Thin Is In

Today I'm here to review arguably the best SLICE in New York City: Joe's Pizza, located on Carmine St. in Greenwich Village. Almost any pizzeria can make a nice fresh whole pie, and you'll love it, and the cheese will ooze and bubble, and you'll be very satisfied. However, there are very few pizzerias in the world who can boast a good slice. 

The key to a good slice is freshness. I cannot emphasize this enough. In order to accomplish freshness, some pizzerias will keep low amounts of pizza behind the counter. They risk a customer coming in 4 minutes before a new pie is out of the oven in order to achieve this. However, more often than not, the customer will wait the 4 minutes to grab a slice fresh out of the oven. The "wait time" gamble often pays off for the pizzeria. The other way to achieve freshness is a central location where you have high turnover. Joe's Pizzeria is located extremely centrally, near the foodie tourist mecca of Bleecker Street, the NYU bars of Greenwich Village, and the bustling West 4th Street subway station. So they crank out pies all day long.

Joe's is another one of those amazing Greenwich Village institutions, with an Italian immigrant owner, a classic recipe and expert training, and 20th century pedigree. Joe Pozzuoli started Joe's in 1975, and has been succeeding at the pizza game ever since. Joe's makes one of the definitive pizzas of New York City simply by their crust. This crust is by far the thinnest I've encountered in any slice joint. Always floppy, never failing, this crust is the perfect NY style. And while Joe's consistent presence in international guide books may pack in the tourists, the confused masses never deter me from making Joe's one of my favorite weeknight slice places in the whole city.

Crust Thickness: Super Thin

Crust Softness: Firm

Crust Char: Tan

Crust Puffiness: Airy

Sauce: Authentico

Cheese: Grated, Superior

Style: NY Style

Slice Appeal: Good

*** - Excellent

What the Stars Mean:

Stars are awarded similarly to the New York Times restaurant reviews. 1 star is recommended, 2 stars is very good, 3 stars is excellent, and 4 stars is pizza perfection.

http://www.joespizzanyc.com

Ray's

One of the most famous appellations in the NYC pizza scene is Ray's. Over the past 50 years, we have witnessed Ray's, Famous Ray's, Famous Original Ray's, Ray Bari, and Not Ray's. Some have closed, some have moved, some have been sold and morphed into a soulless chain, some lost their lease, some lost their owner. At the end of the day, the epitome of what Ray's should be is actually the pizza joint formerly known as Famous Ray's: Famous Roio's.

Mario DiRienzo opened Famous Ray's in 1973 at the corner of West 11th Street and 6th Avenue, and named his pizzeria after his Italian family's nickname. The pizzeria changed hands many times, eventually closing in October, 2011 after landlord and legal drama. However, Mario DiRienzo swooped in, changed the name to Famous Roio's, after his Italian family's town, and reopened in April, 2012 with the help of his 27-year-old nephew, Christian. Sadly, Mario DiRienzo passed away in September, 2012, leaving the business and recipes to Christian. As with many things in New York City, this pizzeria is full of people, memories, ghosts, and history.

Famous Roio's has always been known for its major abundance of juicy cheese and thin, but soft New York style crust. These two elements really distinguish Famous Roio's from your average slice joint. Famous Roio's is also generous with their distribution of sauce, a smooth purée packed with concentrated tomato flavor. Finally, they have a prime location with lots of foot traffic, which ensures freshness. Many times I'll go for a slice, and just happen to get one from a fresh pie. For me, there is no other true Ray's in the city. Only Famous Roio's.

