DiFara Pizza

[Fat Guy]

The old saying, "You can't fight City Hall," comes to mind here. I mean, I love Di Fara's and couldn't care less about hats, gloves or a few droppings. But really, what is Dom thinking? That he can just keep ignoring failed health inspections and continue to operate? It's sad that this old-world attitude is going to keep him from operating a business in the new world. Nobody benefits from that. It's not like the government cares if Di Fara's disappears. The loss will be the public's, and his. Suck it up and put on a hat, clean the place up and go back to work. Sheesh.

[deepyarn]

The whole glove thing does not really make sense for a pizza maker. I mean the the pie is going into a 500+ degree oven. This sterilizes the pie I would think.

[Fat Guy]

It makes no sense whatsoever. Gloves get just as dirty as hands. But that's not the point. What are you going to do, start a revolution? If the DOH is breathing down your neck saying put gloves on, just put the damn gloves on. You can't win by refusing -- that just puts you out of business.

[weinoo]

It makes no sense whatsoever. Gloves get just as dirty as hands. But that's not the point. What are you going to do, start a revolution? If the DOH is breathing down your neck saying put gloves on, just put the damn gloves on. You can't win by refusing -- that just puts you out of business.

←

Sometimes a revolution is needed (e.g. the Szechuan peppercorn uprising!). But. is it a question of wearing gloves when the pizza is being formed prior to baking, or is it a question of putting on gloves to snip the basil after the pizza has been baked?

And how many points can the gloves be worth? If he does everything else required except the glove thing, will he pass?

[Fat Guy]

Di Fara's is way past the stage where it's possible to play that game. Once you've failed several inspections, in order to reopen you have to operate under the equivalent of a consent decree or probation. You have to agree to do a list of things, and if you don't do them you get shut down again. In order to get past that, you have to suck it up and do absolutely every stupid thing the DOH tells you to, no questions asked. If you fight it, you're out of business. It hardly seems worth it.

[phaelon56]

In my area even many laymen (i.e. non food biz folks) know the NY State glove law because Onondaga County was the first part of the state to institute and enforce such a law rigidly. People can debate the validity of the practice endlessly but the fact remains that back in the 1980's this small county had 40% of the Hepatitis A cases reported in the state in a single year and enforcement of glove use for food service workers ended the problem. Think of that - a county with a population of about 500,000 or less had 40% of the cases in a state that had a population of roughly 19 million people.

It was officially classified as an outbreak, a "no hands" law was instituted and enforced for six months - at which point the number of reported cases had dropped off to normal levels. Within a few short months of the law expiring the outbreak came back with a vengeance. The law was re-instituted and made permanent on a county-wide basis. Once again the number of Hep A cases dropped back to normal levels.

Within a few short years the law became state-wide although enforcement outside of this county has often been lax until recently.

But here's the kicker - it does not apply to food that will be cooked after it has been handled. That's right - you can form the pizza, spread the cheese, tear the basil etc. all by hand provided that the dish is cooked after preparation. I don't know the specifics about temperature and cooking time etc. but that's the gist of it.

You can use tongs, scoops with handles etc. in place of gloves but bare hands may not touch food during preparation if there will be no additional cooking before it's served.

NY State Health Department states:

State law does not require gloves to be worn, but does require that ready-to-eat food be prepared and served without bare hand contact. Wearing disposable sanitary gloves is one of several acceptable ways to comply with this law.

Here's the full FAQ on Hand Washing and Glove use for Food Service Workers

Here's a comment that I find very interesting because when I tended bar and wore gloves (to squeeze fruit into drinks etc. people often insisted that handling money with the gloves on totally eliminated any safety factor and spread as many germs as using bare hands on the food would:

Food outbreak investigations have not identified the handling of money as a cause of illness. But it is a good idea to change your gloves and wash your hands between touching money and preparing food. Many patrons complain to the local health department if they see food workers using the same gloves to prepare food and handle money.

If you see a bartender anywhere in NY state leave the ice scoop in the ice bin when they aren't using it - even if the handle is sticking out above the ice - they're in violation. And if they squeeze that lemon into your drink or drop a maraschino cherry in - you got it right again - they're in violation. Needless to say - enforcement is lax and wildly inconsistent.

In the case of the DiFara's shutdown there must be some factors than touching basil with bare hands before it goes on a pie - unless he's putting it on after it's cooked and just prior to serving.

