Slice, Slice, Slice

[Double 0]

Now that we all know where the great pies are. How about the slices?

[Stone]

From great pies, come great slices.

[Double 0]

True, but i'm talking about individually purchased slices.

Edited December 20, 2002 by Double 0 (log)

[thereuare]

Is it me, or has there been a wave of "we'll make the slice pies in the morning" trend in the last few years? I remember when slice pies were made throughout the day, and not until the last slice of the previous pie was gone!

I actually had a chat w/ the owner of the best pizza place in town (whose pizza has gone WAY down hill due to them allowing their slice pies to sit around for a bit). Unlike many other pizza places, they don't let their pies sit around too long, but they don't like to reheat their slices, so you could easily get a slice that is simply "luke-warm" instead of hot. To their defense, i DO understand their situation. I live in a big town/small city with a lot of foot traffic, so a lot of their slice sales are "impulse" purchases while walking by. As a result, there is no rhyme or reason as to when this place gets busy... at 5:30 on a given nite there may be a long line at the counter, at other times it can be fairly empty. I've even had many occaisions where i walk in only to have to wait on line, then while i'm eating the place is empty, and by the time i walk out there's a line again.

So i'm talking with the owner as i often do and the conversation eventually leads to pizza on this occaision. I delicately explain to him although i think he has the best pizza in town (well, at least it USED to be), that lately it's gone downhill because the slices aren't served hot. He doesn't hear what i'm saying, and goes on to tell me about all the other places in town that have pies sitting around for hours, while all of his are "fresh". I then remind him that at least the 2-3 hour old pizza is reheated and served hot, and the problem is NOT that his pizza isn't fresh, it's that it's often 15 minutes old and therefore not hot anymore. He continues to not listen and goes on to tell me how his sauce is 'the BEST!'

I've spoken with a relative of his who says that customers don't want to wait, so if they don't have slices ready, people walk out. So like i said, i understand their situation, but since they're gotten "worse" by having a few too many pies on deck, i've begun a journey for finding better pizza in town. The problem is IF you can get a fresh slice from him, it's one of the best you'll ever have... BUT if it's been sitting around a bit, it's simply less than average.

One other thing to note... this place makes 3 size pies, and the largest pie offered (the same as their slice pie) tastes MUCH better than the other 2 sized pies. It's all the same ingredients, but it just doesn't taste the same, i don't understand why, but it's the truth. By the way, i also started to slow down my business there when i went in with a large group and ordered one of their slice sized pies, and rather than make it fresh they re-heated an entire slice pie that had been sitting around for a bit (as the foot traffic must have been slow that 1/2 hour)!!

[glenn]

[i'm not clear, was the original intent of the post to talk about pizza? I thought it was about apple pie and such??] But anyway thereuare, lemme take a wild guess, Benny Tudino's? Jersey City, not quite the culinary capital of the world, doesn't have one place I know of that serves fresh slices. If it does, I wish someone would clue me in.

[Stone]

True, but i'm talking about individually purchased slices.

Great pie places should have them set aside to sell as slices.

[Double 0]

True, but i'm talking about individually purchased slices.

Great pie places should have them set aside to sell as slices.

That's the point. tell me where you can get a good fresh slice.

[thereuare]

You want to compound the problem... what if you want a square slice?

[Stone]

True, but i'm talking about individually purchased slices.

Great pie places should have them set aside to sell as slices.

That's the point. tell me where you can get a good fresh slice.

The same place you go to get a great pie. Only when you're there, instead of saying, "large with pepperoni", you say, "two slices, one with pepperoni, one with onions and green peppers." Jeepers, it's like pulling teeth with you.

(just kidding around, you know.)

[NJ2FLA]

I went into Famous Ray's here in Verona and asked for 2 slices with sausage on them. They take the pre-made slice pie (described above) and add the sausage and extra cheese. Then they throw it into the oven. So basically what comes out is the primary cheese slice with the sausage and fresh cheese melted on top. IMHO it sux.

Have you also noticed they are experimenting with 'funky' toppings now? For example eggplant, or chicken parmsean, or cheeseburger (ground beef, and american cheese), or pineapple, etc.

[Beachfan]

Actually, getting it fresh out of the oven isn't what it used to be. Now they are generally undercooked (for reheating purposes), so as soon as it comes out of the oven, I ask them to put it back in!

[Taboni]

Regular slice has got to be Benny Tudino's, but for a square ( I assume you mean Sicilian) slice, if you can't get them at Santillo's in Elizabeth, (I know they make a great pie, not sure if you can get it by the slice) then you have to abandon Jersey for the only place ever to go for Sicilian pie and that is of course L&B Spumoni Gardens in Coney Island. None better anywhere.

[thereuare]

Taboni,

When was the last time you've eaten at either of the above, as UNFORTUNATELY neither are what they used to be (IMO). I wish it wasn't so, but they've suffered the demise as most other slice places!

As an aside, i think Sac's in Astoria has the best square i've EVER had (B'way and 29th).

[Taboni]

Say it isn't so ! Actually its been a little over a year since we moved down the shore and I haven't been able to keep up my regular patronage. I'm actually not that bummed about Benny's since I have found a few places down here that have excellent pie, but to hear the Spumoni Gardens has gone downhill is really a disappointment...best I take the trip and see for myself.

[Stone]

The perfect pizza slice is probably the only purely subjective taste in the gustatory world. It was created too recently and it developed in too varied an area to allow anyone to come to a conclusion on what is "right." Some people like thick chewy Scicilian. Some thin crunch crust. It's like arguing that an Italian Hero is the perfect sandwich.

