Buenos Aires Pizza Thread!

[jchoi]

Okay, pizza in Buenos Aires...a very complex topic to tackle! At once, it's ubiquitous and elusive. There's cheese (to the gills!) and no cheese. There's ham--deli-type and salt-cured--but no pepperoni. There's the thick, gooey crust that tastes and tooths like bread or there's the "pizza a la piedra," or stone-baked, thin, crispy crust that tastes like a water cracker. There's faina, a...hmm, how to describe it...chickpea flour biscuit-like, focaccia-shaped bread thing, slightly reminiscent of cornbread in appearance, that is eaten on top of the very local, very traditional pizza called fugazzetta (pizza dough piled thick with lots of onions, oregano and cheese, maybe some green olives...yep, that's it.)

So, what's the complexity about?

For starters, locals--Porteños, the residents of the Capital--will say that they LOVE pizza and that Buenos Aires has the best pizza in the world. Being here in BA, you will quickly identify that the former statement is as true as can be: almost every commercial corner in this city has either a pizza joint (or two) or a resto-bar that serves pizza proudly. Any lunch cafe will serve pizza. In other words, ubiquitous. But you will find that these eateries serve an identical menu--empanadas, pizza, ham and cheese sandwiches, milanesas--indicating that the local palate is quite limited. That isn't to imply that a limited palate necessarily must be an indiscriminate one, but...here, it kind of is. Argentine pizza is in its own category of cuisine. It is not Italian pizza. It is not NYC pizza, nor Chicago pizza. In order to appreciate it at all, you MUST divorce your preconceived notions of pizza from the experience of eating Argentine pizza. Then--and only then--you might be able to enjoy what you are ingesting. You will find that Argentine pizza is oozing with unbrowned, insufficiently baked, rubbery, bad mozzarella. You will find that the sauce is both lacking in quantity and flavor. You will find the crust, if it is the soft kind, bready without any yeastiness, often toothless. The cracker-crisp crust is better because of the improvement in texture, but again, tends to be flavorless. Sorry I sound so cynical, but 90% of the Argentine pizzas I have eaten have caused in me regrets and disappointment and low after-dinner self-esteem. My suggestion: try it for the experience of it, but I can't bear to make any recommendations here on an integrity basis and because I refuse to be held accountable either for intentionally leading anyone to a negative dining experience or for finding out that anyone had a great experience with something I define as mediocre!

So, to find a GREAT pizza in Buenos Aires was an exercise in patience and grave tolerance, but finally that elusive pie has been identified...

Siamo nel Forno

Costa Rica 5886 in Palermo Hollywood

4775-0337, reservas@siamonelforno.com.ar

Tues-Sun from 8 pm to close

An exercise in Neapolitan-style, artesanal excellence: Original, imported, wood-burning oven from Italy; thin-crust, gourmet pizzas using highest-quality ingredients; nice wine list; great coffee!

Warm, personable, professional service, English-speaking staff; owner/head chef will probably stop at your table to check in; comfortable ambience

Super busy on weekends, so reserve if you plan to go after 9 pm.

Second choice:

Piola, 2 locations

Libertad 1078 in Barrio Norte

4812 0690 / 4815 4746

open late night (until 2 or 3 am)

Gorriti 5751 in Palermo Hollywood

4777 3698 / 4777 3298

http://www.piola.it/...mber=21〈=en

International chain of pizzerias out of Italy, but consistent and with a huge variety of pizzas; also offer pastas and other dishes.

They give a complimentary sweet limoncello (?) blended drink at the end.

Service is sometimes perfunctory and slow, but generally kind. Lots of English-speaking waiters.

Also very busy; they take reservations, but if you go early, you'll get in. Open all day.

I don't quite understand why there are always TV's on at this restaurant.

[Mjx]

Piola . . . .

I don't quite understand why there are always TV's on at this restaurant.

What you said above: 'International chain of pizzerias out of Italy'. Not kidding!