[slkinsey]

Interesting stuff, Owen. Taking this information into consideration, the gloves issue for Dom DeMarco is that he a) removes the pizza from the oven using his bare hands and b) garnishes the pizza afterwards (with basil, etc.) using his bare hands. This is, of course, not the only issue the DOH has with the way things are being done at DiFara.

Part of the problem, I have to believe, is that Dom seems to be someone who has a bit of a stubborn streak and "won't be told" anything about his pizzeria (he doesn't let his own children make pizza and refused to visit their now-failed Manhattan pizzeria, for goodness' sake!). Unfortunately for him, as Steven points out, he's got no choices now other than slavishly obeying the DOH's every little whim or closing his doors. There's no playing games at this point.

One thing I have to admit I hadn't considered about wearing gloves is the spread of human-carried illness through contact with food. I've always thought of gloves as a way of (supposedly) ensuring that the cook's hands were clean to prevent the spread of bacteria from touching contaminated surfaces. Of course, gloves are actually not very effective at this, and may even increase the spread of contamination if workers are not diligent about changing them frequently. In general, I believe that washed hands are better because the worker should be more aware of when his hands are dirty. However, no amount of hand washing will prevent the spread of Hepatitis A.

[phaelon56]

Interesting stuff, Owen.  Taking this information into consideration, the gloves issue for Dom DeMarco is that he a) removes the pizza from the oven using his bare hands and b) garnishes the pizza afterwards (with basil, etc.) using his bare hands.  This is, of course, not the only issue the DOH has with the way things are being done at DiFara. 

If those are his practices it's no wonder they shut him down if he refused to comply.

One thing I have to admit I hadn't considered about wearing gloves is the spread of human-carried illness through contact with food.  I've always thought of gloves as a way of (supposedly) ensuring that the cook's hands were clean to prevent the spread of bacteria from touching contaminated surfaces.  Of course, gloves are actually not very effective at this, and may even increase the spread of contamination if workers are not diligent about changing them frequently.

You're absolutely right - and that's why there are so many dictum in the law about when gloves need to be changed. The sad reality is that many places adhere to the law just enough to not get cited or shut down but don't adopt the practices as they are really meant to be followed.

In general, I believe that washed hands are better because the worker should be more aware of when his hands are dirty. However, no amount of hand washing will prevent the spread of Hepatitis A.

Correct again. The Hep A outbreaks that occurred here in the late 80's and early 90's were always traced back to fast food workers who transmitted it. As soon as the gloves came on.... Hep A went away.

[weinoo]

Well, let's just hope they're not looking at bartenders, because practically every place I've been in would have to be shut down!!

Anyone know of any bartenders that wear gloves?

[Fat Guy]

Hepatitis A isn't spread through the skin. It's spread through feces. A worker who properly sanitizes his or her hands after using the bathroom has no greater chance of spreaing Hepatitis A than one who puts on a new pair of gloves after using the bathroom. Likewise, a worker who keeps the gloves on while using the bathroom is just as likely to spread Hepatitis A as one who uses the bathroom and doesn't wash his or her hands. If there's a benefit to gloves, surely it accrues because most workers don't wash their hands well enough, and glove-wearing is easier to enforce.

[phaelon56]

Hepatitis A isn't spread through the skin. It's spread through feces. A worker who properly sanitizes his or her hands after using the bathroom has no greater chance of spreaing Hepatitis A than one who puts on a new pair of gloves after using the bathroom. Likewise, a worker who keeps the gloves on while using the bathroom is just as likely to spread Hepatitis A as one who uses the bathroom and doesn't wash his or her hands. If there's a benefit to gloves, surely it accrues because most workers don't wash their hands well enough, and glove-wearing is easier to enforce.

←

Bingo. The outbreaks in Syracuse were traced not just to fast food workers but to those who had not properly washed their hands after bathroom use and were then handling food without gloves.

When the crisis occurred here the second time there was a mass mandatory meeting and educational session held by the County Health Department. It was held in a local arena that seats 8,000 - those that did not attend the first meeting or the make-up session that was held a week later had their license to serve food pulled for thirty days. This was serious stuff.

At that time Syracuse's non-English speaking immigrant population was extremely small (it still is although it has grown). The fast food workers who were pinpointed as the primary sources were relatively uneducated folks who simply didn't realize the implications of their actions. And although the glover law could be better enforced or more correctly implemented than it is - in this town it actually worked.