My favorite slice in the city was a small place called "New Pizza Town" at 78th and Bway. The crust was thin, but tasty and not cooked dry and cruchy even up reheating. The sauce was used sparingly, but flavorful enough to carry the job. The cheese was not too salty, and didn't overpower the slice, as often happens with Rays. The best part was the sausage. I hate when they just add ground up sausage meat. The cooking process dries out the little bits so it seems to me like they've just sprinkled gristle on top of the slice. It must be, therefore, real cooked pieces of sausage, sliced thin. New Pizza Town does just that, with sweet sausage that was always fresh. Other toppings were great.

[thereuare]

Very much "on topic", although this day occurred in NY, so i'll cross reference it with the equivalent thread on the NY board....

It's the day of Xmas eve and my friend and I decide that today is just as good as any to partake in our "NYC metrocard fun-pass Pizza Tour." The idea being to get an unlimited metrocard and hit a few of the best pizza places in NY, getting a slice at each of them so that we could compare various aspects of them. I had been to each of the stops on the tour before, but my friend (also a die hard pizza fanatic) was virgin to all of them. The stops were: DiFara's (Bklyn), L&B Spumoni Gardens (Bklyn), and Sac's Pizza (Astoria). Unintentionally, it's my belief that each of these places excel in their "square" slice.

We lucked out at each location, as we arrived just when fresh pies were coming out of the oven (actually waited outside of L&B for a few scraggly slices to get sold before we went in, just so we could get some fresh slices), so i feel that we tried each location when they were at their best.

Let the reviews begin:

DiFara's - my third time here, but i left with even more respect for his pie than on my prior trips (even though my prior trips left me with high accolades for his product). When we arrived the place was empty (i'd never seen it like that) but there were no square slices when we arrived. After Dom looked in the oven we were told the proverbial "5 minutes"... but knowing Dom's speed i questioned how long it would really take! It didn't matter as i knew the wait would be worth it, and it gave my friend time to read some of the articles on the wall about the place. It also gave my friend opportunity to point out the fire extinguisher on the wall that, as he put it, was growing hair! This thing has dirt on it that is likely older than the building itself; so much so that my friend commented that if there was a fire, he may consider getting burned alive before he grabbed that thing in an attempt to save himself. Later in the day we refered to it as the fire extinguisher's mustache, but shortly thereafter dubbed it the fire extinguisher's DUSTache (which still makes me laugh).

Anways, back to the pizza... better than i remember! As usual the pie came out of the oven with cheese and oil litteraly bubbling on top of the pie. The crust had a nice flavor and was quite crunchy, the cheese slopping on top, and the tomato sauce BURSTING with flavor, with just a touch of sweetness noticed. I inhaled my slice quickly, but my friend had to wait for it to cool down. After he finished, i contemplated another slice but knew i had to pace myself, although my friend opted to try their 'regular' slice as well. He said it was just as flavorful at the square (which from a prior visit, i knew it would be).

L&B Spumoni Gardens - i had been to this location once before, and left not paricularly impressed at all. Unfortunately, this time was a similar experience (the journey only 'saved' by the great spumoni). For those not familiar with this place, they're known for their square pizza, which is of the cheese on the bottom variety. The crust was crunchy and buttery, the cheese barely noticable, and the sauce on top piping hot! I really don't have much to say about the pizza here, except that it's unique... almost like a crunchy foccacia(?) with a lot of sauce on it. Regardless, i'm afraid to say it's not worthy of being a "destination pizza place." Although the place has A LOT of character and would be best enjoyed on a spring/summer/fall evening when one could eat and people watch at the picnic tables out front, I don't think i'll be returning to for the food. If i was in the area i MIGHT stop by again, but i'll reserve this place for a fun and inexpensive child's birthday party served at a picnic table out front where the kids could be as noisy and messy as they want. I've heard many people say this is the best square slice they've had, but these comments come from those that haven't been there in many years, so i'm thinking it used to be better in the "old days."

This stop was not a total loss, as the Spumoni is EXCELLENT. My friend wasn't going to have any for dessert, but i twisted his arm and he agreed it was sublime. We both had chocolate, it was bursting with flavor, and the finely ground nuts mixed in were like little surprises and provided a nice texture. If you like spumoni (i never knew i liked it until i tried it here) then this is a MUST visit.

Sac's Pizza - this is my wife's favorite pizza shop, and i believe her only regret in marrying me (so far) is that she no longer lives across the street from this place! The 'regular' slice here is pretty good in it's own right, but i think their square is at the top of the heap. Their square slice is not cruchy at all (except for the edges) and it's flavorful but "doughy". The best way i can explain it is that you could just about fold this square slice in half (as you would a triangle slice) without cracking/splitting the bottom of the crust. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but expect a little bit more of a bread-like crust than something particularly crunchy. The sauce, drizzled onto the pie rather than spread, has good flavor and is sweet, but the cheese is what makes this slice noteworthy. They use a variety of cheeses which results in a cross between a pie with high quality pizza mozzarella and a pie with 'fresh buffalo mozzarella.' I'm not quite sure how they do it, but the bottom line is they do it well. Although this was our last stop of the pizza tour and we were somewhat full at this point, we both managed to consume two slices apiece here! I hadn't been to this location since my wife and i moved in together, and i had forgotten just how good it is.

CONCLUSION: It was a close match for the best slice between DiFara's and Sac's, with L&B being a distant third, but my friend gave the slight edge to DiFara's. However, they are fairly different slices... i think that if you like a crunchy, buttery, crust not overflowing with cheese, then DiFara's is the slice for you; but if you like more of a bready crust, not too buttery, with a lot of cheese coming thru in each bite, you might favor Sac's. Either way, i think they're both slices that are worthy of making a short trip out of your way for, and certainly each is MUCH better than the local neighborhood place. Incidentally, each is within 2 blocks of their closest subway stations, so easy to get to each if you don't have a car (or don't want to drive in NY).