New York Style Pizza in Seattle area

[elswinger]

So Fish,

Did you give them a try?

[Placebo]

I tried out Via Tribuani a few days ago and I must say it's the first pizza in this city I've liked. It's still not quite to the standard of Grimaldi's, which is, to my mind, the perfect manifestation of the true nature of pizza. The crust was delicious and thin, though it got a little soggy in the center. The sauce is good and the mozzarella fresca tasty though not quite as rich as I'd like. I was a little dissappointed that the mushrooms on my funghi were simply buttons - I seem to be spoiled now with my constant supply of chanterelles. Overall I'd say the crust should be a hir thicker (still thin but just thick enough to stay a little more solid and crispy in the center) and the whole pie could stand to spend perhaps another minute or so in the oven. Maybe 2.

Stil-l, it is the only place I've been to in Seattle that has actually scratched the pizza itch for me, though I still need to get to tutta bella. All other pizza I've had has either been complete garbage (pagliaccis) or pizza-like creations that are tasty but fail to really satisfy a true pizza craving for this NY pizza snob (i.e. hot mama, toscana and il forno). I will definitely be back to Via Tribuana again - I must try their salami pizza.

[Deborah]

I tried out Via Tribuani a few days ago and I must say it's the first pizza in this city I've liked.

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Oh thanks for the review. Did you eat there or bring it home? We will try them maybe next week and post pictures now that they are up and running. Yes, everything I have tried here really just pales in comparision to what we had in NYC. BUT, I'm still looking for something close.

[bbqer]

Just read an article in today's New York Times about a popular Brooklyn pizza guy who has branched out to Phoenix of all places. Anyway, his secret to his famous pizza, admired by one and all including the late Frank Sinatra, has to do with his coal-fired pizza oven:

"Fifty years ago, 100 years ago, that's all they had in the city was coal ovens," Patsy says, proud to be handing on his retro-coal technique to Phoenix. By his account, the coal-brick approach produces far more heat (800 degrees plus) than gas, and thereby fierce-to-subtle hot spots of artistry to make the pie bubble, crisp and lightly char. "Far better flavor," Patsy assures....

This would seem to bear out Irwin's theory (and others posting here) that the oven needs to be hotter to make a better pie.

NYT Article

[halland]

I too just went to Via Tribuani. Its good, not great but good. The thing is, if you follow Peter Reinhart's instruction in American Pie you can make pizza that is just as good. Maybe not quite as much char, but still, equally good.

We had 4 pies: the margherita, a marinara with anchovies, the Tribunali, and a pepperoni. Many of the meats come from Salumi.

I think in time, Tribuani will get better, our service was not great, and their cannoli are terrible. Even more than a good pizza thread, Seattle needs a good cannoli thread. Its no wonder there aren't more cannoli -- us NWers only have access to soggy mealy cannoli, who would buy that?

[MsRamsey]

I had pizza at Via Tribunali on Friday night. My assessment would be more along the lines of Amir's. Perhaps a little too soggy in the middle, but that is the only complaint. We had the pizza with tomatos, mozz, and ricotta, and it was *incredible*. Not merely good, but great. The crust's smoky char and the great fruity olive oil taste along with the other ingredients was outstanding.

We split a piece of cake (Pastrie Napoletana?) that I didn't like at first bite because it was chalky, but the more we ate, the better it got. I know there's ricotta, nuts, and dried fruit (citron?) in this cake. The (Italian) waitress said it was very authentic. Take that for what it's worth.

[DrinkBoy]

I had pizza at Via Tribunali on Friday night.

...guess they must not be opened for lunch. I stopped in on Saturday but they weren't open, and didn't even have their name or hours listed anywhere... sigh...

[tsquare]

Funny thing, I was in a hurry to leave town Wednesday (for a 5 hour car ride to Vancouver, WA!) and stopped for a couple of slices at Zeek's (of all places) on Greenwood. It was mid-afternoon - not a great time for fresh pies. Got a slice of Sunshine and one of Spanish Steps (??) - they heated them and put each in a separate wedge box. Took them home and they were very good! Crust was thicker than I like, but almost buttery, crisp on the outside, soft inside. Toppings were plentiful but not heavy, sauce was very fresh - tomatoey good. Guess it is time to try a whole pie again one of these days - or maybe just be happy with a giant slice.