Around here the typical restaurant employee does put on new gloves after a bathroom visit. They may break lots of other rules but I have to think that one is being observed because Hep A outbreaks have not occurred here since the law became enforced and education on the issue was promulgated - way back around 1992.

The irony about DiFara's (granted - I'm sure this wasn't the only violation) is easy to see if one looks back at the picture up-thread. He's putting fresh basil onto a pizza after it's cooked but he's holding the bunch of leavers and snipping them. How tough would it be to put a glove on the hand that holds the basil? I admit that it might be awkward to tear fresh basil with a plastic glove on but he's cutting it with shears! At first glance it almost appeared that he was wearing a glove in the picture but on closer examination I think it's just flour on his arm.

[oakapple]

Let's not forget that hand contact with food is merely one of many violations that pushed DiFara over the edge.

[wannabechef]

First let me say I love Di Faras and Dom - but for anyone who has been in there, it should not be a surprise that it's been shut down. The place was (I haven't been in a year or two) a disaster- garbage everywhere, cheese sitting out unrefridgerated, etc - and thats just the FRONT of the store. That said, I still devoured the pizza

[wesza]

Many posters are missing the point! Sometimes it's not a matter of "GIVING IN" because you can't fight city hall. That's "BS" !!!!

DiFara deserves to be treated as a special unique situation, being a artisan, Craftsman, Cheesemaker, Herb Grower and after so many years has exemplary record of no customers acquiring food poisoning etc. Tradition is established, plus he is the quintessential Pizza maker in the world in my opinion. Lets stop pretending the real worlds standard for Pizza is NYC, New Haven and Phoenix Arizona in 2007 not Naples or anywhere else. Nobody eats more pizza then Americans for well over 50 years, adopting the best of everything. I never enjoyed Pizza in Rome, Sicily or Naples better made then at home in the USA.

Wearing Gloves is a good example. Any place slicing or carving meats generally has carvers holding the knife in a hand without a glove, the other hand almost never wears a plastic glove, most often it will be a cotton or mesh glove for safety and it doesn't melt. Bakers rarely wear gloves during production, fortunately their hours of work don't meet civil servants criteria. Bartenders would start spilling, dropping and breaking things wearing gloves. Butchers wear specially made gloves for safety, and preventing slippage including USDA Inspectors. None of these hand covering are acceptable to NYC Health Department.

Remember when all waitress were required to wear hairnets. How often do you see workers at Food Carts or Barbecue places wearing gloves ? Try cooking with a wok wearing gloves or omelet, egg chefs with multiple fry pans going at one time wearing gloves.? Grill or Broiler Cooks at any volume business can't keep moving fast or safely wearing gloves. The list goes on but if they tried tossing a pizza or making strudel with gloves on it would become a mess.

Again why always put the blame on the establishments, in rental properties this is generally under statue the landlords responsibility in most instances in NYC. Again consider how crazy high mosts rents are in 2007. Many properties all over NYC are well over 100 + years old, poorly maintained, just milked like cash cows.

I'm aware of buildings where the monthly rental income far exceeds the original full purchase price of the property.

It won't be long before all menu's will need to be sanitized since they may be the dirtiest items provided customers. It's become ridiculous that most United States Health Department criteria are based on regulations started over 75 years ago by 2 major Health Departments. NYC and LA with only minor changes mostly copied everywhere else.

Posters also seem to be pretending, or ignoring the blatant corruption going on for years internally and externally with almost every type of inspector in many cities.

Alter Egos, Gloating and power trips are results of inspectors with minimal training, experience feeling power they become to feel they are entitled.

I wish someone in NYC would find out how many places received as many inspections in as few months as DFara. It's suspicious that the rodents managed to become established so quickly almost overnight between such frequent inspections. I'm amazed that this situation has continued without any reporting being investigating the Health Departments methodology.

A perfect example is the Ecoli found in beef, generally hamburgers. This is totally the fault of the State and Federal Meat Inspectors who are generally being paid by fees charged Slaughterhouses they inspect. Ecoli can only come from a animal who is covered in any place with feces after being slaughtered during processing.

Every step of this processing must be inspected by certified inspectors before this meat is allowed to be processed it must be first stamped, quartered, graded in separate steps under supervision. Every inspector stamps his number on every carcass. They are responsible for making absolutely sure that every animal has no signs of contamination for all our protection. If and when they are doing their jobs there would never be problems.

