Say it Aint So!

You've heard it through the grapevine, the rumor mill, the halls of Rockefeller Research Labs. I have relinquished my prestigious 10021 area code for the 19102. I am officially a resident of Philadelphia. While good for my career, this is turning out to be disastrous for Pizza. Surely Philadelphia must offer decent Pizza and I will do my darndest to find it. This blog will always be the New York Pizza Tour as New York pizza is always in my heart if not my plate. Stay Tuned for entries.

Grimaldi's Re-Re-Revisited

My Brother Izzy and his girlfriend Maria came for a visit to meet their new neice and indulge in great NY pie. I had to take them to Grimaldi's. After a ride on the F train (Maria's first subway ride!) we walked over to 19 Old Fulton St for some pie. We were seated right away. A table near the oven so we could see and feel the action. My brother and Maria were not disappointed! The pie was superb as usual. After lunch, we headed to the waterfront for some pics and then over to Jacque Torres for some dessert. It was really awesome to spend time with my Bro. Looking forward to doing it again soon.

Bella Via

In an effort to try all coal oven pizzerias in NY, the tour has ventured out to Queens. Right off the 7 train to a place called Bella Via. This place is more of a restaurant than a pizzeria, but it did have outdoor seating. Brian and I grabbed a table outside and ordered a large margherita. The pie was really good. Thin crust and good sauce. The only complaint was that the pie did not hold temperature very well. Most likely due to eating outside, but how often does one get to eat coal oven pizza outside? After having my fill of pie and of Queens, I made a B line for the 7 line and headed home.

Patsy's Revisited

Back to the original Patsy's for their 75th anniversary. In honor of this occasion, Patsy's rolled back their menu prices to 1933.
Who could resist 60 cent coal oven pies? I thought that it was just the pizzas that were rolled back but I was wrong. It turned out to be the whole menu including appetizers, pastas, entrees, and desserts. This led to more people than I expected and it resulted in people lingering in the restaurant for way too long. To complicate matters, there was no time limit on the tables and no limit on the food. We arrived at 12:30pm and made it into the restaurant at 4pm. While we were waiting on line, we watched as politician after politician walked out of Patsy's looking quite content. The owners tried to appease the restless crowd by bringing out hot slices to the line. I swear it was like feeding time at the zoo. I reached in for a slice and nearly got my hand ripped off. By the time we made it in, we were starving. The wait staff was very friendly given their task at hand. We ordered 4 large pies and then some. The whole thing came to $6.45. Patsy's didn't even reduce the size or quality of their pizza for this event either. I went with a large pie with roasted red peppers. Brian went with the classic plain pie. Less toppings, more slices was his philosphy. It was a good one. We were there for about 2 hours and we were even lucky enough to be there for the cutting of the Birthday cake for Patsy's. Needless to say we could barely move after this pizza feast and by the time I made it back to the lab, I was useless. It was back home for a nap.

Cafe Venezia

The pizza tour has gone kosher. I asked my friend Paul to pick out his favorite kosher pizza place in Brooklyn and he decided on Cafe Venezia on Coney Island Avenue between Ave J and K. In addition to a full selection of Italian food, Venezia operates a gas oven for pizzas. They offer a variety of pizzas and we ultimately decided on the "L&B style" pizza. It was a 14" pie that is inspired by the landmark Brooklyn pizzeria, L&B Spumoni Gardens. It is a round pie that has a thick crust rim. The mozzarella cheese is beneath the sauce and although this pie has the appearance of being heavy and dense, it is actually light and airy like its namesake. The crust was cooked perfectly and there was even some nice charring. I was pleasantly surprised by how well the slices held up. They maintained a crispy crust even with all that sauce. I detected a slight smoky flavor to this pizza and I am not sure if that was from the mozzarella or the sauce. Either way, it added a unique flavor to the pie.
Since one pizza is never quite enough when Paul and I are together, we also ordered a specialty pizza called the "za'atar pizza". This pie definitely stole the show as I have never had anything like it. Za'atar is Middle Eastern spice blend consisting of thyme, oregano, marjoram, sumac, and sesame seeds and is usually served with olive oil and warm pita bread. Venezia puts it on a thin pizza crust with a layer of fresh mozzarella along with an outer rim of sesame seeds. This pie was delicious and I'll definitely be making it at home. Venezia was a hit and serves great kosher pie. Paul told me that there is another place that he likes to go to, so stay tuned for another kosher pizza update.

