Reviewing NYC Pizza

[kayb]

1 hour ago, BeeZee said:

Since I grew up in NY and now live 5 minutes from Papa's in NJ (it is no longer in Trenton) I can confirm that it is a tasty tomato pie. But not a NY style pizza.

Talking about pizza with NYers is like talking about BBQ with Southerners. Don't get us started.

 

I'll take your word for it. It was introduced to me as NYC style. Where has Papa's absconded to?

 

To tell you the truth, I don't know that I ever had pizza in NY. (Though I can testify to the pastrami sandwich at Stage Deli.}

[bos]

I how forgot .. artichoke pizza .. also good 😋

[weinoo]

The NY Times ran a pretty fun article recently, entitled How the Slice Joint Made Pizza the Perfect New York City Food.

 

Obviously, there are many more slice places than there are sit-down pizza places, but some of the best pizza available in NYC these days is offered only by the full pie, and you'll need to sit down for that. But the slice place was, and remains, a classic NY City joint. 

 

Quote

pizza — specifically the reheated, foldable, portable slice — is one of the city’s great uniters. There is no culinary experience that New Yorkers share more widely and more unanimously than the slice joint. Like catching a sunset over the skyline or stepping in an icy curbside puddle, the slice joint has, since its beginnings more than 50 years ago, become common currency.

 

[Pan]

Wait, only "more than 50 years ago"? I'm 54, and I had the impression that the foldable pizza slice had existed in New York forever when I was a little kid. Doesn't it go back to some time in the 20s or 30s or something?

[weinoo]

Staff note: This post about Neapolitan-style pizza in NYC has been moved from the "Cooking with Myhrvold and Migoya's Modernist Pizza" topic, to maintain focus.

 

On 1/4/2023 at 2:12 AM, Chris Hennes said:

Then I topped that with a Modernist Bechamel (a.k.a. thickened milk), steamed baby spinach, ricotta, garlic confit, and a TON of pizza cheese (3-4x what I'd normally use on a pizza this size).

 

 

This a current review of a new Neapolitan pizza place which just opened in Greenwich Village.  It's a spinoff of DaMichele in Naples.  Posting it here because I thought what you said above is related and interesting.

 

This New Branch of a Historic Pizzeria Is as Good as Naples if You Keep It Simple

 

Quote

Indeed, the true pie of Naples is an exercise in perfectly textured plainness, a pleasure to eat precisely because it tastes wholesome without challenging with sharp flavors. Also, American pizzaioli often can’t help offering a few additional toppings that Americans expect, like pepperoni (rarely seen in Italy) or superfluous extra cheeses to ramp up the richness.

 

This gives you another place to try next time you head east, @Chris Hennes

[Chris Hennes]

15 hours ago, weinoo said:

it tastes wholesome

I'm not sure what that means, but I'm not sure I want to know... Have you eaten there? Do you agree with the Eater piece's assessment?

[weinoo]

7 hours ago, Chris Hennes said:

I'm not sure what that means, but I'm not sure I want to know... Have you eaten there? Do you agree with the Eater piece's assessment?

 

That was a quote from Sietsema, though it looks as if I said it!

 

Anyway, I have not yet been  - it just opened, and I don't get over to that neighborhood too often (but to try these, I think I'll have to get over there soon).  But I think what Sietsema is trying to say (?) is that a good Neapolitan pie (a marinara or a margherita being the iconic examples) is relatively healthy compared to, say, that deep dish monstrosity.

 

FWIW, I had this for lunch yesterday.  Not necessarily wholesome; only delicious...

 

 

Two fairly iconic NY slices, at Joe's on 14th Street.  Jug of crushed red pepper for your enjoyment if you so wish.

Edited January 5 by weinoo (log)

[scott123]

On 1/4/2023 at 7:35 AM, weinoo said:

This a current review of a new Neapolitan pizza place which just opened in Greenwich Village.  It's a spinoff of DaMichele in Naples.  Posting it here because I thought what you said above is related and interesting.

 

This New Branch of a Historic Pizzeria Is as Good as Naples if You Keep It Simple

 

I'm not too terribly optimistic   First, Sorbillo isn't featured in any of Julia Robert's movies, but, as far as legendary Neapolitan pizzerias go, it's legit, and Sorbillo couldn't cut it in NY. I can't say for sure why Sorbillo's pizza was so bad, but, out of all the potential culprits, a failure to compensate for NYC's varying water chemistry is at the top of my list.  Da Michele has that same obstacle. 

Da Michele's oven doesn't instill a lot of faith either.  Neapolitan gas pizza ovens have come a long way, but, scaling them up to the size Da Michele is working with is uncharted territory.  Historically, high output pizzerias, instead of going with huge ovens, they would just add multiple traditional sized ovens.  Don't get me wrong, the pizza in the photo looks like the real deal, but, there's a huge difference between making a pie for a reviewer you know is coming and churning out a few hundred pies a day.

Roberto Caporuscio (Keste, Don Antonio) lost his way when he started messing with whole wheat flour, and as much as Anthony Mangieri will boast about the old world authenticity of his pies, one look at them and it's obvious how much creative license he's taken- which many people do cartwheels over, but, as far as really great authentic Neapolitan pizza in NY goes, there is an opportunity. It would be phenomenal if Da Michele could fill those shoes.  After being hopeful about Sorbillo and getting burned, though... I am very much in a wait and see configuration, regardless of one impressive photo.

 

[weinoo]

4 hours ago, scott123 said:

I can't say for sure why Sorbillo's pizza was so bad

 

Oh Sorbillo wasn't that bad. Might not have been that authentic however.

 

 

 

There's plenty worse that are open!

[Chris Hennes]

9 hours ago, weinoo said:

healthy compared to, say, that deep dish monstrosity

Not exactly a high bar 😆I don't think deep dish is going to make it into my regular rotation!!