Yet every time they screw up and someone gets Ecoli the blame shifts to the Restaurant or Market that sold the product. How can they know that the USDA Inspected certified meats is dangerous ? Wonder how many inspectors were arrested, fired or convicted ? I haven't learned about anything being done, have you?

We all live in Cities where they are 2nd generation dope dealers working the same spots forever with minor inconvenience, yet our enforcement authorities are moaning about how they are losing the war on drugs. If more eaters defended their rights to eat at a place that choose not to comply with supposedly well meaning regulations by putting up a sign informing the customers that they could be at risk eating there, how much would that effect business. I bet the lines would still be long a "Cheesesteak Joints or "Grilled Italian Sausage Stands" as well as DiFara's. At least the authorities would not be liable, but then when it's the suppliers fault, together with the USDA it seems that the Restaurants have to pay. Remember what happened with "Jack in the Box" after the first Ecoli scare.

Anyone else have any ideas before giving in to City Hall?

Edited June 8, 2007 by wesza (log)

[Pan]

Many posters are missing the point! Sometimes it's not a matter of "GIVING IN" because you can't fight city hall. That's "BS" !!!!

DiFara deserves to be treated as a special unique situation[...]

←

This seems to be your main point: DiFara deserves special treatment. I love DiFara, but I've noticed that the place is very dirty (the walls, the floor, etc.) and I've seen roaches in the dining area. As a matter of fact, the first time I ate there, I had to smash a roach before it got into the food. Do you think Dom's artisanality (is that a word?) should also give him a free pass on regulations on dirt and vermin?

[wesza]

Many posters are missing the point! Sometimes it's not a matter of "GIVING IN" because you can't fight city hall. That's "BS" !!!!

DiFara deserves to be treated as a special unique situation[...]

←

This seems to be your main point: DiFara deserves special treatment. I love DiFara, but I've noticed that the place is very dirty (the walls, the floor, etc.) and I've seen roaches in the dining area. As a matter of fact, the first time I ate there, I had to smash a roach before it got into the food. Do you think Dom's artisanality (is that a word?) should also give him a free pass on regulations on dirt and vermin?

←

Pan:

When were you last at DFara's? If it was allowed to open in April none of those things were applicable.

He was closed apparently due to mouse signs, flies and touching food with his hands. What buildings adjacent to the EL Subway stations are rodent, roach free?

When you were in Asia how many places was there no Roaches (none because they many species fly), flies are everywhere in Asia, NYC in the early summer, doors open , widows open, and flies visit. Consider it was not likely been able to deteriorate to the extent reported by inspectors in the time frame.

In reality the wearing of gloves when touching food may not be applicable in the code, since it has never been properly enforced because it would not be practical to monitor every place serving food. I doubt that it is being complied with anyplace but fast food operations and some Restaurant chains.

When they featured "Rocco" the restaurant on television the use of gloves was at best superficial. That was a NYC Restaurant permitted by the Health Department to show the world about dining in NYC. (DUH)

If "Rocco" or any of the food TV shows are given special treatment, why doesn't a very unique circumstances deserve being treated equally.

Why not allow DFara to place up a sign: All FOODS HANDMADE. We choose not to wear gloves or hats while cooking or during preparation. This or something similar would solve the problem.

If they at least make a attempt to trace the origins of rodent, insect infestation as is done in some other municipalities plus after a warning require the establishment to maintain a contract with a approved pest control service that provides sign off and inspections as required for fire control systems it would again resolve situations. As I said 75 + years ago things were very different.

AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO FEELS IT CAN BE RESOLVED ? WHY after so many years of operating his way, passing inspections is he suddenly being treated this way. All this has taken place in just a few months. AGAIN it's very unusual to see something like this happen suddenly, why not 5/10/15/20/25/30/35 years ago ?

Don't we all want him to be around as long as he is willing to work as hard as he does at his age, doing what he does better then anyone else/

Irwin

Edited June 9, 2007 by wesza (log)

[slkinsey]

From the DOH Website:

Inspection Date: 01/26/2005

Violation points: Not Available *

Violations were cited in the following significant area(s) and those requiring immediate action were addressed.

1.) Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained.

2.) Lighting inadequate. Fixture not shielded.

3.) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to vermin exist.

4.) Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.

5.) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

6.) Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.

7.) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility.