Original Totonno's--Coney

The pizza tour has finally made it to Coney Island for pie at Totonno's. Totonno's was opened in 1924 by Anthony “Totonno” Pero and operates one of the few coal ovens remaining in New York. 1 hour on the F and and a 5 minute walk and we were at 1524 Neptune Avenue. This is an old school pizzeria. No frills to greet you here. A very modest sign hangs above the storefront. The place is small and well lit and as soon as you walk in, your eyes are drawn to the small gem of a coal oven. Brian and I ordered a large cheese and we watched from our booth as the pizzaiolo assembled our simple pizza. Before going in the oven, the pie received a generous swirl of olive oil directly out of a large metallic rectangular tin.
Within a few minutes, we were staring at what was a perfect pizza. Great sauce (identical to that used at the Totonno's on the upper east side), great fresh mozzarella cheese, and an amazing crust. It was thin and crispy from the first slice to the last and the perimeter had an awesome chew. There really is nothing like the flavor of a coal oven crust. It is unique and cannot be replicated with a conventional oven. We polished off this pie without hesitation. This place is so old school that they serve coca cola in glass bottles! The wait staff was very friendly and we even got to meet the wife of owner Louise Ciminieri who goes by the name of "Cookie" Ciminieri. I highly recommend the original Totonno's and it is moving up into my current top 3 pizzerias. One last thing....When you are down there be sure to head over to the boardwalk and ride the Cyclone. Its got a a ton of power for an 81-year old wooden roller coaster. Life doesn't get much better than coal oven pie and the Cyclone!

Vic's Pizza***

The pizza tour has crossed the Hudson and landed in Bradley Beach NJ. Vic's ranks in Daena's top three pizzerias in her home state. She used to go there with her family after spending the day at the Jersey Shore. This place has been around for a long time and has a very nostalgic feel to it. The booths are very retro and comfortable. We ordered a large cheese pie, 14", about $13. The pizza was very good. The sauce was smooth and flavorful. The cheese is your basic mozzarella, showcasing the traditional orange grease right out of the oven. As far as the crust goes, it is unique and delicious. Vic's tomato pie is super crispy because of the dusting of cornmeal underneath the crust. The obvious downside to the smaller slices is that they are hard to fold...which Daena and all other New Jersey Dwellers will insist is the only way to eat pizza (I'd argue for the fold followed by the unfold).

Pizza in Israel

My pizza tour has left the Big Apple and landed in Haifa. The land of milk and honey is well known for its Falafel, Shawarma, and Bourekas...definitely less so for its pizza. Nevertheless, while visiting my family last week, my brother in law treated us to a few pies from the local pizzeria "Pizza Perfecto". The place recently opened and it was pretty quiet when we picked up the pies. 2 large 40 cm pizzas for about 70 shekels (about $20 US). My brother in law mentioned to the owner that I have a pizza blog and he gladly brought me to the back to snap a few photos of the ovens and the prep area. Nothing fancy here. Standard gas pizza ovens. I wan't sure what to expect from the pizza but I was pleasantly surprised. The sauce and cheese were good. The crust had a good chew but could have been a bit crispier. I guess I'm spoiled by the coal oven char of NY pie! I was most intrigued by the spice packets that we got with the pizza. Forget the italian seasoning. More like a garlic-mediterranean spice blend that complemented the pizza well. All in all I enjoyed the pizza but I enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with my family even more.

