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NYC Pizza Survey


slkinsey

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Bummer, Mark...student bribes down this year? :wink:

Just for the record, I am willing to spend the $$ because I don't go out that often. I do think I would feel incredibly guilty about overtaking someone's establishment, though. What do you think, slkinsey, is Franny's doable or should we move on to somewhere bigger?

To hell with poverty! We'll get drunk on cheap wine - Gang of Four

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Jen, I don't think there's any reason we should feel guilty about "taking over the establishment," if they arrange that with us. It's their call, and if they agree to that, shouldn't we assume it was a business decision on their part?

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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In order for Franny's to be doable for an NY Pizza Survey-sized group, I would have to negotiate something special with the owners. One assumes they wouldn't agree to accomodate us if they weren't comfortable with it -- and that would be fine, as they really aren't set up to handle larger groups.

--

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Jen, I don't think there's any reason we should feel guilty about "taking over the establishment," if they arrange that with us. It's their call, and if they agree to that, shouldn't we assume it was a business decision on their part?

In order for Franny's to be doable for an NY Pizza Survey-sized group, I would have to negotiate something special with the owners.  One assumes they wouldn't agree to accomodate us if they weren't comfortable with it -- and that would be fine, as they really aren't set up to handle larger groups.

I'm sorry if that came out sounding over-dramatic but I'm just naturally petrified of inconveniencing people, which is what it has sounded like we would do. In order to allay my fears if possible I went to their web site and looked at the photo gallery (wish I could say that I went). They certainly seem big enough for us, especially considering we'd probably be reduced in group size on account of cost, etc. They'd probably even have a couple of tables left over.

Gosh, we're such nice people, I think they'd really enjoy having us. Especially seeing as how we're all in agreement over the importance of ingredients and technique. Is it really going to be such a big deal?

If it is, we could just wait until they open the garden for regular service, which is what I've read they plan to do in the future. There, everybody happy :smile:

To hell with poverty! We'll get drunk on cheap wine - Gang of Four

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  • 4 weeks later...

Jen makes a good point about the garden. So in light of the cold weather we're having, perhaps we should wait until Spring to go to Franny's (though I'd go any time, schedule allowing). But perhaps we should consider an indoor place. I haven't been to Li'l Frankie's in some time, and I remember liking a pizza made with mozzarella di bufala very much, plus they had great salad. But I'll consider any place someone wants to recommend except Fairway (which I won't go to for personal reasons - though that shouldn't stop the rest of you). Shall we pick a preferred location? There were some interesting suggestions on the first page or two of the thread. Does anyone want to include non-Italian-style pizza/pitza?

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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Hi all. I'd be interested in going to the next place if you're accepting anybody else.

Franny's sounds good. I took a look at their website. The dining room looks like it has 8-10 tables along one wall that each seat 2 for 16-20 people total with room for about 6-8 on the other side. I couldn't find much on L'il Frankies though I'd be up for it.

I think you've gone to Patsy's already but another interesting place is Angelo's Coal Oven pizza on 117 W. 57th St. (bet. 6th & 7th Aves.) Tel: (212) 333-4333 They can fit large groups.

Edited by DanaT (log)
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I couldn't find much on L'il Frankies though I'd be up for it.

Granted that Menupages.com doesn't always cover restaurants fully, completely accurately, or in a totally updated way, but it can at least give you some idea of what the menu and prices are like. Here's Li'l Frankie's menupages.com page.

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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I was very impressed by Peperoncino, on 5th avenue and St. Marks place in Park Slope. Just tried it the other day. One of the city's very best wood oven / fresh mutz pizzas. Extraordinary.

Josh

Mr-Cutlets.com: your source for advice, excerpts, Cutlets news, and links to buy Meat Me in Manhattan: A Carnivore's Guide to New York!
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I couldn't find much on L'il Frankies though I'd be up for it.

Granted that Menupages.com doesn't always cover restaurants fully, completely accurately, or in a totally updated way, but it can at least give you some idea of what the menu and prices are like. Here's Li'l Frankie's menupages.com page.

Pan, the pizzas Neapolitano and Romana look delicious and right within my budget. :biggrin: After all the luscious talk about pizzas with seafood toppings at restaurants the group has previously gone to, though I was really looking forward to trying a seafood pizza.

I've never tried one. :huh: Lobster salad pizza. :wub:

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Pan, the pizzas Neapolitano and Romana look delicious and right within my budget. :biggrin: After all the luscious talk about pizzas with seafood toppings at restaurants the group has previously gone to, though I was really looking forward to trying a seafood pizza.

