Entries tagged with 'Manhattan'
Posted by Ed Levine, June 30, 2009 at 3:30 PM
"His slices were so good that they didn't have to deliver."
The other night I started thinking about Sal and Carmine's. Adam reported on Sal's untimely death, but somehow I feel the only true way to pay one's respects to a pieman (and Sal was one of the all-time great piemen) is to have one of his pies.
So last Friday I left the Slice–Serious Eats office around 7 p.m. and took the 2 Train to 96th Street and Broadway. I know I could have taken the local one more stop and ended up a couple of blocks closer, but I wanted to start my homage to Sal by acknowledging the location of the original Sal's Pizzeria on 95th and Broadway, where my love affair with Sal Malanga's pizza began in 1973.
Sal and his brother Carmine opened the original Sal's in 1959, three blocks from my first New York apartment. I was making $111 a week working for the Department of Cultural Affairs in the New York City Parks Department, and though Sal's slices were 25¢ more than every other pizzeria's, it quickly became my go-to slice. How could it not? Sal's slightly bready crust was crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Therein lies the magic about Sal and Carmine's crust: It never gets hard, no matter how long it's been out of the oven. The sauce was slightly seasoned (maybe it was canned pizza sauce—no matter), and the aged mozzarella they used had just the right touch of salt.
Once you had a Sal's slice you could accept no other. They were magical, more workmanlike and less idiosyncratic than Di Fara, but no less artful and satisfying. That's it, now that I think about it: Sal's slices were just so damn satisfying. And you didn't need a finely honed pizza aesthetic to know that. One bite was all it took. That was the way it was then, and you know what? That's the way it is now.
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Another opening for you. Grub Street reports that Zimari Pizza is open (as of last week) and serving $1 slices, $8 pies. Cheese only for now. Zimari Pizza: 31st Street b/n Park and Lexington avenues
Posted by Adam Kuban, June 8, 2009 at 7:00 PM
grubstreet.com
Grub Street reports that Kesté Pizza & Vino is selling something called a "pizza wallet."
As you know, traditional Neapolitan pizza is a sit-down, knife-and-fork affair. The "pizza wallet," or "portfolio" pie, is the Italians' version of the on-the-go slice. Kesté's $6 mini Margherita if folded in half twice, essentially making a conical "wallet" that you eat cornicione-end first.
Kesté Pizza & Vino
271 Bleecker Street, New York NY 10014 (b/n Jones and Cornelia streets; map)
212-243-1500; kestepizzeria.com
Posted by Adam Kuban, June 3, 2009 at 9:00 AM
Admittedly, the previous item I blogged about was a week old*, and in that time Alan Richman has moved on to writing about some old standbys. He posted his thoughts yesterday on Grimaldi's (DUMBO), Patsy's (East Harlem), and Di Fara (Midwood). Again, let's take them in order.
On Grimaldi's:
The oven is just right, but the crusts are merely okay—they have a fresh, bready smell, but to me they’re a little too thick and slightly too soft, somewhat undercooked. The tomato sauce is vibrant and essential, which means the white pizzas are best skipped. These basically consist of soft, melted mozzarella atop soft, bland crusts. I tried a half-dozen pies and by far the best was topped with grated cheese, fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, and excellent, spicy, thick-cut slices of pepperoni.
Agree or disagree with Richman's Top 25 Pizzas List, but I think he's spot on about Grimaldi's here. [Richman's take on Patsy's and Di Fara, after the jump. ]
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Posted by Adam Kuban, June 3, 2009 at 7:00 AM
Hot off his GQ Top 25 Pizza List, Alan Richman (right) takes on a few recently opened NYC pizzerias—Tonda (East Village), Ignazio's (DUMBO), and Emporio (Nolita). Let's take them in order.
On Tonda:
The toppings here are overly ambitious yet flavorsome, but the crusts are flabby, tasteless, barely charred, and lacking the puffy outside ring that is reminiscent of a true Naples pie. My favorite menu item by far was the arancini, listed under “Neapolitan Street Food” but as far as I know found just about everywhere in Italy. These little rice balls were wonderfully crunchy, the only item we tried that came to the table crisp.
Ouch. But when it comes to Ignazio's, it gets worse. To say Richman doesn't like the joint is an understatement. On Ignazio's:
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Posted by Adam Kuban, June 2, 2009 at 1:10 PM
Sad news. Sal of the Upper West Side's Sal and Carmine's has died. We received a report over the weekend from Josh G. that the neighborhood favorite was shuttered due to "an emergency." And now today comes word from Alex Belth of Bronx Banter as to the state of that emergency:
Sal died late last week. I’ve been eating their pizza since I was a kid. Sal and Carmine. Two short, taciturn men in their seventies, though they look older. I never knew who was Sal and who was Carmine, just that one was slightly less cranky than the other. These are the kind of men that don’t retire but are retired.
Coming on the heels of the Newsweek story I just linked to, this couldn't be a sadder and more timely illustration that the great, longtime pizzamen slinging everyday (yet exceptional) slices are treasures we're quickly losing.
Our condolences go out to Sal's family, friends, and fans—and to Carmine, the business partner Sal took on in the '90s. He will be missed.
According to Bronx Banter, Sal's funeral was yesterday, and the shop reopens today.
Urban Daddy reports that the wine bar Solex is now Veloce Pizzeria. Grub Street has a slide show. 103 First Avenue, New York NY 10003 (at 7th Street; map), 212-777-6677. [via I Dream of Pizza]
Posted by Adam Kuban, May 13, 2009 at 11:00 AM
You know, I thought I had linked to this Village Voice blog post the day it came out in one of the daily(ish) Leftovers I do, but it looks like I didn't. Oh, well, I was going to give it its own post anyway, since it's totally worth it.
The heart of the matter: Robert Sietsema has discovered a new pizza style in Manhattan at Birdbath Bakery:
[Birdbath] has come up with a pizza based, not on the usual yeast- or sourdough-risen crust, but with a flaky puff pastry crust. The crust renders brittle and oily, and tastes fantastic.
Sietsema says that they're using a good-quality mozzarella and that a spinach and goat cheese version is also available.
Birdbath Bakery
223 First Avenue, New York NY 10003 (b/n 13th and 14th; map)
646-722-6565
birdbathbakery.com
145 Seventh Avenue, New York NY 10011 (at 19th Street; map)
646-722-6570
birdbathbakery.com
Posted by Adam Kuban, May 13, 2009 at 9:00 AM
In an interview in Blackbook, former director and current restaurateur Bob Giraldi issues a strong statement:
In Italy a pizzeria is a casual restaurant where you can have other foods, but they take their pizza very seriously in Italy. We eat a lot of pizza in New York, but it’s made all over by a lot of different people, and it’s not made properly—in my own and in an Italian’s opinion. We brought in a chef from Naples, and his approach is world-class Neapolitan, which is where pizza is generally regarded as the best in the world. We’re going to try and give people in the East Village a really superior product. Let’s face it—you can go anywhere on a street corner and order pizza in New York City, but it’s usually made by many cultures, and it’s not made the way you make it in Italy.
OK. Being generous, I'll assume that Giraldi means the average New York slice, which, let's face it, is nothing special. But, please, the East Village already has some great and amazing pizza, so it's not like Tonda is "giving the people in the East Village" something they don't already have. Please see: Una Pizza Napoletana, Luzzo's, and Vinny Vincenz for starters.
Posted by Adam Kuban, May 4, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Per the Eater blog:
A trusted tipster tells us that a friend was approached last week for a position at a new branch of Jim Lahey's fanatically adored Chelsea pizza place Co.. She tells us it's "somewhere downtown" but can't provide further intel.
Related
Co. Company Pizza Soft Opening Photo Gallery
First Taste: A Preview of Jim Lahey's Co. Company Pizza
Edwardkimuk asks: "I'm staying in the East Village in two weeks and was wanting opinions on where to get a great slice of pizza in the East Village." Answer here »
Posted by Adam Kuban, April 29, 2009 at 4:45 PM
Joe's will be taking part in a Snapple free-lunch promotion next week.