Roberta's

With some extra time this week I decided to venture out of my borough for some pizza. My friend Kelly read an article about a new pizzeria in Brooklyn called Roberta's and told me about it. After one visit to their website I really wanted to go there. Roberta's is 8 stops off the L from Union Square. It is right around the corner from the Morgan street station in Bushwick. This was my first trip to Bushwick and I wasn't sure what to expect. The neighborhood is definitely industrial looking, but with a google map in hand, I had no problem finding Roberta's. The red sign and the chalkboard out front were inviting. You can even see the pile of wood that feeds the oven from the open door. The place is really cool. Large wooden tables and chairs fill the open space. Lunch time was really quiet and I secured a prime spot close to the pizza oven. The waitress Daphne was really friendly and I ordered the margherita pizza. 12" $8. All the pies are 12" and they offer a variety of toppings as well as daily specialty pizzas. I watched as my pizza was assembled and put into the red wood fired oven. This oven is imported from Italy and is inscribed with the name "Roberta's" which happens to be the name of the owner's mom. The pie came out of the oven, was cut into 4 slices and received a few basil leaves before arriving to me. Daphne recommended I try the house made chili oil which she drizzled onto the pie at the table. It added just enough heat to the already flavorful pizza. They use a simple tomato sauce from San Marzano tomatoes and they even make their own mozzarella on the premises. Overall this was very good pizza. It's just too bad they don't offer larger pies. I really enjoyed this place and I enjoyed talking to the owner Chris and to Daphne. They were both friendly and interested in hearing about my pizza tour. I will definitely be returning to Roberta's as I really want to try their calzone and maybe even a pie with some roasted peppers.

Two Boots

Next stop on the pizza tour was Two Boots on Avenue A. The 'boot' of Italy (pizza) and the 'boot' of Louisiana (creole) are the inspirations for these pizzerias...there are several Two Boots in the city, so technically it is a chain. I have already been to the one on 7th Ave and W 11th and to the one in Grand Central. I really like this pizza and my cousin has never had it so we decided to head down to Avenue A for some pie. This place is well known for its specialty pizza slices including "The Dude" (ground beef, cheddar, & mozzarella), and "The Newman" (sopressata & sweet italian sausage on a white pie). But given the rules of the pizza tour (no slices and cheese pies only) and the rules of Judaism (no meat and cheese together) we had to go for a large cheese. $16, 8 slices.
Although this pie looks like a typical NY pie, two traits set it apart...the crunchy cornmeal crust and the spicy creole tomato sauce. Compared to previous Two Boots visits, I found that the sauce is not as spicy as it used to be. Still solid though. The crust is always crispy, so the slices hold up very well and are never limp. No fancy coal oven here and no fresh imported mozzarella but an overall great pizza. Another bonus is the lack of grease. You won't find that orange oil leaking off your slices as with so many other joints. You will find very little ambiance at this place although the psychadelic portrait of 'The Dude' was quite impressive. No table service either but who really needs a server when it comes to pizza? Two Boots is always highly recommended and ranks well on the pizza tour.

Di Fara

A Trip to Di Fara has been in the works for a long time. Just haven't had the time recently to trek out to BK for pie. I'm glad I finally made the time to do so. On the journey with me were Brian & Leah, their son Owen, and Ming. This trip was unlike any other pizza experience I have had. I now understand why people rave about this place. It's not just the pie itself but the whole Di Fara experience. From the moment you walk in to the place, it's a show. You would never know the quality of pizza that is served here from the outside. When you first walk in, your eyes are drawn to the star of the show, 71 year old Domenico DeMarco. Watching this Pizza maker was just awesome. And believe me, you (and all others around you) will watch him assemble pie after pie while you wait for yours. Within minutes, you can see the passion for his craft. Every step in the pie making process is methodical. From the stretching of the dough, to the saucing of the pie, to the grating of the Mozzarella, to the pouring of the olive oil from a copper decanter, to the cutting of the basil with scissors, to the addition of the Gran Padano cheese, it's like watching the assembly of a work of art. The ingredients are the freshest one can get. The flour, tomatoes, and cheeses are imported from Italy and the Basil is from Israel.