Inspection Date: 01/06/2006

Violation points: 34

Violations were cited in the following significant area(s) and those requiring immediate action were addressed.

1.) "Choking first aid" poster not posted."Alcohol and Pregnancy" Warning sign not posted. "Wash hands" sign not posted at hand wash facility. Resuscitation equipment: exhaled air resuscitation masks(adult & pediatric), latex gloves, sign not posted. Inspection report sign not posted.

2.) Accurate thermometer not provided in refrigerated or hot holding equipment.

3.) Toilet facility not maintained and provided with toilet paper, waste receptacle and self-closing door.

4.) Wiping cloths dirty or not stored in sanitizing solution.

5.) Personal cleanliness inadequate. Clean outer garments, effective hair restraint not worn.

6.) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

7.) Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment.

Inspection Date: 02/23/2006

Violation points: 38

Violations were cited in the following significant area(s) and those requiring immediate action were addressed.

1.) Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained.

2.) Lighting inadequate. Fixture not shielded.

3.) Toilet facility not maintained and provided with toilet paper, waste receptacle and self-closing door.

4.) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to vermin exist.

5.) Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

6.) Personal cleanliness inadequate. Clean outer garments, effective hair restraint not worn.

7.) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

8.) Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment.

Inspection Date: 04/18/2006

Violation points: 17

Violations were cited in the following significant area(s) and those requiring immediate action were addressed.

1.) Lighting inadequate. Fixture not shielded.

2.) Personal cleanliness inadequate. Clean outer garments, effective hair restraint not worn.

3.) Evidence of flying insects or live flying insects present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

Inspection Date: 03/15/2007

Violation points: 89

Violations were cited in the following significant area(s) and those requiring immediate action were addressed.

1.) Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained.

2.) Lighting inadequate. Fixture not shielded.

3.) Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.

4.) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to vermin exist.

5.) Personal cleanliness inadequate. Clean outer garments, effective hair restraint not worn.

6.) Hand washing facility not provided in or near food preparation area and toilet room. Hot and cold running water at adequate pressure not provided at facility. Soap and an acceptable hand-drying device not provided.

7.) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

8.) Cooked or prepared food is cross-contaminated.

9.) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.

Inspection Date: 03/23/2007

Violation points: 16

Violations were cited in the following significant area(s) and those requiring immediate action were addressed.

1.) Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained.

2.) Lighting inadequate. Fixture not shielded.

3.) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to vermin exist.

4.) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

Inspection Date: 03/29/2007

Violation points: 7

Violations were cited in the following significant area(s) and those requiring immediate action were addressed.

1.) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to vermin exist.

2.) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

Inspection Date: 05/30/2007

Current violation points: 77

Violations were cited in the following area(s) and those requiring immediate action were addressed.

1.) Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained.

2.) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to vermin exist.

3.) Administration other

4.) Food contact surface not properly washed, rinsed and sanitized after each use and following any activity when contamination may have occurred.

5.) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.

6.) Personal cleanliness inadequate. Clean outer garments, effective hair restraint not worn.

7.) Evidence of flying insects or live flying insects present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

8.) Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment.

9.) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.

10.) Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140°F to 70°F or less within 2 hours and from 70°F to 45°F or less within 4 additional hours.

[Pan]

Many posters are missing the point! Sometimes it's not a matter of "GIVING IN" because you can't fight city hall. That's "BS" !!!!

DiFara deserves to be treated as a special unique situation[...]

←

This seems to be your main point: DiFara deserves special treatment. I love DiFara, but I've noticed that the place is very dirty (the walls, the floor, etc.) and I've seen roaches in the dining area. As a matter of fact, the first time I ate there, I had to smash a roach before it got into the food. Do you think Dom's artisanality (is that a word?) should also give him a free pass on regulations on dirt and vermin?

←

Pan:

When were you last at DFara's?[...]

←

Truthfully, Irwin, it's been a while -- possibly as long as a year ago or more, mostly because of happenstance (the fact that my lunch hour at Brooklyn College is not long enough and then I'm not around at suppertime).

Are you saying that the whole place was cleaned and made relatively vermin-free more recently?

Yes, I have eaten at various places where there were roaches. I would certainly eat at DiFara's after it reopens, and would greatly look forward to it. But I can't see why you think it deserves special treatment on regulations about vermin and cleanliness. My feeling is that they should do whatever they need to do to take care of the problems and then reopen. Somehow, all the other pizzerie manage to stay open. What are they doing different? Do you mean to tell us that they're no different, only someone has it in for Dom? Isn't he giving them a lot of rope to hang him with, in that case? Dom and family, take care of the problems and reopen. Please. We need your pizza and calzoni. Whatever needs to be done, just do it.