I just received a press release you all might be interested in. Snapple is doing some sort of marketing gimmick next week in which it's giving away free pizza lunches to the first 500 folks to show up at the following pizzerias (listed after the jump). All of the week's promotions start at 10:30 a.m. and last until the 500th person is served.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, April 29, 2009 at 1:00 PM
From left: St. Marks 2 Bros. Pizza, 542 Ninth Ave, New York NY 10018 (at West 40th Street; map). 99¢ Fresh Pizza, 569 Ninth Avenue, New York NY 10036 (at 41st Street; map). Click all photos for larger versions. These and all subsequent photos feature 2 Bros. on left and 99¢ on right.
Fig. 1: A side-by-side comparison of St. Marks 2 Bros. Pizza and 99¢ Fresh Pizza slices.
Yesterday afternoon, Zach Brooks of Midtown Lunch issued a challenge via blog and tweet. He claims he doesn't know much about pizza and wanted my opinion on the hot new pizza rivalry occurring within the realm of his blog's coverage.
But first, some history: Just west of the Port Authority Bus Terminal on the northwest corner of 41st Street and Ninth Avenue is 99¢ Fresh Pizza. This bargain pizzeria has been king of the cheap slices for about three years—eventually opening up a branch on 43rd Street and Third Avenue, which in turn inspired other pizzeria-delis in the area to drop slice prices to a dollar. While 99¢ Fresh Pizza has only two locations, it has claimed the majority of dollar-slice mindshare in this town, thanks to its first-mover status and the fact that its cheapassity is built into its name.
But last summer, upstart buckslice joint St. Marks 2 Bros. Pizza opened in the East Village and by mid September had already branched out to Chelsea. And yesterday, 2 Bros. pretty much brought the noise straight to the castle walls, opening a location on the southeast corner of 40th Street and Ninth Avenue.
Whose cheap-ass dollar slice would reign supreme? I took up Zach's challenge late yesterday afternoon in order to find out. The results, after the jump.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, April 21, 2009 at 3:58 PM
Two threads have been started in the last 30 hours on Chowhound dissing Co. Company.
Co. Pizza—Too Tarte: "These pizzas are more like gallettes or, at the risk of further pissing off Lahey, pissaladieres."
Co. Not So Hot (Longish): "The pizza was strictly ordinary.... The previous week I had a way better pizza, handmade with the freshest ingredients, with exquisite personal service by the owner and his family in, of all places, Germany."
From tipster Mark R.: "Had a slice there yesterday, place seems to be having a special. Slices are $1.50 instead of $2.50, and Sicilian slices are $2 instead of $3. The special will last for a couple of weeks. Regular slice much better than Sicilian. The latter is too bready, while the former has a fine, crisp slightly burned crust, tangy and sweet tomato sauce, and good size blobs of melted mozzarella on them." Little Luzzo's: 119 East 96th Street, New York NY 10029 (b/n Park and Lex; map)
Posted by Adam Kuban, April 10, 2009 at 11:35 AM
Co. Company's Jim Lahey (above) is not happy about his one-star review in the New York Times. He tells the New York Observer:
"We've been open only 90 days," he said. "We have not had a chance to even breathe in 90 days. What the fuck are we being reviewed by the New York Times for, you know, 90 days into being open? It makes no sense.
"If I knew we were going to be under the microscope, I would have possibly treated the opening of the restaurant a lot differently," he continued. "I didn't open this restaurant to get reviewed by the Times. Otherwise, I would have made the food a lot differently. I would have bought really nice plates and beautiful stemware. And we would have done slightly less informal service, know what I mean?"
Lahey was responding to Frank Bruni's criticism that the toppings weren't quite there yet.
Hey, it's like the old saying, "I may be fat, but you're stupid—and I can go on a diet!"
In this case, toppings are easy to tweak. It's the crust that hard to get right. And Lahey pretty much has that part down. Of course, I guess Lahey would argue that he doesn't need to tweak the toppings.
On a side note, Lahey also calls his much-lauded pizza bianca "dogshit." Apparently, it's not up to his own standards.
Posted by Adam Kuban, April 8, 2009 at 3:53 PM
The paper's restaurant critic gives one star to Jim Lahey's Co. Company pizzeria. He mostly likes it but has some criticism that's fairly accurate:
But he could indeed improve upon his pizzas somewhat. Although the best of them are outstanding and all pack the pleasures of a serious crust with serious blisters—Mr. Lahey uses an oven that generates heat in excess of 900 degrees—he hasn’t yet nailed the toppings. It’s as if he’s too focused on, and maybe too confident about, what lies beneath. A pizzaiolo-come-lately, he needs to sweat the cheese and the rest of it a little more.
If you know what to order, you'll have a good pizza there. I'd recommend staying away from the béchamel pies. Mr. Bruni also says:
And those blisters sometimes multiply and spread into jarringly ashy, sooty territory. What’s a desirable sear and what’s no better than cinders? A few of the many pizzas I had at Co. left me wondering.
Co.
230 Ninth Avenue, New York NY 10001 (at West 24th Street; map)
212-243-1105
co-pane.com
Related: Co. Company Pizzeria Soft Opening Photo Gallery
Urban Daddy: "Run by a young Sicilian pizza wunderkind named Francisco, you'll want to pop in to Golosi (glutton in Italian) when you're looking for a manageable treat—three inches should do—of a crispy (the flour is imported from Italy, and the dough is made with olive oil) skateboard-shaped pie." Golosi: 125 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017 (b/n 41st and 42nd; map); 212-922-1169
Posted by Adam Kuban, April 7, 2009 at 12:30 AM
While everyone else is talking about the four new pizzerias that opened in the last ten days, the New Yorker looks at Co. Company in this week's issue. For the most part I share writer Lila Byock's take on the pizza there. She loves the Boscaiola pie (mushroom, onion, sausage, chile peppers) and eschews the Santo pie ("what's with all the béchamel?") that many other (wrong-headed) critics and food bloggers have praised.
But she sets up a bit of a straw man, creating some sort of schism between two supposed sects of pizza-lovers:
There are the ascetics, who demand pies as thin and brittle as Communion wafers, versus the libertines, who prefer something they can sink their teeth into. If anyone can persuade the quarrellers to break bread, it’s surely Jim Lahey, of Co.
Where are these people demanding crusts as thin and brittle as Communion wafers? I think what most pizza purists agree on is perfecting a Margherita that's properly balanced and has a great crust. If a pizzaiolo can do that, we're willing to grant him or her some leeway when it comes to more inventive toppings.
Just not béchamel.
Co.
230 Ninth Avenue, New York NY 10001 (at West 24th Street; map)
212-243-1105
co-pane.com
Related: Co. Company Pizzeria Soft Opening Photo Gallery
Of this Roman-inspired trattoria New York magazine says, "... there’s pizza from a wood-burning brick oven, with toppings like guanciale, Tuscan kale, and pecorino cream." Emporio: 231 Mott Street, New York NY 10012 (b/n Prince and Spring streets; map); 212-966-1234
Posted by Adam Kuban, April 5, 2009 at 12:25 PM
"@jimmyfallon Oh, I'm afraid you've started the revolution, and they're hard to stop"
Late Night
It looks like Jimmy Fallon went to pizzeria Posto with his family last night and was asked to leave. The drama unfolded on Twitter.
I've tried to piece together the saga by reading Fallon's tweets and the conversation between him and his Twitter followers.
A few notes before you start reading:
- For those not versed in the twitspeak, the "@username" convention is how tweeters designate that they're talking to a specific Twitter user
- For experience tweeters, note that this reconstructed conversation runs chronologically (or as close to it as I could get) in ascending order, i.e., earliest at top. It's the reverse of what you're used to but is easier to relate the story that way
- The conversation is reconstructed from various sources. I've included as many participating voices as possible to arrive at some sort of context. Because of the somewhat asynchronous nature of Twitter, at times various tweets may be referring to something other than Fallon's pizza situation
Another more important note: Twitter obviously gives a murky window on to what actually happened. Fallon at one point urges a boycott but then takes it back. I like Posto and its sister pizzerias and would urge you not to boycott as well.