The people keep coming in and the orders keep slowly making their way to Dom. At one point during our visit, there were easily 30 people hovering over the counter area waiting for pizza and the phone kept ringing and ringing (unanswered to the delight of the waiting patrons). We ordered 2 pizzas. One round and one square. Both plain. $20 for the round and $25 for the square. After an hour and 15 minutes, our round pie came out of the oven and was placed on a tray on the counter. Dom came over to the pie, put the post-oven finishing touches on it, and sliced it up for us. I brought it to the table we secured a while back and started to feast. It was great. Unlike any other pizza I've had thus far. All of the flavors blended together in a great way. The crust was very thin and crispy and the char on the crust was very reminiscent of what you might get from a coal oven. Other than one slice that had too much Basil on it (Ming took one for the team!) it was a perfect pie. By the time we finished the first pizza, our sqare pie was ready to roll. After Dom put the finishing touches on it, I brought it to the table. On my way there, a patron waiting for pizza asked if he could buy a slice! I laughed and then said that I couldn't part with any slices. It was also great and very unique. The crust was awesome and this pie was alot more filling than the traditional round. I'm glad we got the square pie as the second course. We ate until we couldn't eat any more (there is such a thing as too much of a good thing!) and took a few remaining slices to go. I'm not sure when I'll be back to Di Fara but I am certainly glad to have finally tried it. You won't find any ambiance here (this place has green walls and no frills) but you will find great pizza. I enjoyed watching Dom making the pizza just as much as I enjoyed eating it. I even saw him reach into his oven with his bare hands and carry a pizza to the counter. He looked so content as each pizza found its owner and I hope he continues to make pizza for many years to come.

Back to Grimaldi's

I know its been a while since I have posted to my pizza blog. Maintaining a blog and being a graduate student are sometimes mutually exclusive events. Last month I took my cousin Flora to Grimaldi's. She has never been and so it was a no brainer as to where to go for pie. We took the F train to York St. and it was a 10 minute walk to Grimaldi's. As soon as we opened the doors to enter, we were greeted by the warmth of the coal oven and the aroma of delicious pizza. Thankfully, we were seated right away and got an awesome table nestled in the corner away from incoming and outgoing traffic. We ordered the margherita pizza and it was unbelievable as usual. The pizza speaks for itself and this place is still number one in my books. We even met the owner of the place and he was really friendly and greeted many of the patrons while we were there. A really nice touch. After finishing our pizza, we went down to the waterfront to take in the views of lower manhattan and then we walked over the brooklyn bridge back to the city.

Dean's Pizzeria

Daena and I finally made it to the West side to try some pie. Dean's is a new pizzeria owned by the Angelis family who also own Patsy's and Nick's. The place is really nice. It doesn't feel like a pizzeria due to the high ceilings, large space, and decor. But it certainly smells like one. They run a large gas fired oven and they offer both traditional rounds with fresh mozzarella and traditional square Grandma pies with a combination of Mozzarellas and Parmesan cheeses. Daena gave into my wishes and we ordered the Grandma pie. It got a mixed review. Daena didn't like it and said the sauce was Oregano heavy. I loved it for that same reason. The crust was really good. Crispy on the outside with a nice chew. Also, I'm not sure what they put on the edges of the pie but it added crispness and awesome flavor. I'm sure I'll be back to this place to try a regular pie but I'm guessing it will be without my better half!

The Village Pizzeria

I was out in San Francisco this weekend and I went out for some pizza with my brother. We were celebrating his promotion to shift manager at Park Chow and it was long overdue for him to make his debut on the blog. His pick was The Village Pizzeria on Clement and Arguello. This place is well known for their pizza and they pride themselves as "The Brooklyn Pizza That Moved West!" When I lived in SF I used to frequent this place and so in a way it was like coming home. The place is pretty chill (like everything in SF). They have a standard gas oven and even have some cool black and white photos of Brooklyn and Coney Island on the walls.
The Village offers two different crust choices, Neopolitan and Sicilian.
In reality though, there is no choice. You have to go with the Sicilian. We ordered a whole plain pie. 12 slices, $19.00. After about 20 minutes the pie arrived piping hot and looking awesome. Thick crust slices, especially the ones that you get at an average NY pizzeria, are often denser than a brick and have a flavorless crust. Not this pie. The crust was perfectly baked and was nice and airy. It was very reminiscent of the pie at L&B Spumoni Gardens. The sauce had great flavor and the sauce to cheese ratio was good. No fresh mozzarella here but the Village Pizzeria claims to use the best Wisconsin mozzarella available. I must say it was tasty. My brother and I really enjoyed the pie and I enjoyed the company too. I can't wait for him to visit me so that I can take him to Grimaldi's for some coal oven pie and some Brooklyn Lager!