[ajgnet]

From the DOH Website:

8.) Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment.

←

Hah, I'd love to see Dom not use his hands ...

Is there any update as to when DiFara's is slated to open? I really miss the calzones.

[Steve R.]

From the DOH Website:

8.) Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment.

←

Hah, I'd love to see Dom not use his hands ...

Is there any update as to when DiFara's is slated to open? I really miss the calzones.

←

Dont tell anyone, but he's been open for a couple of weeks now. I've already been twice and the crowd hasnt come back yet.

[cinghiale]

As much as I like the cheese Dom uses, I couldn't imagine asking for extra cheese there.

The quantity of cheese is what turns me off about DiFara's pizza. There's so much cheese and oil on the pie that, while it's all top-quality stuff, it turns into a soup (well, fondue). It's okay if you're only eating one slice, but by the time you get to a second, the crust has turned into a soggy mess.

←

I could not agree more. This is a pizza whose whole is markedly less than the sum of its parts.

Shot down from Fort Greene yesterday (Sunday) at 1:30, finding the place not seriously busy. Put in my pie order and watched with frustration as Dominic slowly and inefficiently made the four or so pies ahead of mine (in between kibbitzing and ringing out customers). He's clearly not up to the task of running what should essentially be a quick turnaround operation. After 40 minutes, his assistant reminded him for the second time to prepare my pie (take out orders are each written on a pizza box and then stacked on the counter), so I cancelled it and got two slices instead -- a regular and a square.

What are New Yorkers smoking? This pie is not worth going out of one's way for. The ingredients used are certainly well made and tasty. But the end result of the regular slice is so soupy that it's placed on tin foil before reheating in the oven in order to catch the run-off. The thin crust is simply too thin and has no snap or char. And the product becomes significantly less tasty within moments of leaving the oven.

I regularly detour for Pepe's or Modern in New Haven. THOSE incomparable pies are always worth the effort to obtain, and they travel well. Also, the New Haven prices are comparable to DiFara's -- but you also get so much more pie for the money. Here in Philly as well, there are several slices that outperform DiFara.

[slkinsey]

For people who subscribe to a topping-centric view of pizza appreciation, for whom the crust is mostly a vehicle for plentiful toppings, and who prefer pizza in what I might call the "pizza parlor" style, Di Fara is justly considered the pinnacle of the craft --largely for the high quality of toppings used. I think of it, with absolutely no offense intended, as the top end of a style of pizza that has Domino's down at the other end of the quality scale. This is the style of pizza with which most Americans are most familiar, so it's no surprise that Di Fara is so popular.

Like yourself, that style doesn't excite me enough to go all the way out to BFE for a slice. But I'd probably go there every so often if I found myself in the neighborhood with any frequency.

[Steve R.]

As much as I like the cheese Dom uses, I couldn't imagine asking for extra cheese there.

The quantity of cheese is what turns me off about DiFara's pizza. There's so much cheese and oil on the pie that, while it's all top-quality stuff, it turns into a soup (well, fondue). It's okay if you're only eating one slice, but by the time you get to a second, the crust has turned into a soggy mess.

←

I could not agree more. This is a pizza whose whole is markedly less than the sum of its parts.

Shot down from Fort Greene yesterday (Sunday) at 1:30, finding the place not seriously busy. Put in my pie order and watched with frustration as Dominic slowly and inefficiently made the four or so pies ahead of mine (in between kibbitzing and ringing out customers). He's clearly not up to the task of running what should essentially be a quick turnaround operation. After 40 minutes, his assistant reminded him for the second time to prepare my pie (take out orders are each written on a pizza box and then stacked on the counter), so I cancelled it and got two slices instead -- a regular and a square.

What are New Yorkers smoking? This pie is not worth going out of one's way for. The ingredients used are certainly well made and tasty. But the end result of the regular slice is so soupy that it's placed on tin foil before reheating in the oven in order to catch the run-off. The thin crust is simply too thin and has no snap or char. And the product becomes significantly less tasty within moments of leaving the oven.