The Posto Twitroversy
jimmyfallon: actually asked to leave a pizza place today
jimmyfallon: Posto on 2nd (they also own Gruppo and Vezzo)
jimmyfallon: carb face carol rude to my 2 year old niece and an 11 month old (sleeping) because they heard i didnt like the pizza there.
jimmyfallon: crazy.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, April 4, 2009 at 12:00 PM
Looks like Pure and Simple, that short documentary on Una Pizza Napoletana that we blogged about last summer when it appeared in the NYC Food Film Festival, is finally available in its entirety online, thanks to New York magazine's Vulture Picture Palace.
It follows obsessive pizzaiolo Anthony Mangieri through one day in the life of his renown Naples-style pizzeria. At nine minutes, it's a bit longer than most web video we bring you, but it's the weekend. It ain't gonna kill you to watch. And, who knows, you might learn something.
Posted by Adam Kuban, April 3, 2009 at 11:33 AM
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
Posted by Adam Kuban, April 1, 2009 at 2:00 PM
Project Runway's Heidi Klum went undercover as a pizza clerk as part of a CBS show that airs tonight called I Get That a Lot.
The show puts celebrities in everyday, ordinary jobs and films how they react to customers who recognize them—or don't.
As Klum tells Entertainment Tonight: "I got to be the pizza girl. I got to be someone I am normally not. I was quite rude to people. I would bite their pizza and give it to them. I would drop the dough on the floor, pick it up and use it." [Video, after the jump.
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Blogger EV Grieve reports that a new brick-oven pizzeria is coming to Avenue C in the form of Mr. C's Italian Trattoria. No further intel. 102 Avenue C, New York NY 10009 (b/n 6th and 7th streets; map) [via Eater]
Midtown-based slice fiends, an option for lunch today, from Papa Perrone's Pizza Truck. Easter pie: "It’s a meat pie made with sweet and hot sausage, proscuitto, pepperoni, mixed with ricotta, mozzarella, and provolone, baked in a dough. Also called pizza rustica." East 55th Street, b/n Madison and Park avenues.
Posted by Adam Kuban, March 27, 2009 at 2:45 PM
If everything goes according to plan, say the partners at Kesté Pizza & Vino, the pizzeria will open Sunday, March 29. Slice got a sneak peak. Sure, you've seen the oven (here and here), but we've got photos of the pizza you might expect there, after the jump.
Meet Roberto Caporuscio
Kesté Pizza & Vino
271 Bleecker Street, New York NY 10014 (b/n Jones and Cornelia streets; map); 212-243-1500; kestepizzeria.com
Getting There: 1 train to Christopher Street-Sheridan Square; A/B/C/D/E/F/V to West 4th Street
Pizza Style: Neapolitan-style pizza made by renown pizzaiolo Roberto Caporuscio
Oven Type: Custom-built wood-fired oven
Price: $9 to $19 for pizza
Notes: Kesté does not take reservations
One of the partners at Kesté is Roberto Caporuscio (above). If you're not a pizza geek, his name may not be familiar. Let's get to know him.
Caporuscio, a former farmer and onetime mozzarella-maker, trained in Naples at the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana pizza school and under Antonio Starita at Starita a Materdei, which came to fame among locals there after it appeared in the 1954 Sophia Loren film L'Oro di Napoli. Caporuscio is the U.S. delegate for the Associazone Pizzaiuoli Napoletani, an organization that seeks to preserve Neapolitan pizza-making traditions and pass them down to a new generation.
Prior to Kesté, Caporuscio was the founding pizzaiolo of A Mano in Ridgewood, New Jersey, which he came to in 2007 after opening and running two restaurants in Pittsburgh—Regina Margherita and Roberto's.
Caporuscio has also consulted on a number of Neapolitan-style pizzerias in the U.S., including places in Colorado, St. Louis, and New Jersey.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, March 26, 2009 at 11:25 AM
From the New York Post's Page Six:
Steve Grillo has transformed himself from Howard Stern's onetime sidekick to pizza poo bah, opening Hell's Kitchen Pizza at 47th Street and Tenth Avenue with partner Russ Brunelli. Their "Hellfire" pie features sausage, cherry peppers, and pepperoni. Grillo said he'd invite Stern, "but he doesn't eat pizza."
Howard Stern doesn't eat pizza? Asshat.
Posted by Adam Kuban, March 23, 2009 at 6:05 PM
Photograph courtesy of Tonda
Opening tomorrow: Tonda in the space that used to house The E.U.
According to the Urban Daddy:
The glorious centerpiece of the whole operation is their $30,000 slow-rotating 1,000-degree wood-burning pizza oven, sitting in full view of your table. And naturally, the Naples native (say hi to Michele when you drop by) they shipped in to tame the flames.
According to New York magazine:
“The pies will only need to rotate once to be perfectly cooked,” says oven builder Nobile Attie, who’s also done work for Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Peasant’s Frank DeCarlo.
According to the press release I received this morning:
"Maestro Pizzaiolo" Michele Sceral of Naples has been flown in to debut an authentic menu as well as to supervise the personalized pies to be made by a team at Tonda in the tradition and high standard he garnered at the Napolitan Pizzaiolo Association.
The last item here is telling. Depending on how well Sceral trains the team, it's not going to matter if that oven burns at 1,000 degrees, rotates in a circle, shines my shoes, or calls me a cab in the morning. The proof is in the eating. And we'll see how that goes both while Sceral is at the helm and when he's not.
Tonda
235 East 4th Street, New York NY 10009 (at Avenue B; map)
212-254-2900
Posted by Adam Kuban, March 18, 2009 at 9:00 AM
Ed Levine visits Pizza Mezzaluna in Greenwich Village for his review this week on Serious Eats New York, where the thing to get are the small, $5 individual pies:
The 12-inch pies ($14 to $17) that come out of the oven are minimally puffy, light-crusted beauties with fine hole structure. (In my perfect pizza world the cornicione would be another inch higher, however.) In style, these pies fall smack dab in the middle of the wood-oven New York Neapolitan-style pizza tradition of Pizza Fresca, Luzzo's, and yes, Mezzaluna. If you do the crust-tearing thing here, you will find that the crust is cooked all the way through, from the outer lip to the center of the pie. Said crust also gets a properly blistered char, though bubble freaks might be disappointed at the lack of huge bubbles. Even the impossibly cute pizzette ($5) has a fine crust. All the crust needs to achieve crust greatness is some sea salt.
Pizza Mezzaluna
146 West Houston Street, New York, NY 10012 (b/n MacDougal and Sullivan; map)
212-533-1242
Posted by Adam Kuban, March 12, 2009 at 10:00 AM
With shot glass, for scale.
Serious Eats New York contributor Barbara Hanson visited the Lower East Side's San Marzano, which has been getting some buzz lately, and found the slices there small but tasty. At $3.50 a pop for three-ounce, five-inch-long slices, the place has to be serving some of the most expensive pizza per surface area in the city.
What there is of them, however, is pretty good. The Margherita was not to my taste, sweet and a bit oily, but I tend to find Margherita slices a bit light on flavor. I tossed on some Parm, which perked it up a good deal. The quattro formaggi was better, riddled with creamy puffs of ricotta; the only off note was the gorgonzola, which shouted down the other cheeses each time I bit into it.
San Marzano Brick Oven Pizzeria
71 Clinton Street, New York NY 10002 (b/n Stanton and Rivington; map)
212-228-5060
New York magazine reports on the opening of Farinella, in Tribeca. The pizzaiolo there is a Roman hip-hop artist who uses a "Tagliavini triple-decker electric oven" to turn out long Roman-style pizzas sold by the slice.
Farinella
90 Worth Street, New York NY 10013 (near Broadway; map)
212-608-3222
Posted by Adam Kuban, February 24, 2009 at 2:50 PM
Today in the New York Daily News, Danyelle "Restaurant Girl" Freeman reviews Co.
I know some of you are getting sick of reading about Co., so had this been another stellar review, I would have skipped the reblog on it. But for all you Co. haters, you have a champion in Freeman:
Like all the crusts at Company, it's always perfect.
But it's the only thing that's always perfect at Company.