Pizza in Vancouver

Daena and I arrived in Vancouver this morning. After checking in at the hotel, we wandered around the neighborhood and stumbled upon a place called Lombardo's. How could we resist pizza in Canada! The Pizza Tour's first stop outside of the US. The place was quite nice and quiet and they have a gas fired brick oven. We ordered a medium Pizza Margherita (30cm diameter) Bring on the metric system! The pie was very good and definitely satisfied our hunger. The sauce to cheese ratio was way too low for my liking and perhaps a bit more fresh basil would have been nice but otherwise it gets a thumbs up. I'm a long way from NYC but it is always great to have some pie. Vancouver is beautiful thus far. Tomorrow we set sail for Alaska!

The Original Patsy's

Life is better with pizza. Finally made it to the original Patsy's on 117th street and 1st Ave. This is the only Patsy's with a coal oven and it is far superior to the chain of Patsy's located throughout the city. Patsy's has the hallmarks of an old school NY pizzeria; exposed brick wall and framed photos of celebrities eating their pizza. Perhaps the coolest thing on the wall is a large painted portrait of Frank Sinatra. I thought it would be more crowded but I guess not many people make the trek up to Harlem for great pizza. At least not on a weekday during lunch. Brian and I ordered a plain pie. There is only one size and it costs $11. We got the pizza pretty quickly and we both agreed that it was great.

Two things make this pizza unique. The ultrathin crust and the tomato sauce. The crust was a little on the underdone side but still had that great coal oven char on the underside and edges. The tomato sauce was probably the simplest I've had yet. No signs of any italian seasonings. Just great fresh tomato flavor. After finishing our pizza, we asked about the mozzarella. It wasn't clear on the menu, but it turns out that their basic cheese pie is made with grated whole milk mozzerella and if you want the fresh mozzarella (who wouldn't) you have to specifically order it. So, it looks like we'll be visiting Patsy's again for another pie soon. If you don't have the time to enjoy a whole pie, you could always stop by for a slice right next door. $1.50 for coal oven slices. Brian and I were tempted for more but we decided to hold off until next visit!

Frank Pepe **

I know this is a NY pizza tour but for the coal oven I make exceptions. Daena and I were visiting friends up in Massachusetts and on our way home we stopped for lunch at Frank Pepe. It is in New Haven's Little Italy on Wooster Street. I heard about this place from my friend Cate who has been there several times. We were excited to try this place and we were curious to see how Connecticut pie would stack up against NY. We arrived at about 12:30 (1 hour after they opened) and we were seated right away. The place is filled with booths and we were assigned booth 22.

Frank Pepe's was built in 1925 and it definitely has an old feel to it but it is kept in great condition. High ceilings provide great ventilation from the heat of the oven and also make the place feel big. As we walked to our booth we passed the giant coal oven which occupies the entire back wall of the pizzeria. You know its huge because the handles of the pizza peels are about 10 feet long. Even in a relatively small working area, the pizzaiolos make it look easy as they slide the pies in and out of the back of the oven. After we sat down we were given a menu which was printed on a piece of paper. Pizza only. In addition to this menu, Pepe's menu is also right on the wall. We didn't really need a menu because we knew we were going to get a large tomato pie with mozzarella ($13.80). We ordered our pie and waited. The smell of pizza filled the air and we watched as each pie was brought from the oven area to an area where the servers cut the pie.