[Kyle_Larson]

Went to Via Tribunali last night....very impressive. I noticed a funny water filtration system hanging on the wall near the mixer and inquired. Apparently the water is run through this filtration system so it can closely resemble the mineral content of the water in Italy. Very impressive. And the pizza was good too.

[Deborah]

Well the plan was my husband was going to get pizza from Via Tribunali tonight on his way home from school BUT they don't do take out. So if someone else goes please post pictures.

[kiliki]

We ate at Via Tribunali last night. Deborah, the pizza is very close to "real" Italian, and I'm still not sure how this differs from NY style. It has a very basic fresh tasting sauce of crushed tomatos, a chewy yet thin crust, and is sprinkled with dabs of fresh mozzerella. It is not cut into slices-you cut it into bites yourself. It was quite tasty but I think there is some pyschological thing about eating foods one falls in love with elsewhere...ie to me, pizza just tastes better if I am in Italy.

I am not particularly fussy about the dining experience in general, but the whole experience at Via was kind of odd, and I'm not really dying to go back. First, there was no sign on the door, leading us to tentitively walk in and ask for a menu to see if we were in the right place. We wanted wine by the glass, which wasn't on the menu, so our server pulled a crumpled piece of paper out of her apron with the choices but not the prices. The menu was untranslated, which is fine when you are looking at pizza but more confusing when trying to figure out the dessert list (which contained items like ricotta cake with candied fruit. My Italian just isn't that good.) My green salad was oversalted (and I love salt). Wine comes in tumblers. Water comes in the same small tumblers, so you drink it in about three gulps. The music was loud for a restaurant (the volume more appropriate for a bar). So all of these things may sound somewhat trivial, but it added up to a not very relaxing or fun dining experience.

Edited December 5, 2004 by kiliki (log)

[Deborah]

We ate at Via Tribunali last night. Deborah, the pizza is very close to "real" Italian,  and I'm still not sure how this differs from NY style.

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You know I'm not sure of the differences, if any, either. If someone knows I'd appreciate it.

I'm not a fan of really loud places so I wonder if the dining experience is better on the weekdays. Wine in tumblers--ugh well at least it wasn't mason jars(never understood why anyone would serve a beverage in a jar)!

Your pizza does sound really good. I am looking forward to trying their pizza but since they don't do carry out it will have to wait for now.

Thanks for the review.

[elswinger]

I tried out the Hi-Life in Ballard for lunch on Saturday. It's in the old Ballard Firehouse space and run by Chow Foods, who also own The Atlas, Jitterbug, Coastall Kitchen, etc. The menu, for the most part, is identical to the rest of the chain except they have a wood-fired pizza oven, which is what I went for. I had a pretty decent Caesar Salad to start then ordered the Pepperoni Pizza ($8). Is was pretty good, very thin and crispy crust, similiar to Palomino but maybe not quite as good. I will definately try them again, but will either order the margharita or Con Fungi pizzas (they had five or six different pizzas on the lunch menu).

[DrinkBoy]

FINALLY was able to catch Via Tribunali when they were opened. This after at least 4+ attempts at various times and on various days. They STILL don't have their hours listed (or their name displayed, or even an "Open" sign), but they open at 5pm, and if I remember correctly they are closed Monday and Tuesday.

The Pizza was great, since I'm not an expert on any of the "authentic" varieties, I can't make any claims as to how close they actually get to the "Neapolitan" style they claim to represent, but I do know when things taste good, and they do. I also love their atmosphere, a lot better than Tutta Bella... and the fact that they have a full bar, with a great bartender, cranks my ranking of them way up!

-Robert

[elswinger]

OK Deborah, you have to try Pazzo's on East Lake. I've been there twice now, both times for lunch, and I have to say it's the best pizza in Seattle, and about as close to my childhood favorite pizza as I am ever likely to find. The crust is thin, but not too thin, and has a nice char to it (because it's cooked in a very hot wood-fired oven). The slices don't sag at the point when you pick them up, so they're perfect for folding.