Crust Thickness: Thin

Crust Softness: Soft

Sauce: Smooth

Cheese: Grated, Average (though Abundant)

Pepperoni Crisp: Flat

Re-Heat Factor: Good

Style: NY Style

Slice Appeal: Good

** - Very Good

What the Stars Mean:

Stars are awarded similarly to the New York Times restaurant reviews. 1 star is recommended, 2 stars is very good, 3 stars is excellent, and 4 stars is pizza perfection.

http://www.famousroiospizza.com

Pizza for the Pauper

Let's be honest; New York City can sometimes be too expensive. The rent is too damn high, for starters, and that results in across the board high meal prices in restaurants who need to pay said rent. And then there is the elite food scene, which features $295 tasting menus (Per Se), $26 burgers (Minetta Tavern), and $5 slices of pizza (Di Fara Pizza). All three places are widely acclaimed, by the way, and difficult to get reservations/served.

So it is easy to focus on New York City's high maintenance offerings rather than the plethora of free and cheap activities and restaurants. You can basically walk anywhere in Manhattan, and it's probably going to be interesting. Or you can walk over a bridge into a borough and enjoy the river views. I've been to several Yelp Elite events with amazing quality free food and alcohol. Art gallery exhibition openings, open houses, fancy supermarkets, and liquor stores all offer little freebie tastes. You're in luck if you like to try free wine and cheese. And we have many $1 pizza joints scattered throughout Manhattan.

Tonight I decided to try the 2 Bros. dollar pizza place in midtown, on W. 46th St. between 5th and 6th Ave. 2 Bros. is a mini-chain, with 8 locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. While this particular location is a predominantly business luncher type of place, there were still some people in there when I went for dinner at 7pm. 

Places like 2 Bros. are great for several reasons. First, there is high turnover, and that equates to freshness. For me, the main killer of slice joints is lack of freshness. Nobody wants to eat a slice of pizza that was made 5 hours ago, with a few cold discs of pepperoni tossed on top, then re-heated in a 500 degree oven for 2 minutes. Nobody wants that. So for slices? Freshness is king.

2 Bros was also great because it was basic. Just a standard tomato sauce with some herbs and spices, average cheese, average dough. Nothing offensive, nothing exceptional. The crust, however, was made in standard NY style, with a soft, but thin inside, and crisp browned bottom. I swear, I have eaten much worse slices of pizza in NYC that were not a buck.

Crust Thickness: Thin
Crust Softness: Firm
Crust Puff: Flat
Sauce: Smooth
Cheese: Grated, Average
Style: NY Style
Slice Appeal: Good

* - Recommended

What the Stars Mean:
Stars are awarded similarly to the New York Times restaurant reviews. 1 star is recommended, 2 stars is very good, 3 stars is excellent, and 4 stars is pizza perfection.

http://www.2brospizza.com

Ah, Nicoletta

Michael White, aka Chef Bianco, is well known and well regarded in the New York City fine cuisine community. His restaurant, Marea, is regarded as one of the best seafood restaurants that we have in this city, which is saying a lot. He owns several other restaurants as well, Osteria Morini, Ai Fiori, and two newbies: Costata and the Butterfly. I've tried Marea for a special 29th birthday dinner, and have been to Osteria Morini a handful of times (hint: try the meatballs). However, my favorite Bianco restaurant is his pizzeria, Nicoletta.

But first let's back up and talk a little bit about Michael White's bio. He was born in Wisconsin, but his passion for food led him to study in Imola, Italy, a small town outside of Bologna. Chef Bianco lived and learned there for seven years, before returning to the states to swoop up stars from both the New York Times and the Michelin Guide, as well as a few James Beard awards.

So this New York by way of Chicago by way of Italy by way of Wisconsin saga has all somehow rolled together and given us Nicoletta. Michael White has said in interviews that he wanted to make a pizzeria inspired by his Beloit, Wisconsin hometown pizzeria called Domenico's. This pizza is more 'murican, less Italian. More strip mall, less SoHo boutique. More Pizza Hut, less Grimaldi's.