Unfortunately, pizza isn't just crust. And it isn't just sauce. And it isn't just toppings. It's the quality of these things and their ratio that make a great pizza. From day one, Company has been mobbed. Crowds hover near the door. They jam the tiny bar, waiting for a seat at one of the tables. They huddle around the hostess like Sullivan St. zombies. Which would make sense if the pizza were consistently terrific, but it's not.
People care about toppings, too. Where's the sauce? And where's the flavor, especially in the Margherita pizza—the true measure of any good pizza place? The Popeye pizza sounds like a good idea, but it's really just baby spinach leaves on excellent toast.
Of course, Freeman then says that two of Lahey's pizzas are spot on—the Flambé (which I found too heavy, actually) and the Boscaiola (the "woodsman" pizza, with sausage, mushroom, onion, and peperoncini). The rest of the menu, she says, is skippable.
Related
First Taste: A Pizza Preview of Jim Lahey's Upcoming Pizzeria, Co.
Co. Pizzeria Soft Opening Photo Gallery
Co. is now open for lunch. Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It's true. I'm there now. [via Danny]
Posted by Adam Kuban, February 13, 2009 at 9:55 AM
If you're still looking for something to give your pizza-loving Valentine, Pizza a Casa's Mark Bello is holding a pizza-making workshop tomorrow:
Your day begins in Little Italy, where Mark will guide you as you shop for the finest ingredients for the pizza making to follow. Then it's off to your instructor's kitchen for proof positive that pizza making perfection is absolutely possible with a standard home oven. You'll start by making your own dough, then go step by step through the process of crafting the perfect pie.
I'm tired of reading about "aphrodisiac" food each year, so I can only hope that Mr. Bello avoids topping those pies with oysters. Though, at one point, artichokes and tomatoes were considered lust-inducing items, and I wouldn't mind an artichoke pie.
When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Class meets at Alleva Dairy, 180 Grand Street, New York NY (b/n Mulberry and Baxter; map)
Tickets: $125, available at brownpapertickets.com
Posted by Adam Kuban, February 11, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Quite some time ago I received the following email about Gotham Pizza from Deb Perelman of the popular food blog Smitten Kitchen:
This email is entirely about pizza, and this dinky slice place (Gotham Pizza) that just opened a couple blocks from my apartment that I'm kind of in love with. It's not brick-oven, they don't import mozzarella from anywhere, there are no fancy toppings and its MO could be aptly summed up as, "Hey, at least we're not Ray's."
But seriously, as much am I waiting with baited breath for Co. to freaking open [I told you this was quite some time ago. —The Mgmt.], I have a big place in my heart for a decent NYC-style slice, and Gotham totally has it, in a neighborhood that was sorely lacking one before.
Crisp underneath and not overloaded with gloopy cheese, they also use something curious and breadcrumblike underneath (instead of cornmeal) that maybe you can help me decipher. I've never seen it before.
Oh, and two slices and a can of soda for $5 at lunchtime. How old-school New York is that?
Not more than a week after Deb's email came another one, from Slice reader "Big B":
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Posted by Adam Kuban, February 11, 2009 at 11:00 AM
Eater
After Isabella's Oven announced that it would close (but possibly reopen in another location), Curbed brought word that someone there had taken a sledgehammer to the joint following a dispute with the landlord. Now, Eater has pix of the aftermath—and it's not pretty. The space is now utterly unusable as-is—though it looks like at least the foundation of pizza oven is still intact (you can see it in the photo above in the upper right-hand corner).
There's probably not much hope in using the location as a pizzeria again, as there was virtually no room for seating inside. Isabella's relied on its backyard patio for dining when the weather was nice, but in inclement weather or the dead of winter, what are you gonna do?
And forget moving that brick oven elsewhere, so that's probably a loss, too.
Posted by Adam Kuban, February 10, 2009 at 11:45 AM
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
Continue reading »
Posted by Adam Kuban, February 3, 2009 at 4:45 PM
The Margherita at Co.
GQ's Alan Richman offers an entertaining take on two recently opened pizzerias, Co. and Motorino. (He says Mayor Bloomberg should stimulate the city's economy by opening more pizzerias.)
On Co., Richman says:
The pizza at Co. is produced by Jim Lahey of the revered Sullivan St Bakery and answers this question: If pizza is essentially crust, and if crust is essentially bread, and if Lahey is possibly the finest bread-maker in New York, shouldn’t the pizza at Co. be superb? This is not a trick question. The pizza is, for the most part, exactly that. The only flaw is an occasional wrongheaded harmonizing of toppings, annoying but far from fatal.
Richman's take on Motorino, after the jump.
Continue reading »
Posted by Adam Kuban, January 28, 2009 at 3:15 PM
Isabella's Oven, which started out amazing but then went to merely good with the loss of its original pizzaiolo, is "closed until further notice" while the owners search for a new location. The sign posted in the window there projects a spring 2009 reopening date. Eater has some more details.
Related
Isabella's Oven: One Great Pizza on a Saturday Night
Isabella's Oven: Going Downhill?
Isabella's Oven: The DJ Bubbles Drive-By
Posted by Adam Kuban, January 26, 2009 at 2:15 PM
The Martha Blog
Martha Stewart, who is, unsurprisingly, a fan of pizza, visited Jim Lahey's Co., where "one can eat delicious breads, cheeses, sausages, and pizzas." Ms. Stewart has a 20-picture photo gallery embedded in her blog post, and true to form, spends almost as much time discussing the design of the dining room (three photos of its handsomely designed lamps) as she does the food. Looks like she's even collaborating with Mr. Lahey on décor:
The shelves: We discussed, with the owner, what should be atop these shelves. No decision was made.
The wooden tables, glass carafes, and plain dishes and glassware, make the feeling "everyman" perfect, for now.
Ms. Stewart recommends getting the lardons on the escarole salad dressed with anchovies and herbs, but we're more interested in her take on the pizza:
The first pizza to emerge from the oven—cheese, mushroom, and sausage. It had thin crust—a great combination of wet and crispy—Jim talked to us about his philosophy about pizza and its texture. And look—the menus are printed on the place mats!
Martha signed a place mat for Lahey's wife (above right), with a message meant to placate her, I'm sure: "All chefs work too hard, too long, and if they are great, it's worth it." [via NYMinknit]
Related
Co. Pizzeria Soft Opening Photo Gallery
First Taste: A Pizza Preview of Jim Lahey's Upcoming Pizzeria, Co.
Martha Stewart Tries Cheesesteak for First Time, Prefers Geno's to Pat's
Posted by Adam Kuban, January 5, 2009 at 6:25 PM
The Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani, the Italian "pizza police" (they certify pizzerias as being authentically Neapolitan), is opening a restaurant and pizza school. It will be called Kesté Pizza e Vino and hopes to be open by the end of February, according to the New York Times.
And then, according to an email I just got from Roberto Caporusico at the Associazione itself, "Down the road we also expect to have classes for nonprofessional 'pizza lovers.'"
That would mean you and me, folks.
What up with the name? Caporusico explains: "Kesté (spelled 'cheste é') means 'This is it!' in the Neapolitan dialect."
271 Bleecker Street, New York NY 10014 (between Jones and Cornelia streets; map)
Posted by Adam Kuban, January 5, 2009 at 12:45 PM
Photograph from Blondie & Brownie
I am outraged that all you pizza tourists are crowding my neighborhood spot. Go back home and eat the abominable pizza in your own neighborhoods.
Look at that line! (It comes from a Motorino-Co. head-to-head post by Blondie & Brownie.)
Granted, Co. is my work neighborhood, but still. You are going to make it impossible for me to enjoy a nice quitting-time pie.
Now, shoo!
Posted by Adam Kuban, January 2, 2009 at 3:04 PM
Raphael here in the office just asked, "I want to know, officially, is it 'Co.' or 'Company'?"
So I just called.
Co.: "Hello, Co."
Me: "Adam Kuban here, from Slice, America's Favorite Pizza Weblog."
Co.: "Um, yes?"
Me: "So there's been some confusion about your name. Are you 'Co.' or 'Company'?"
Co.: We're 'Co.' as in 'company.'"
Does that sort out any confusion, Raphael? It's still sort of a nonanswer answer. But we'll just make the call and say that we'll refer to it on Slice officially as "Co." and pronounce it as co.