I regularly detour for Pepe's or Modern in New Haven. THOSE incomparable pies are always worth the effort to obtain, and they travel well. Also, the New Haven prices are comparable to DiFara's -- but you also get so much more pie for the money. Here in Philly as well, there are several slices that outperform DiFara.

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The older Dom gets, the more inconsistant he gets. And he refuses to let his son or daughter help with the pies, except to bring him the ingredients and grate some cheese, so I don't expect it to get any more consistant either. At least he has the sense to now close on Mondays... up until this summer he was open 364 days/year, with him making every pie.

Bottom line (no consolation to you I'm sure): I've had slices like you describe... they're not the superb product we rave about. Luckily, in the 40+ years I've been going there (lately averaging about once/month), what you describe is still the exception by far. The first time I got a slice that was roughly 1/2 the size of a normal slice, limp and oily as hell, I just looked at it and laughed. As with most of the regular customers, we live for those days... it's what keeps thousands more away and gives us a chance to eat there, knowing what we'll get at other times, without 3 hour waits. Sorry.

[mukki]

I visted Di Fara's for the first time last week (I was in the area to also try the baklava at Gulluoglu) and thought the pizza very tasty, though I wouldn't make a special trip to Brooklyn for it again. I also noticed that he left someone's slice in the oven too long and served it with an almost completely blackened crust, which would have bugged the hell out of me. I hadn't read this thread before I went, so I didn't know about the DOH problems, but was a little bit turned off by the flies on the wall. It was sleeting outside, so it wasn't like those flies had just flown through the door on a hot summer's day.

[ajgnet]

I wrote something this past weekend on Di Fara and thought I would post it here, since it remains my favorite pizza in New York.

For the review with pictures, you can go here.

Di Fara Pizza

1424 Avenue J,Brooklyn, NY

New Yorkers take their pizza seriously. Perhaps that’s because of New York’s Italian roots, considering 30% of Italy immigrated to New York at the turn of the 20th century. The majority of these immigrants emigrated from the south, from areas such as Naples and Sicily, carrying with them recipes, traditions, and skill to turn mere flour and water into one of the most delicious foods ever created. It is no coincidence, then, that New York has been labeled by many as the pizza capital of the world. But is it really?

Truth be told, a visitor to America’s pizza home may not feel the same way. While great pizza in this city can be found, the majority of pizzerias serve mass-produced pies lacking any sort of character or flavor. With the viral growth of chains like Sbarro, Famiglia, and “CPK,” most of the city’s great pizza has moved from an Italian artisan craft to the product of a big city assembly line. A relatively mundane mix of ingredients, in theory, pizza should be simple. But simple ingredients lend to complex preparation intricacies that, if left to the wrong hands, can result in a pizza that tastes terrible. Let alone soulless. A lack of skill, care and quality ingredients can lead to soggy crust, excessively salty cheese, oily residue, and a frown. Great pizza is no easy task.

There is one place, though, in a far-away land called Brooklyn, that is a Neapolitan oasis in a desert of dry, dense, tasteless slices. Some might consider it a little out of the way, as it’s closest metro stop is Avenue J off the Q subway line, about 45 minutes from Times Square. The pizzaiolo Domenico DeMarco has owned Di Fara for forty years. For forty years he’s been the only one with his hands on the dough and those same hands, often bare, reaching into the hot pizza ovens. The place has been shut down on numerous occasions for health code violations. Zagat gives Di Fara the lowest rating in New York, an abysmal 4, for atmosphere and ambiance. Yet despite this, lines for pizza can wrap around the corner and into the night. If looking for “toppings” like pineapple and ham, or low-fat tofu with sustainable organic oregano and French comté, Di Fara is not the place. Here, there are no gimmicks. Mr. DeMarco is not bothered by the number of hungry people waiting in line for lunch. He stops to talk to locals, takes walks into the store room leaving the front counter unattended, and takes his time cutting fresh basil and pouring olive oil on every pie as he removes it from the oven. He absolutely loves what he does, and it shows.

