fashioned square pizza,” ($16, plus toppings). The latter is especially thin, without the unappetizing gooey layer of dough above the crust that grandma pies usually have. The sauce on all the pies is uncooked, milled tomatoes; the squares have a garlic and oregano kick. The round pies use all fresh mozzarella, the grandmas half fresh and a high-quality chewier variety seen in some of the better slice joints.
I know you're all tired of hearing about Dom. Sorry I didn't blog this one for you homeslices yesterday.
Dean’s Pizzeria & Restaurant
Address: 215 West 85th Street
Phone: 212-875-1100
Posted by Adam Kuban, June 4, 2007 at 10:51 AM
Remember that rave review Village Voice food critic Robert Sietsema gave Il Brigante the other week?
New York Times food critic Frank Bruni says, "huh," slamming the new pizzeria and, by extension, Sietsema.
If his point is that Neapolitan pizza is unduly romanticized, and that your standard pizza pie in Naples is not necessarily some gastronomically wondrous epiphany, then O.K., there’s some merit to what he’s saying.
But his point seems to be that he loved this pie. My lunch companion and I found nothing lovable about it.
I haven't been yet, but now I'm even more curious...
Posted by Adam Kuban, May 17, 2007 at 1:48 PM
The Village Voice's Robert Sietsema thinks he's found it at Il Brigante:
At its heart, Il Brigante is a pizzeria, and a damn good one. The rear wall is dominated by a flickering wood-burning hearth inside a limestone proscenium, where a sweating and grunting pizzaiolo is the star of his own small repertory theater. In the style of southern Italy, the 10-inch pies are intended for individual consumption. In fact, the margherita ($10) is the city's most perfect evocation of the true Naples style (even surpassing top spots like Una Pizza Napoletana and La Pizza Fresca). Starting with an irregular round of glove-soft dough with no yeasty taste, the margherita is dampened with plain tomato sauce and excellent cheese, bravely wearing a pair of fragrant basil leaves on its bosom. Eat it with a knife and fork—this is no New York pie.
Il Brigante
Address: 214 Front Street, New York NY 10038 [South Street Seaport area; map]
Phone: 212-285-0222
Posted by Adam Kuban, April 25, 2007 at 4:32 PM
It's been awhile since Slice has waded into the plaintive muck of Craigslist's Missed Connections section. So come with me, my loves, to the swamp of love that spawns That's Amore. —The Mgmt.
At New Park Pizza on CrossBay Blvd today with your friend - m4w: If this work's I'll not only be really happy but amazed! At New Park Pizza on Cross Bay Blvd in Howard Beach Queens this afternoon. You are light skinned and you were sitting with your girlfriend who was darker. You were wearing what I think I remember was a pink Tee shirt with something written on it. You had a small white box in front of you on the table that you were sitting at and you were looking at the content and smiling. You are beautiful with an amazing smile and although I should have talked to you I was in kind of a rush and didn't want to embarrass you in front of your friend and I still regret it. Tell me what you had in the box and I'll know it's you. I hope this work's because I would hate to think I will never see you again.
pizza parlor- waverly place - m4w (West Village): you were sitting at the table adjacent to me. I commented to you about the oily pizza. You had an incredible smile. Please contact me.
To My Dream "ozzie"...The One of Three - m4w - 29 (East Village): As the bar was closing, we shared a simple kiss...I said "see you at the pizza place" yet you weren't there...If you're out there, I wouldn't mind a quick snog before you head back to Oz...And yes, there will be power ballad singing...
How was that Lombardi's pizza? Saturday night on the 6. - m4w (Murray Hill): Saturday night: you bought a pizza at Lombardi's, then headed back uptown on the IRT [that's the 6] from Spring to 33rd, clad in brown boots and other earth tones, and carrying a tote with three initials. 'bout 10:00 PM or so. My route was the same. Sans pizza and boots, tho -- white cords, cutoff linen shirt, black glasses, unshaven. Coulda shoulda. But didn't! So write me a note and we can correspond while I'm away in France for a week or two.
Bella Napoli Madison Ave - 30: Tall Asian women in Chloe jeans ordering pizza in front of me. Really hot. Would like to meet you.