Posted by Adam Kuban, December 30, 2008 at 9:45 PM
"Our pizzas are not always round."
Clockwise from top left: Co. opened with a soft launch this evening; there were actual people from the general public in the dining room. As FOS Kathryn Yu said, from the outside, it looks less like a pizzeria than a fancy Asian restaurant. One of the stars of the evening, the Ham and Cheese pie. (You can click all images bigger.)
When I checked in late afternoon to find out if Co. really was opening on Friday, the gentleman in the dining room told me, "Yes—and tonight, too." It was a sort of soft opening. With the place just a couple block from Slice–Serious Eats HQ, my workmate Alaina and I went to check it out. We were joined by her husband and a couple friends.
I've already given you more Co. Pizzeria than you need, so I'll keep this one mostly to pictures. Ahead, photos of what we had—and the big menu reveal!
Continue reading »
Posted by Adam Kuban, December 30, 2008 at 6:25 PM
After other food blogs reported that Co. would open on Friday, January 2, Slice walked its lazy ass over to the joint to confirm. Turns out it's actually OPEN TONIGHT for a soft-launch dinner service. Closed tomorrow and Thursday, and then officially open Friday.
We're there now and will have pictures in the morning. Why don't you head down and see if you can find us there.
Co.
230 Ninth Avenue, New York NY 10001 (at West 24th Street; map)
Posted by Adam Kuban, December 16, 2008 at 3:55 PM
Photograph from JordanaZ, from the Serious Eats Photo Pool on Flickr
So sayeth the New York Post.
So sayeth Slice: Artichoke's idea of expanding would be making the line twice as long.
Artichoke
328 East 14th Street, New York NY 10003 (East Village; map)
212-228-2004
Posted by Adam Kuban, December 10, 2008 at 5:45 PM
Say wha, Time Out New York? It's hammer time!
It's that time of year. The annual year-end round-ups are coming fast and furious. (Don't worry, homeslices, I'm workin' on them myself.) Today, Time Out New York drops its lists. For the most part, they're pretty solid. But I just had to reach in to the ol' Slice Bag o' Tricks and pull out the rusty but trusty Truth Hammer.
See that nonsense above? The weekly magazine is naming Artichoke Basille's signature artichoke slice a "new classic."
Please. We love the Artichoke regular and square slices, even if they are at times inconsistent. But that sloppy, gloppy party-dip-on-crust signature slice has no business achieving legendary status. Drop the cl from classic, and you'd be about right.
Apparently the folks at TONY do not read Slice, or they might have recalled our man Ed Levine's words:
The spinach and artichoke slice was a little odd and tasted more than a little like a dip you'd be served at a college party, but in the end I decided it was reasonably tasty. It did have way too much topping.
Not exactly a ringing endorsement.
So, TONY, please stand still ... and ... WACK!
Posted by Adam Kuban, December 5, 2008 at 3:00 PM
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 :)
Aperitivo
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!
Continue reading »
Posted by Adam Kuban, December 4, 2008 at 3:25 PM
Target date was December 2. Lahey and company said December 5 or 9 were other possible opening dates. Stay tuned. Update: Time Out New York says it's been delayed till 2009. Possibly January 2. More on Co. here on Slice »
Posted by Adam Kuban, November 27, 2008 at 10:00 AM
According to Jeremiah's Vanishing New York, the landlord is raising the rent on the little pizzeria on First Avenue between 10th and 11th Streets.
Saturday is the last day, and after that, the owner may try to move the location farther east.
Posted by Adam Kuban, November 22, 2008 at 12:30 AM
Co.
230 Ninth Avenue, New York NY 10001 (at West 24th Street; map)
The Skinny: Actual round pizza from Jim Lahey, the bread man behind Sullivan Street Bakery (as opposed to his Roman-style flatbread pizzas found at the bakery). And, oh, it is awesome
Pizza Style: A sort of Neapolitan–New York-style hybrid
Oven Type: Earthstone gas oven; Lahey may burn a couple logs of wood or add wood chips to aromatize the crust
Opening: Target open date is Tuesday, December 2, but Lahey says, "realistically the 5th or the 9th"
Related: Update on Jim Lahey's Co., Co. Is 'Pizza Hut Meets Blue Hill'
Wednesday, about 5 p.m., Ed Levine here in the Slice–Serious Eats office was like, "So, who's going to Co. with me to shoot the tasting?"
"Um, what tasting," I asked.
"I told everybody about it. In the group chat on IM."
"Uh, no you didn't."
Long story short, I volunteered myself to trail Ed to some sort of preopening oven test and tasting at Jim Lahey's upcoming pizzeria on Ninth Avenue and 24th Street. (Lahey and company have a target opening date of December 2, but, Lahey says, "Realistically, it's more like December 5 or 9.")
We arrived, and it turned out Ed had scored some sort of super invite, because it appeared to be a tasting primarily for Lahey's investor, Phil Suarez. I felt like I had crashed an intimate gathering, but the company was welcoming, and pretty soon everyone was concentrating on the food coming from the kitchen, anyway.
Below are some photos, along with some thoughts. But before I get into it, I have to say that as I was writing this post, I called Lahey to get some follow-up details, and he told me to just come over and fire away as he was experimenting with some new pies. So the set below mixes Wednesday and Friday evening. Just go with my flow, peeps. Mega pizza porn, after the jump.
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The Two Boots location in Rockefeller Center (in the weird mall-like area belowground) is closing. But when a door closes, a (pizza) window opens. The mini chain will open a branch at Ninth Avenue and 45th Street. So sayeth Midtown Lunch.
Posted by Adam Kuban, November 11, 2008 at 3:30 PM
Seen in Times Square. Photograph by Nick "Beef Aficionado" Solares
"[Sixpoint] beers are a staple at beer lovers’ haunts like Barcade in Williamsburg and Jimmy’s No. 43 in the East Village. Gramercy Tavern pours Sixpoint, and Lil’ Frankie’s in the East Village has a pale ale custom-made to suit its pizza." [New York Times] Lil' Frankie's: 21 First Avenue, New York NY 10003 (b/n 1st and 2nd streets; map); 212-420-4900; lilfrankies.com
Celeste is that rare bird: a true neighborhood restaurant. The atmosphere is convivial. The staff is pleasant and efficient. And the food is sublime. Start with a pizza, ideally the bracing and authentic Napoletana, which builds upon its crust with layers of flavor: sweet tomato, acidic caper, salty anchovy. 502 Amsterdam Avenue, New York NY 10024 (at 85th Street; map); 212-874-4559 [New York Times]
Eater reports that Grimaldi's is opening a Manhattan location in the Financial District. Owner Frank Ciolli has signed a 20-year lease on a space at 135 John Street, the site says, and that "construction is slated to begin in about a month." Menu and pizzeria layout will clone its famous sister store under the Brooklyn Bridge. Grimaldi's Manhattan: 135 John Street, New York NY (at Water Street; map)
IM + intel = "IMtel." Here's a bit of received wisdom.
[screennameredacted]: got a bit of slice intel for you: a) wouldn't worry yet about the slice curse on motorino; went there last night with 3 friends and all four of our pies were easily 9/10s. maybe a little too much charring on one of them but otherwise terrific. also, i think i recall you once saying the SE offices were near FIT; the margherita slice at rosa's on 27th and 7th is truly a hidden gem, well worth trying it out. trust me on this one. everything else there is garbage though.
NYCSlice: Yes, that's our office location. Will try Rosa's on Monday! Thanks, [screennameredacted]!
Posted by Ed Levine, October 24, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Pizza photograph by The Pizza Review
T&R, where I often get my delivery and take-out pies.
For the last year, whenever I've ordered a conventional-gas-oven, mediocre-ingredients-laden, decent-crusted plain pie from my local pizzeria of choice, T&R, I have been specifying that my pie be well-done.
Why? Because uncooked, gummy pizza dough may be my No. 1 pizza pet peeve (also known as my "PPP"). Nothing ruins a pizza like a bite filled with raw dough. And you know what? Ordering well-done really makes a difference. My last pie from T&R was most excellent.
Am I the only pizza lover who uses the well-done pizza gambit?