The sauce is tomatoey with a nice amount of garlic and spices, and the mozerella cheese is white and gooey and stretches for miles! The toppings are really good too (the sausage has a nice bite at the back of the throat but doesn't burn the lips).

So far I have only ordered the lunch-special, two topping personal pizzas ($3.99 for a 6" pizza that really is closer to 8"). I think I will drag some friends there some night to try the 16"-er.

BTW-you can look at their menu (in PDF form) on The Stranger's website, but the prices for some things are about 5% more because of the cost of tomatoes going up about 500% (thank you Florida hurricanes).

[kiliki]

Okay, so if that is a good example of NY pizza than it is not like Via Tribunali or Italian pizza at all. There is wayyy more cheese on Pazzo's, and if the sauce is garlicky/spicy, that is also quite different that the very fresh tasting crushed tomato sauce of Italian pizza.

[elswinger]

I didn't say it was NY-Style, I just said it's the best pizza I've had since living in Seattle.

[elswinger]

Kiliki, I hope my previous message didn't come off as defensive, it wasn't meant that way. I agree that Pazzo's is not Neapolitan style as the crust is not paper thin, has more cheese, and are actual choices for toppings rather than a few preordained recipe pies. And since I am still not 100% sure what NY-Style is, all I can say is that Pazzo's reminds me of Luigi's Pizzaria in Lacey, WA circa 1968, which for me is the highest pinnacle of praise.

[mamster]

Wow, that Pazzo's pizza looks really good. I need to get down there.

[Deborah]

elswinger looks like you've been busy eating pizza! Hi-Life looks good but wow that pizza from Pazzo's looks FABULOUS! Thanks for the photos.

[Deborah]

elswinger looks like you've been busy eating pizza! Hi-Life looks good but wow that pizza from Pazzo's looks FABULOUS! I'll have to try it. I've had their calzones which are great but never their pizza. Thanks for the photos.

[Deborah]

Well I decided to send Peter Reinhart, author of American Pie, My Search for the Perfect Pizza, an email and asked if he could enlighten me on the difference between NY Style Pizza and Neopolitan. Thank you again Peter for responding to my inquiry and for your willingness to share your response.

Peter’s response:

"Hi Deborah,

I think of NY pizza as the kind you get at Ray's and all the pseudo-Rays--big slices, bready crust, lots of cheese and sauce--a meal in a slice. True Neapolitan, or Napoletana, is smaller, thin flopy crust, almost like ciabatta around the edges, not overly top heavy, and baked hot and fast. Neo-neapolitan, like Lombardi's and Totonno's is thin and crisp (but not cracker-like), charred on the edges, and irresistable when done right.

We make our own distinctions when we give them such names and others might identify these styles differently. The pizzeria on the University of Wash. campus, I forget the name, is NY Style (and not bad). There's a new place in town doing authentic, DOC (certified) Napoletana pizza (I just blanked on the name but I'm sure you can find it). Nobody that I know of is doing true Neo-Neapolitan style in Seattle. Let me know if you find one.

Hope this helps. Feel free to share this with others.

Best Regards,

Peter "

So based on Peter’s response the NY Style pizza I had in NYC was more the Neo-Neapolitan style. So this opens the door on my quest!

[elswinger]

I think Pazzo's may be close to Neo-neapolitan. The crust was thin (maybe 1/4") and crisp and did not sag (though I only had the personal sized, not a 16"=er which should be the standard to judge).

[elswinger]

I've been meaning to buy Peter's book. I heve been looking for a site online that talks about all the regional differences in pizza, not just NY vs. Chicago vs. California, but Naples ns. Sicily vs. Athens too. (And if any Nyers are listening, is there a difference between NY, NJ, and Connecticut pizza?)

[mamster]

True to my word, I had lunch today at Pazzo's. I had the Miguel, with pepperoni, red bell peppers, gorgonzola, and fresh basil. It was very nice -- the epitome of good American restaurant pizza, for lack of a better term. It's not what Reinhart calls neo-Neapolitan. My only complaint, really, is that the 10" pizza is too much for one and not enough for two, but I have a small appetite. I'd definitely go back.