And yet this pizza is FABULOUS! The fine ingredients and topping combinations were clearly concepts of this accoladed chef. However, it is the crust that screams midwest. It is not the typical thin New York crust, but instead a bit more substantial. The pepperoni curls up beautifully, and the pizza is garnished with tangy sprinkles of parmesan. It must also be said that the side dishes and desserts are strong in their own right. Chef Bianco's famous meatballs with grandma's red sauce have come over from Osteria Morini, and while I'm not a dessert person, I was blown away by the creamy fior di latte gelato. We topped ours with blueberry limoncello and amaretti cookie crumbles, but you can get creative.

Crust Thickness: Average

Crust Softness: Firm

Crust Char: Tan

Crust Puffiness: Airy

Sauce: Smooth

Cheese: Grated, Superior

Pepperoni Crisp: Crispy and Curled

Style: Unique

**** - Pizza Perfection

What the Stars Mean:

Stars are awarded similarly to the New York Times restaurant reviews. 1 star is recommended, 2 stars is very good, 3 stars is excellent, and 4 stars is pizza perfection.

http://www.nicolettanyc.com

Music Nerd Alert: the post title is a reference to "Ah, Violetta" in the third act of Verdi's opera, La Traviata.

Saturday Night Pizza Party

New York City is known for its fantastic restaurants. You can find amazing quality food here, from almost any country in the world, at any time of day or night. However, sometimes the best Saturday nights are spent hanging out with your best buddies at a friend's apartment, ordering a bunch of pizzas, and playing funny videos on youtube.

Last night was one of those nights for me. We headed to my friend's apartment in Williamsburg and ordered three pizzas from Williamsburg Pizza. I had previously tried Williamsburg Pizza for free at a Yelp event, and was impressed then. They offer great varieties like gorgonzola and pear, and a tasty nonna slice. However, they present these fancier slices on a typical soft, thin, New York crust, and there lies the strength. Anybody can make fancy pizza with fancy toppings, but Williamsburg Pizza is special because they make it for the local masses.

Crust Thickness: Thin

Crust Softness: Soft

Crust Puffiness: Flat

Sauce: Authentico

Cheese: Grated, Superior

Pepperoni Crisp: Crispy

Style: NY Style

*** - Excellent

What the Stars Mean:

Stars are awarded similarly to the New York Times restaurant reviews. 1 star is recommended, 2 stars is very good, 3 stars is excellent, and 4 stars is pizza perfection.

http://www.williamsburgpizza.com

Not Everyday is Christmas

"Not everyday is Christmas.
Sometimes your car won't start,
Your MetroCard said it already swiped, 
And you know damn well it didn't."

That quote is from indie rapper Max Burgundy (https://soundcloud.com/maxburgundy) riffing on having a bad day. Now yesterday was no bad day for me by any means (I mean it was Friday, so how bad could it be, right?), but it was a little too humid for October, and I did have some lackluster pizza for dinner. And honestly, it wasn't THAT bad, it was probably average, but it was just not as great as other New York City pizza establishments.

I ordered from Gotham Pizza on seamless, a Manhattan mini-chain with four locations: Chelsea, Midtown West, and two on the Upper East Side. Now before I order from seamless, I always cross-reference Yelp to affirm that I'm going to get a good pizza. Yelp gave me a four-star green light, so I bravely moved forward.

The crust was thin on the bottom, but too rough on the outer rim. I like some softness to my crust; it should mimic a freshly baked baguette. They used some fresh herbs on top, which was a good touch. However, the herbs couldn't hide the low quality sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. The pepperoni was not crisp at all, but instead floppy, undercooked discs of disappointment. It really reminds you that you're not eating quality ingredients. Now again, I must reiterate that Gotham Pizza is not THAT bad. They'd probably be stand out in other parts of the country. It is just not that good in New York. 