Posted by Adam Kuban, October 14, 2008 at 1:30 PM
Vice magazine released a New York City guide last week, and on it, they cover pizza. (You have to cover pizza if you're releasing any type of NYC food guide.) Here's what they say:
Local food bloggers bicker over whether this Midwood pizza parlor is clean or dirty (truth: it’s pretty dirty) or whether it is running on fumes nowadays or whether watching an old guy futz with their pizza is kind of patronizing. We, however, aren’t food bloggers and couldn’t give a shit. If you’re in this town to eat pizza, Di Fara should be on your list. 1424 Avenue J, Brooklyn NY (at East 15th Street; map); 718-258-1367; difara.com
Other pizzerias on the list: Artichoke Basille's
, Arturo's, Famous Ben's, Grimaldi's, Koronet, Lee's Tavern, Lombardi's, Otto, Totonno's, and Two Boots.
Posted by Adam Kuban, October 13, 2008 at 12:45 PM
Photograph from Paulie Gee on Flickr
On Saturday Slice–Serious Eats sponsored a talk called The Pieman's Craft as part of the New York Wine & Food Festival. A crowd of about 35 people showed up for the event, including some familiar faces—and some new faces that we were able to put to Slice screen names (which is always fun!).
Noted pizza expert Ed Levine talked to Anthony Mangieri, drawing out his piemaking history and, eventually, his philosophy.
Photograph from Paulie Gee on Flickr
The session was also a bit of a juxtaposition of styles, with Ed bringing some Vinny Vincenz plain pies to illustrate a very good New York slice and some Totonno's pies (Second Avenue) to rep the coal-oven school.
After about a half hour of talking and eating the first two examples of NYC pizza, Mangieri went to town making the pies everyone had no doubt been salivating for. After the jump, the UPN process.
Continue reading »
Joey Chestnut, the reigning hot-dog-eating champ, handily crossed over to pizza earlier today in Times Square, eating 45 slices in 10 minutes. That's roughly 1.7 pizzas a minute. According to the New York Daily News, "He folded the slices—very quickly—and shoved them into his mouth. He jumped around some, to help them go down the hatch, or knocked back water from paper cups. He never appeared to chew. The slices were the typical cheese and tomato sauce variety, dished from a 16-inch pie carved into eight wedges."
Posted by Adam Kuban, October 8, 2008 at 4:45 PM
Nick Beef Aficionado Solares just emailed these photos, saying, "Vinny Vincenz pizza truck sighted in Union Square."
Posted by Carey Jones, October 7, 2008 at 4:15 PM
New York. Pizza. An eternally happy couple. It's about time, then, that New York got a serious pizza-eating competition on par with Nathan's Hot Dogs or the Wing Bowl. This Sunday, October 12, the first-ever World Pizza Eating Championship will be held in Times Square. It's the newest official event of the International Federation of Competitive Eating, sponsored by Famous Famiglia.
Reigning hot dog champion Joey Chestnut and burger master Patrick Bertoletti (not to mention the current burrito and sweet corn champs) will be at the competitors' table. My bet is on Chestnut. If you fold a slice in half, it's almost hot-dog shaped, and he's clearly got that technique down. Who do you think will take the pizza prize?
Posted by Adam Kuban, October 6, 2008 at 5:45 PM
Photograph from "Boppadopoulos" on Flickr
New York magazine gives a rundown on where to get clam pizza in New York City:
- Franny's: 295 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11217 (b/n Prospect and St. Marks; map); 718-230-0221; frannysbrooklyn.com
- Bussaco: 833 Union Street, Brooklyn NY 11217 (near Seventh Avenue; map); 718-857-8828
- Lombardi's: 32 Spring Street, New York NY 10012 (near Mott Street; map); 212-941-7994; firstpizza.com
- Otto: 1 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10003 (corner of 8th Street; map); 212-995-9559; ottopizzeria.com
- Fornino: 187 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11211 (at North 7th Street; map); 718-384-6004
- South Brooklyn Pizza: 451 Court Street, Brooklyn NY 11231 (near 4th Place; map); 718-852-6018
I can't vouch for all of these. I like Lombardi's clam pie and Franny's (uh-may-zing). I'm not big on Otto's or Fornino's because they do that annoying still-in-the-shell-while-topping-your-pie thing. (That's Otto's pie above.) Based on what I've had at South Brooklyn, I'd skip the clam pie—when I've had it, their regular pie has had a tough, too-crunchy crust.
Posted by Adam Kuban, September 30, 2008 at 2:00 PM
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
Posted by Adam Kuban, September 30, 2008 at 11:00 AM
If you're not into the habit of picking up the Onion satirical newspaper, here's a reason next week. From an email we just got from the folks at L'Asso:
The L'asso Pizza Guide—the definitive guide to pizza—will be carried as a NYC Onion insert (10/9/2008). The guide is a humorous and informational guide to pizza—from its humble beginnings in ancient times to its current incarnation as one of the world's favorite foods. It's been a year in the making!
The one-of-a-kind guide chews on the anthropological aspects of pizza (Are you a dutiful dabber, a hi-fi folder, or a spicy sprinkler?), pizza's storied history (like its link to Rome's leader of women's lib), and the ABC's of all things pizza (from the world's furthest pizza delivery to the most popular toppings in Japan). Plus, just like the slices it pays homage to, this hand-held reference is easy to digest and carry.
Silly us, and we thought that Slice was the definitive guide to pizza.
It'll be interesting to see what's in the L'Asso guide and how much of it Slice readers have already digested in the five years that Slice has been chewing on the anthropological aspects of pizza—from the "fold hold" to "tip sag" to the "pizza upskirt." Hmmph.
Posted by Adam Kuban, September 29, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got some intel from Scott Wiener of Scott's New York Pizza Tours...
Adam,
I was helping a friend move this weekend and nearly drove onto the sidewalk when I saw a familiar carved-wood sign on the facade of a 96th Street building on the Upper East Side. Little Luzzo's opened about two weeks ago, serving quality slices, salads, and panini in a small storefront.
Unlike Luzzo's in the East Village, which uses an old coal-fired brick oven (211 First Avenue was once the home of the Palermo Bakery, followed by Zito's East), this location uses a brick-lined gas-fueled deck oven (Bakers Pride).
The result is a completely different slice, much thicker and sturdier with a sourdough flavor. The char on the underside is lovely, and they use beautiful fresh mozzarella on the Margherita. I'll get the exact address for you as soon as I get back home, where I filed the menu.
Not the same pizza you'll get at Luzzo's, but there are several variables, including the eatery's goal, which prevent such a duplication.
Have a slice day,
Scott
Continue reading »
Posted by Kerry Saretsky, September 22, 2008 at 4:15 PM
These boots are made for walking, and that’s just what they would do—if I didn’t live on the Upper East Side. As it stands now, I have to take a $15 cab for food that’s popular, trendy, or otherwise “cool.” So when I saw the windows of late-night, across-the-street-from-Dorrian's pizza place Mimma’s all whitewashed, I was sad—for a minute.
Until I noticed what would fill its shoes: Two Boots, so named because the “Cajun-Italian” pizza combines flavors of Louisiana and Italy (the two boots).
As an Upper East Sider, I usually feel left out, but the neighborhood is finally experiencing a comeback. The sign on the 84th Street and Second Avenue entrance proclaims it wants us, the “friends and neighbors,” to contribute photos to be eternally resin-ed into the pizzeria’s counters, and ingratiate themselves with the community. Two Boots was made for walking (it is a “neighborhood” pizza place, after all), and soon we on the Upper East Side, can walk there.
Posted by DJ Bubbles, September 19, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Bubbles Bradshaw here. While my sister, Carrie, and her floozie friends made a killing at the box office this summer in the lame-ass rom-com Sex and the City, I've been keeping tabs on my favorite gal pals, the (pizza) Margheritas of New York. Suffice it to say, they've been putting out like Carrie's best friend, Samantha. Luckily, I’m not a jealous guy. So allow me to take a moment and update you on where the hottest Margheritas have been kicking it. Which is where I inevitably end up, as well. Yeah, that's right, we've got a hit show of our own here on America's Favorite Pizza Weblog, and it's called Slice and the City.