I've never tried one.  :huh: Lobster salad pizza.  :wub:

That doesn't mean I'm not up for L'il Frankies. :biggrin: Or even Forninos by the look of the Fornino thread here.

Maybe most people aren't into pizza during the holidays? :unsure:

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is it not true that to qualify for a bona fide pizza "joint" is to have a honest-to-goodness coal-fired brick oven or a wood-fired brick oven??

secondly, if true, then is not Lombardi's the only one left in Manhattan?

apologize if this is been discussed ad infinitum...

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No. Both Patsy's (Harlem) and Arturo's (Greenwich Village) have coal fired ovens.

Jason Perlow, Co-Founder eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters

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is it not true that to qualify for a bona fide pizza "joint" is to have a honest-to-goodness coal-fired brick oven or a wood-fired brick oven??

No. DiFara's has a gas oven, and it's a great pizzeria.

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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I was very impressed by Peperoncino, on 5th avenue and St. Marks place in Park Slope.  Just tried it the other day.  One of the city's very best wood oven / fresh mutz pizzas.  Extraordinary.

Josh

Thanks for the report, Josh. What would you estimate in terms of their capacity?

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I went to Fornino in Williamsburg this weekend. Might this be a contender for the survey? I don't think it'd get best of NYC but it's very tasty pizza and it would be interesting to start comparing the smaller, more artisanal pies with the group.

I agree with bpearis that there could be more oven spring but I loved the crunchy / chewy texture of the dough. You all should know you have me trained – there I was, sitting by myself, feelilng like an idiot as I flipped a slice up to check for char. There wasn't a ton of it but I found it interesting that spots of it appeared in regular spots - something about the texture of the dough, I'm sure. Is this not intriguing? I really wanted to say that I am normally a "spice in my sauce" kinda girl and there were NO complaints from me when I'd taken the last of the mozz off with my teeth and had to eat just sauce and crust.

The space is lovely and on my way to do the bathroom check (nice) I noticed they have a whole back room. Well, a heated tent. But even though I'm no expert at counting seats I'd say there's definitely enough room for eGullet without a problem. I didn't ask about reservations but the owner seemed really nice and I'm sure he'd be happy to have us. Next time I go, though, I'm going to be sure to sit facing the back of the room, so I can watch that coal fire burning. I have the menu – any questions?

To hell with poverty! We'll get drunk on cheap wine - Gang of Four

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You all should know you have me trained – there I was, sitting by myself, feelilng like an idiot as I flipped a slice up to check for char.  There wasn't a ton of it but I found it interesting that spots of it appeared in regular spots - something about the texture of the dough, I'm sure.  Is this not intriguing?

Heh heh. Nice work. The char check is indeed crucial. :biggrin:

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  • 2 months later...

There was a nice mention of the NYC pizza survey in Newsday today:

"Probably the biggest and most comprehensively detailed pizza quest is the ongoing "NYC Pizza Survey" at egullet. com, organized by the New York site director, Sam Kinsey. A bel canto opera singer with much experience eating pizza in Italy, Kinsey is obsessed with the Neapolitan-style pizza, in which thin pies are cooked in a hot wood- or coal-fired oven in three minutes or less. "What we're really interested in is, what is the crust like?" he said."

More . . .

http://www.newsday.com/features/food/nyc-p...-homepage-promo

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)

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As the snows drift away and Spring comes, it would be a good time to revive the Survey. Shall we discuss where to go next? I think it's time for one of the new upscale joints that some participants in this thread have already gone to and other haven't, such as Franny's and Una Pizza Napoletana, but there are a lot of possibilities. Shall we shoot for early-mid April?

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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As the snows drift away and Spring comes, it would be a good time to revive the Survey. Shall we discuss where to go next? I think it's time for one of the new upscale joints that some participants in this thread have already gone to and other haven't, such as Franny's and Una Pizza Napoletana, but there are a lot of possibilities. Shall we shoot for early-mid April?

Sounds good to me, Pan. My vote goes to Franny's. They are definitely tops on my list of places that I still need to try. I've also heard good things about Fornino, which I have not tried either. Of course, I'd be open to other suggestions also. Come to think of it, I haven't had pizza in a while. Tragedy :sad:

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Nice article, Josh.

I tried Massa’s Coal Oven Pizza in Huntington Station last weekend. I’ll report back when I can try it fresh out of the oven but based on the takeout version I had it’s extremely promising. Certainly the best in the Huntington area, eclipsing my beloved Little Vincent’s.

Sometimes When You Are Right, You Can Still Be Wrong. ~De La Vega

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