Di Fara’s signature pizza is the square pie, often known around NYC as the “Sicilian” or the “grandma slice”. This pizza is heavy; not only from the crust, but from the cheese and sauce layered on top. It’s also New York-sized, meaning Italian onlookers might question why it’s double the size of what they’re used to. The crust is fairly spongy like a crisp, airy focaccia of about 3/4 of an inch thick. Thanks to the deep, heavy pan in which it is baked, the underside is always on the fine border of crispy brown and burnt black, with just a hint of charred flavor adding complexity to the flavor. Holding below the crust makes the excess flour sand off in a fine powder, conveniently absorbing excess oil that may have spilled overboard. His sauce tastes slightly of pork fat and ground bits of pancetta, a blend that contributes to a meaty tomato sauce with surprisingly little hint of smokiness. Molten islands pools of fresh mozzarella bubble on the smoking red sauce when the pie emerges from the oven. A bit of basil gets snipped on top, and the challenge begins — do you have the patience to wait to dig in, or will that first delicious mouthful be consolation for a newly-scorched tongue?

Health conscious onlookers might notice in horror that his pizzas are dribbled with olive oil not one, nor two, but three times. Once before the dough is set in. This causes the dough to act as a sponge in the oven, absorbing flavor while not sticking to the pan. The second time is just before placing the pizza in the oven. And the third time is just before service. This is not forgetfulness, but a relic from many years ago when pizza was created for flavor and not for California. Between the cheese and olive oil, this pizza packs just as much flavor as calories. And my, is it worth it.

The second pie is what you and I might know as the traditional pizza margarita, but here it’s known simply by it’s shape: the “round”. Otherwise known as the pizza barometer from which other pizzas can be compared, this pie has a much thinner crust and no pork in its sauce, but is just as delicious as it’s sibling, the square. The crust remains crispy and never gets soggy. It’s a lighter pizza by Di Fara standards, meaning a slice can be picked up with one hand without risk of collapse. The quality of the cheeses used becomes immediately apparent, because there is no orange oil leaked from baking any of them, as seen with cheese of low quality. The only visible oil on this pie is that of the Colavita and Philippo Berio oil chef DeMarco uses.

For this pie, DeMarco uses three types of mozzarella of different moisture contents. The first is called “La Bonita,” and comes from Caserta, Italy, near where the chef is from. The second is Fior di Latte, a bufala mozzarella submerged in water tubs. The last is regular mozzarella from the Grand Cheese Company. This mix of three cheeses of different salt contents adds to the complexity of the slice, mixing different varieties of salt and sweet.

What continues to amaze me is the way Chef DeMarco is able to crisp the crust — even blackening certain parts — without burning. Despite his jovial conversation with the line out the door, or his long, delayed trips into the back to bring forward more cheese or flour, those pizzas are always taken out of the ovens at precisely the right time. Sometimes he even uses his bare hands! Scattered about on top of the sauce and cheese is freshly cut basil that Chef DeMarco cuts with plastic scissors seconds before serving.

But even though Di Fara offers New York’s finest slices, there is a more impressive, lesser-known option on the menu. My most memorable experience at Di Fara involves not the pizza for which it is so (rightfully) well-known, but for a crescent shaped stuffed pillow of cheesy goodness, thoughts of which make me contemplate the quickest return possible. Di Fara’s calzone is what I believe to be the best item served there. It starts with pizza dough folded in half around an overflowing heap of fresh ricotta cheese. Overflowing in the sense that no matter how tightly he seems to seal this giant Italian dumpling, fresh ricotta always seems to find its way out. After folded he compacts the edges so as to form a tentative seal, locking in the moisture and flavor of the fresh cheese. Delicious.

Now comes the magic: he takes scissors and clips small half-inch dimples in the sealed region around the crust, which result into this perfect texture when combined with the moisture from the ricotta. This saw-tooth patterns creates a texture very similar to that small sweet spot of a pizza in-between the crispy crust and moist slice, and it’s everywhere. Lightly seasoned with fresh basil and olive oil, the dominant flavor here is fresh ricotta and perfectly baked dough. It is absolutely delicious, and well worth the hour wait, as each calzone is baked to order.

While waiting in line amongst Brooklyn locals and tourists trekking an outer-borough culinary adventure, diners’ certainly get hungry and may even briefly question the merits of waiting two hours for pizza. The crowd waiting on line can at times be pushy and direct; after all, this is New York. But the scent of fresh pizza can be pretty convincing, and somehow makes waiting not so bad. Di Fara is edible proof that fine dining needs no minimum budget or Michelin stars, since the cost of a pie or Calzone is a steal for $15. This is the freshest and best tasting pizza outside of Napoli, and anyone in New York for more than a few days would be missing out on something truly special if they didn’t make make a lunch-time trip to Brooklyn and say hello to Domenico DeMarco.