Crust Thickness: Thin
Crust Softness: Cracker
Crust Char: Tan
Crust Puffiness: Flat
Sauce: Smooth
Cheese: Grated, Average
Pepperoni Crisp: Flat
Style: NY Style

No Stars - Not Recommended

What the Stars Mean:
Stars are awarded similar to the New York Times restaurant reviews. 1 star is recommended, 2 stars is very good, 3 stars is excellent, and 4 stars is pizza perfection.

http://www.eatgothampizzanyc.com

Sunnyside Smiles

I work in Queens, so I am often walking around the smirkingly charming neighborhood of Sunnyside in search of a decent lunch option. This is Irish pub central, but I can't really swig pints of Guinness then go work for another 4 hours, right? And while I'm mostly of Irish descent, shepherd's pie and corned beef are not always crave worthy cuisine. Friday lunches are all about pizza, and Friday lunches in Sunnyside are all about Sunnyside Pizza.

The owners are second generation Italians from a town called Pomigliano d'Arco, a Neapolitan suburb set in the shadow of Mount Vesuvio. From the moment you step into the peanut sized pizza shop, you feel like you're part of this cozy neighborhood, part of the old New York City in the 20th century. The owners are always welcoming, from their overall warm disposition to their "how's it taste?" inquiries, and "have a great weekend sweetie" valedictions. They know their regulars. They appreciate the business. And they play oldies radio.

The pizza succeeds due to the quality of the ingredients, but also due to the chef's thoughtfulness. A plain slice is fantastically juicy and satisfying, but so are other slices. They experiment with Nonna slices, BBQ chicken, and the garlic bread slice. The garlic bread slice is pretty creative. Inspired by garlic bread, they dress the dough with chunky tomato sauce, mozzarella AND parmesan cheeses, and ribbons of minced garlic. Vampires beware.

Crust Thickness: Very Thin
Crust Softness: Soft
Crust Puffiness: Flat
Sauce: Authentico; chunky on some slices
Cheese: Grated, Superior.
Grease: Greasy
Style: NY Style
Slice Appeal: Good
Known for: Sesame Seeds on the outer rim of the crust

** Stars - Very Good

What the Stars Mean:
Stars are awarded similarly to the New York Times restaurant reviews. 1 star is recommended, 2 stars is very good, 3 stars is excellent, and 4 stars is pizza perfection.

http://www.sunnyside-pizza.com

La Pizza Au Courant

Buona sera mes amis. My first pizza review post will be of my favorite pizzeria of the moment. I get so excited when husband agrees to order from here via seamless. I get even more excited when my buzzer goes off and I realize the pizza man is at my apartment! And my heart palpitates when I hear the footsteps trudging up the stairs, to stop in front of my door and drop off this box of deliciousness.

I'm talking about Fiore's, located at 165 Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village, New York City. Fiore's on Bleecker is a newcomer to the extremely competitive NYC pizza scene. Most newbies don't make it. Due to high rents and a multitude of fantastic options, you really have to come with your A-Game. In this neck of the woods, you have long time heavy hitters such as Joe's, Bleecker St. Pizza, and John's. You have Neapolitan maestro Keste. A few blocks away, there's Arturo's on Houston St. And up 6th Ave. you'll find Famous Roio's, the one that started all that Ray's nonsense. There is no lack of options in the West Village and Greenwich Village.

Fiore's, while new to this location, was established in 1995, which seems like just yesterday, but was almost 20 years ago (guh - I feel old). They have definitely and purposefully perfected their craft. This pizza is inspiring. With a focus on quality ingredients and a scientific fixation for properly cooked pizza, Fiore's turns over a fine product. Read about the metrics, straight ahead.

Crust Thickness: Thin
Crust Softness: Soft
Crust Puffiness: Flat
Sauce: Sweet, Authentico
Cheese: Grated, Superior
Pepperoni Crisp: Crispy and Curled
Re-Heat Factor: Good
Grease: Greasy
Style: NY Style

**** Stars - Pizza Perfection.

What the Stars Mean:
Stars are awarded similarly to the New York Times restaurant reviews. 1 star is recommended, 2 stars is very good, 3 stars is excellent, and 4 stars is pizza perfection.

https://www.facebook.com/FioresPizzaNYC