Il Brigante
So where does a guy go in Manhattan to meet up with a hot Margherita for some delicious Slice action? For starters, I wanted to kick things off at a place that some posers think is the city's best Neapolitan pie, Il Brigante. Il Brigante's pizza Margherita? She's cute, not hot. I remember someone saying that Il Brigante's Margherita would overtake Una Pizza Napoletana as the city's best when it first opened. Who was that? The dude from the Village Voice? Robert Seltzerbuns or something? Didn't Frank Bruni check his ass for coming so weak? I love it.
Continue reading »
Posted by Raphael, September 18, 2008 at 10:30 AM
I'd buy that for a dollar.
Walking down the street, if you see a sign advertising pizza for one measly dollar, I don't care who you are, you stop in and get a slice. It's a moral duty to be this thrifty, to take advantage of a deal like that. Keep your expectations low, and you might be surprised.
Looks like pizza.
I guess the 2 Bros. people have figured out how to eke a profit using the strategy of premade components, finding a high-traffic area, and doing some serious volume.
A new branch of 2 Bros. Pizza (at 32 St. Marks Place) has opened on 6th Avenue (bet 17th and 18th), this time calling itself St. Marks 2 Bros. Pizza Plus. The new location offers the same deals, but under the rubric of a "grand opening special." A slice for $1, or two slices and a can of soda for $2.75.
The price is right, but how does it taste? The verdict, after the jump.
Continue reading »
Midtown Lunch has some great photos of the new Lazzara's Pizza location in Hell's Kitchen. As the Eater blog would say, "CERTIFIED OPEN."
Posted by Adam Kuban, September 15, 2008 at 4:00 PM
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
Continue reading »
Q: So, Una Pizza reopens tomorrow after its vacation, and I'm supposed to go to dinner with my brother (from out of town) that night. Is it gonna be a madhouse? A: I'd imagine it'll be no more a madhouse than it usually is—but maybe more so with the blogz blathering about it. Get there early, friend! 349 East 12th Street, New York NY 10003
Says Eater, the new spot will be at 30 West Street, New York NY 10006 (map)
Posted by Adam Kuban, September 3, 2008 at 1:15 AM
The New York Times has a nice interview with Jim Lahey, of Co., the pizzeria he just might open later this month. It's "Pizza Hut," in that it will be reasonably priced and welcoming, he says, and "Blue Hill," in that it'll be ingredient-driven.
So the menu is still a draft. "We'll have six to eight annual pizzas — no, let's say five pizzas we'll do annually, then three seasonal pizzas," Mr. Lahey said, sounding like a student caught off-guard by a pop quiz. "But I'm sure that one of the seasonal pizzas will be topped with freshly shaved summer truffle."
The Times lets slip that the oven will be a "gas-fired refractory pizza oven."
Co.
230 Ninth Avenue, New York NY 10001 (at West 24th Street; map)
Related
Update on Jim Lahey's Pizzeria, Co.
Blue Hill at Stone Barns Is the Most Important Restaurant in America
Posted by Adam Kuban, September 2, 2008 at 10:30 AM
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
Continue reading »
Posted by Adam Kuban, August 30, 2008 at 11:15 PM
View larger map<»/a>
Just got word from Scott Wiener on a new Lazzara's Pizza location in Hell's Kitchen (or Midtown West, if you're feeling generous):
I just walked by some construction the other day and noticed that Lazzara's is opening a new spot on Ninth Avenue just south of 44th Street on the west side of the street. Not sure if they're leaving their other spot or just opening a second one. Permits were issued in July so it looks like we may have to wait a bit.
Some easy checking on the Lazzara's website reveals that the Hell's Kitchen location is slated to open in September and will be open 24/7. Very cool.
Lazzara's original location is well-known by the pizza cognoscenti but sometimes flies under the radar with bantamweight pizza lovers. It's basically a thin-crust Sicilian-style pie, and the place is often noted for the way it juliennes its pepperoni instead of cutting the sticks into traditional rounds. (Lazzara's is often also noted for its sort of speakeasyesque quality, up some stairs and in the second-floor parlor of an old townhouse in the Garment District.
Lazzara's Midtown
617 Ninth Avenue, New York NY 10036 (b/n 43rd and 44th streets; map)
Posted by Ed Levine, August 29, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Photographs by Robyn Lee
As far as I'm concerned, every neighborhood in the U.S. should have at least one serious pizzeria. How do I define serious? The oven (be it gas, wood, coal, or electric) has to get hot enough (800°F, at least) to slightly char the pie and cook the crust all the way through in a few minutes. The cheese has to be fresh mozzarella, and high-quality canned tomatoes must be used for sauce.
Covo has brought serious pizza to West Harlem, just off the West Side Highway at 135th Street. My Margherita was more than respectable, as you can see from the pictures. The crust was chewy and pliable, the mozzarella was creamy and tangy, and the tomatoes and fresh basil were up to snuff. The other food we ordered (fried calamari, beet-and-walnut salad) was less successful, so I would stick with the pizza for now.
Covo
701 West 135th Street, New York, NY 10031 (at West Side Highway; map)
212-234-9573
covony.com
Says Irene Sax: "The pizzas are hand-rolled disks of dough with charred, blistered edges and thin but flexible crusts. The rich, pure tomato sauce on the Calabria is topped with melted fior di latte, or cow's milk mozzarella, slices of spicy sopressata, briny black olives and onions ($13). The Brigante starts with the same rich sauce and cheese and adds thin prosciutto, arugula and Parmesan ($16). Meant for one, they are easily big enough for two to share and are definitely worth the voyage." 214 Front Street, New York NY 10038 (near South Street Seaport; map); 212-285-0222
Posted by Adam Kuban, August 20, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Clicking in to the Slice inbox today, we've got a report from the field regarding the Patsy's 60¢ pizza event yesterday.
Blondie and Brownie
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
Continue reading »
Posted by Adam Kuban, August 18, 2008 at 11:30 PM
Check out the line at 99¢ Fresh Pizza. Zach Brooks of Midtown Lunch (and Serious Eats New York editor) captured this scene last Wednesday. That line's on par with Di Fara, though I doubt the place is as good.
99¢ Fresh Pizza
151 East 43rd Street, New York NY 10017 (b/n Third and Lexington avenues; map); 212-922-0257
Just a reminder that tomorrow is the big 60¢ pizza price rollback at Patsy's in East Harlem. To celebrate its 75th anniversary, the coal-oven legend is going nuts. You can grab an entire pizza for 60¢ tomorrow (Tuesday, August 19) from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. 2287 First Avenue, New York NY 10035 (b/n 117th and 118th streets; map)
Posted by Adam Kuban, August 18, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Every so often, I like to hit the old coal-oven giants in the city to see if they're up or down. For the most part, the old boys do killer pizza, the kind of pies serious sliceheads would be perfectly happy with if they weren't so spoiled by the amazing cornucopia of pizza our town has to offer. But I've found over the years that the consistency and quality of the coal-oven venues varies. So I thought I'd give John's Pizzeria on Bleecker Street a try.
John's often gets slagged off in the comments on Slice and by various members of the pizza cognoscenti. I've always liked it more than others, though, and through a casual observation made by my dining companion last week, I think I've figured out why.
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Posted by Ed Levine, August 12, 2008 at 2:00 PM
Lahey abandoned the idea of using this pass-through window. It's going to be more of a sit-down restaurant instead, he said.
After reading Gael Greene's post about Jean-Georges Vongerichten's involvement in Sullivan Street Bakery founder Jim Lahey's pizzeria, I called Lahey for a clarification. He said that Vongerichten and his partner, Phil Suarez, were investors in his pizzeria but they will have no involvement in either the management or the food being made there. The pizzeria will be called Company, spelled "Co." in the logo.
Lahey also told me that the equipment for the pizzeria hadn't arrived yet, and he doesn't expect it to be installed until the end of August or the beginning of September. Lahey is, of course, one of the city's and the country's great bread-bakers, so all serious eaters are eagerly awaiting the opening of his pizzeria.
He will probably not be making his trademark room-temperature Roman-style pizza at the new place (Lahey never says never). He will be making round, Neapolitan-style pies and perhaps other types of flatbreads. Lahey made some of these pizzas for a holiday party he invited me to the year before last, and I can tell you they were so good Lahey's place will likely make its way into my top-ten pizzeria list for the country shortly after opening.