The anticipation was palpable and we finally saw our server walk over to the large cheese pie and slice it up. We knew it was ours and we were ready for it. The pizza was really big. The crust was awesome and really crispy. The tomato sauce was light and had a great fresh flavor. The cheese was also good but I'm not sure if they use fresh mozzarella here. Also, I thought that the sauce to cheese ratio was too low. Regardless though, this pizza was excellent and we came pretty close to polishing off the large. My only criticism of this place was actually the way that the pizza was sliced. After watching the servers cut the pizza it looks like they rotate the pizza and cut with no particular timing such that each slice is a different size and some are not even triangular. They do it so fast that I couldn't tell if there was a method to their pizza cutting madness. In the end it didn't matter and it even gave the pie a character of its own. After eating this pizza, our hands were blackened from the coal crust and we were ridiculously full.

On our way out we snapped some photos of the coal oven and talked briefly to the manager. If you are there, make sure to check out the photos on the wall. We really liked the ones of Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton eating pie. Also, I recommend the root beer as it perfectly complemented this pizza. When we left, the line outside Pepe's was growing. We walked over to an Italian pastry shop next door called Libby's to check out their stash of cannolis. They looked awesome but we had no room for dessert. So it looks like I'll have to get my fix back home at Ferrara's. If you are ever in New Haven and want great pizza, stop by Frank Pepe and you won't be disappointed.

Luzzo's

Next stop on the tour was Luzzo's. It's on 1st Avenue between 12th and 13th. I heard about this place from my friend Emilie and she said it was great. She was certainly right. This place doesn't advertise how great their pizza is. They take a more modest approach and so you won't find it draped with banners that proclaim to serve the planet's best pizza and it won't be packed with tourists.
Luzzo's has a coal oven and makes traditional Naples style pizza. They use mozzarella de bufala (mozzarella made from buffalo milk) and place it in large drops onto the sauce. The crust is thin, not crispy, but perfectly charred in a way that only a coal oven could produce. The sauce is simple, sweet, and tasty. The buffalo mozzarella is very creamy. Overall, the pie was light and delicious. It is a very unique pizza and we found the combination of the coal oven crust with the mozzarella de bufala cheese to be perfect.
As a bonus, this place is very charming. Dae and I felt like we could have been eating in a small cafe in Italy. One side of the place is lined with small booths and the other side with small tables. Exposed brick covers one of the walls, giving Luzzo's a very rustic feel. The service was excellent. All servers and Pizzaioli are Italian, along with many of their patrons.
This place also serves up more than just great pizza. Dae and I tried the Italian cheese fondue as an appetizer and were not disappointed. It had a combination of smoked mozzarella, parmesan, and goat cheese and was served with some great crispy toasts. We definitely can't wait to go back. In addition to a 16" pizza ($19) we want to try the Gnocchi Alla Sorrentino. We knew this place was going to be great because when we walked in we spotted Furio (from the Sopranos) having dinner by himself in a booth in the back.
With Luzzo's under my belt, there are only 3 more coal oven joints to try. Stay tuned!

L&B Spumoni Gardens

Finally made it out to the BK with my friend Brian for some L&B. Had to have their famous squares. We sat outside to take in all of the sights and sounds of Bensonhurst. Thankfully we went with a half pie and not a whole pie (which could easily feed a family of 8). This pizza is very unique. Unlike most other joints, L&B puts their sauce on top of the mozzerella. The sauce is really good and definitely adds character to this pie. As a finishing touch, they sprinkle some parmigiano cheese on top. For a square pie the dough is really nice and airy. Nothing like the doughy sicilian slice you will find at nearly every sliceria in the city. The crust was nice and well done. My only complaint is that I think the dough was prebaked earlier in the day and then rebaked once the cheese and sauce were added. So the crust was not as fresh tasting as it could have been. I don't know if this is always the case or not. I guess I'll have to see next time I'm there. Brian and I did pretty well and managed to devour 4 slices each along with a pitcher of root beer. We saved some room for spumoni but never got any as we had to bail to avoid getting caught in a thunderstorm. Overall I liked this place and I would definitely go back for more squares.