Lahey is experimenting with all kinds of toppings, including a raw-corn-and-olive-oil purée. And, like the obsessive he is, he went around the country tasting pizza in preparation for his opening.
His top three pizzerias, after the jump.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, August 6, 2008 at 11:15 AM
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.
Posted by Adam Kuban, July 22, 2008 at 10:36 PM
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
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Craig Nelson of Not for Tourists emails with some intel that's new to Slice: "Patsy’s [East Harlem] slices went up to a $1.75—finally." And I say, well, they still haven't broken the $2 price point—at a time when $2.25 seems to be the average in the city. Still a great deal—if the slice is good that day! Thanks, Craig.
Posted by Adam Kuban, July 16, 2008 at 8:00 AM
I took some art history courses in college. Did they prepare me for this?
Pizza Corpse is an exquisite framing of the artist's nostalgia, social and cultural associations; interest in the grotesque, hygiene and self-image, corporal perturbations, and any other greasy subject related to these concerns in and out of the box. All of the featured artists are Yale School of Art graduate students or recent graduates, who grinningly pulled the book's topic out of a hat. This strategy not only introduced a re-examination of Fluxus terms for the compilation, but it also served as a method to display contemporary alterations of Internet-accessible imagery. You will find this book to be a humorous browse or an earnest sit down; the responses in the book are as varied as the toppings on a pizza.
I'm not sure they did.
Pizza Corpse Book Launch
Where: Printed Matter, 195 Tenth Avenue, New York NY 10011 (b/n 21st and 22nd streets; map)
When: 5 to 7 p.m.; Thursday, July 17, 2008
More Info: http://printedmatter.org/news/news.cfm?article_id=329
I've got word from the folks at Patsy's in East Harlem that the joint is rolling back prices for its 75th anniversary. You can grab a pizza there for 60¢ on Tuesday, August 19. The retro pricing event runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. 2287 First Avenue, New York NY 10035 (b/n 117th and 118th streets; map)
Posted by Adam Kuban, June 27, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Upper left claw quadrant: The crabby crab slice. Photograph by Alaina Browne
Remember we mentioned the new crab slice at Artichoke Basille's yesterday? Well, my coworker Alaina Browne went and grabbed one last night on her way home. (Thanks, Alaina!) Here's what she said: "I am not a fan of Artichoke pizza. The crust—it's really thick, and it's hard. The wait was 30 minutes. I just don't like it. And the crab pizza? It was gross." 328 East 14th Street, New York NY 10003 (East Village; map); 212-228-2004
Posted by Adam Kuban, June 27, 2008 at 11:02 AM
Gawker just published a list of New York City's Top 50 Eccentrics. Check this one out, and then scratch yer head, kids:
46. Pizza Polisher: On weekdays and only in the summer, a homeless man rubs discarded pizza slices on the arms of Segal's lesbian statues in Sheridan Square. Via commenter Hamud Ibn Hamud.
Maybe he's getting the slices from nearby Bleecker Street Pizza? But it gets better ... after the jump.
Continue reading »
Posted by Adam Kuban, June 26, 2008 at 4:13 PM
Eater reports that Artichoke Basille is serving a new pie. This would be no big deal at a place like Ray's, but at a joint that only has three types of pizza (regular pie, Sicilian, and special artichoke-spinach pie), it represents a 33 percent increase in menu density and now accounts for 25 percent of all items on offer. Says Eater, "... they were smearing a delicious looking pink sauce on a pie. Upon further investigation, it appears they have unveiled some sort of a crab dip pizza."
A call to Artichoke confirms that it is indeed a crab-topped pie, that they tried it out for the first time Tuesday night, and that they're bringing it back tonight. It'll be there for you later tonight, kids, should you want to get your dirty little claws on it. 328 East 14th Street, New York NY 10003 (East Village; map); 212-228-2004
Posted by Adam Kuban, June 26, 2008 at 3:56 PM
Gothamist has a good bit about limited-edition punk-rock pizza boxes at Pizza Shop on Avenue A.
The first 1,500 punk-rock pizza boxes will feature an image of the Clash on them. The next edition will be the Ramones, Gothamist says. And Grub Street reports that Pizza Shop has commissioned Arturo Vega, the dude who did the Ramones' logo, to design its pizza box. Very cool.
Pizza Shop
110 Avenue A, New York NY 10009 (at 7th Street; map)
212-614-9798
Posted by Adam Kuban, June 17, 2008 at 12:30 PM
For all you schnorrers out there, the somewhat recently resurrected P'inch (now partnered and shacking up with S'mac mac and cheese emporium), will be giving out free pizza on the Fourth of July.
The deets: Free four-inch pizza with any food purchase. Red, White, and Blue Cheese Pizza will be featured.
P'inch
474 Columbus Avenue, New York NY 10024 (b/n 82nd and 83rd streets; map)
212-686-5222
Posted by Adam Kuban, June 11, 2008 at 12:30 PM
The blog Blondie and Brownie reports on 2 Bros. Pizza, which offers dollar slices on St. Marks Place: "The pizza wasn't the greatest, but it was a dollar. I'd rate it as not quite as good as 99 Cent Fresh Pizza, but better than Prince Deli 99 cent pizza. If you're a starving NYU student or a hungry person wandering around the village I give it two thumbs up." [via Serious Eats New York]
2 Bros. Pizza
32 St. Marks Place, New York NY 10003 (Second/Third; map)
212-777-0600
2brospizza.com
The New York Times's food critic Frank Bruni reviews Ago in today's paper and makes a passing mention of the pizza in an otherwise dismal review of the joint. "Some of the other food passed muster. The best of the pizzas from Ago’s wood-fired brick oven had blistered, smoky crusts and thin sheets of decent Parmesan." In the Greenwich Hotel, 377 Greenwich Street, New York NY 10013 (at North Moore Street; map); 212-925-3797
Posted by Adam Kuban, May 28, 2008 at 8:45 AM
Photograph courtesy of The Beef Aficionado
When it rains, it pours, huh? The New York Sun writes about Artichoke this morning, as well. I knew this story was coming out, since I was quoted in it, I just didn't think we'd get hit with two Artichoke Basille items today. The thrust of the Sun piece is that Artichoke is one of the few pizzerias holding down the fort when it comes to good slices in Manhattan and that people are nuts for it.
Mr. Connolly, a New Jersey native, said the best pizza is typically from the Garden State and Staten Island. "Pizza stinks in Manhattan for the most part. Most places use bad ingredients," he said. "But New Yorkers will wait on line for an hour for a slice of pizza. They won't do that anywhere else in the world."
And this bit of news should excite the boozehounds among us:
Starting in July, Artichoke will offer a 32-ounce Styrofoam cup of draft Budweiser for $5. Now, there is only a half-size refrigerator with bottles of root beer and seltzer water. "If you serve Bud at 33 degrees, if you keep it cold, you can turn it over fast," Mr. Garcia said. "I anticipate the beer being a big hit."
As if they need anything else to make that line longer.
After the jump, the ramblings of a madman. (That would be me.)
Continue reading »
Posted by Adam Kuban, May 28, 2008 at 1:00 AM
Photograph courtesy of The Beef Aficionado
The New York Times's outgoing "$25 and Under" columnist Peter Meehan "comes to the party late" but arrives nonetheless at Artichoke Basille's. Like most folks, he digs the place but quibbles about the queue:
Waiting in line for it spoils the fun, the spontaneity, the charm; needing to strategize to go there is a bummer.
But it’s the blessing of the New York restaurant world, too: supply and demand. The guys at Artichoke brought an underrepresented style of pizza — big pies on a bready, almost tough, crust, generously and greasily topped — and the city has gone nuts for it. Who am I to protest?
Artichoke Basille's Pizza & Brewery
328 East 14th Street, New York NY 10003 (East Village; map)
212-228-2004
Posted by Adam Kuban, May 27, 2008 at 3:00 PM
$5 alone; $10 as part of a combo with soda.
Do I even need to tell you to stick with the popcorn, homeslices?
