PIZZA CLUB 2005!

[slkinsey]

[Anyway... getting away from that, did you guys notice any characteristic differences between NYC pizza and Philly pizza?

The most obvious difference was the absence of white pies in the Brooklyn places we visited.

Our local visits include basic red and white pies to taste the crust. cheeses, seasonings and red sauce without any influence from the extras.

That's odd. I'm not sure whether Di Fara offers a white pizza, but Totonno certainly does:

[Andrew Fenton]

And, yes, there is a Philly tendency to order pizzas loaded.

With the prominent exception of the best pizzeria in Philly; Tacconelli's, where they refuse to-- well, strongly advise against-- putting more than two or three toppings on a pie.

(Which is as it should be: more than two or three toppings on a pizza is barbaric.)

[KatieLoeb]

Aw shoot! We coulda had a white pie at Totonno's!

The "rules" for Pizza Club (what few there are other than show up, eat and pay your share) are that we always get a plain pie and a plain white pie (if available) as the yardstick to measure against the other places we've visited. It's the only common denominator amongst the wide variety of places and Pizza styles we've visited.

To answer Sam's interesting question, I'd have to say that the pizza in Philly tends to have a better tasting crust than most pizza I've had almost anywhere else. It could be the water (which is heinous on it's own) or the microclimate or who knows what else, but all the bread products in Philadelphia that are part of any great foodie legacy (Hoagie/Cheesesteak rolls, pizza crust, etc.) has a particular flavor to it. It's like a very diluted sourdough sort of taste that I've come to expect. It has "Fla-vah". What can I say. That's the best description I can come up with at the moment.

Maybe just me, but I tend to like protein ingredients on a pizza (sausage or pepperoni) with only one other ingredient at most (sausage and mushroom is a personal favorite combo of mine), but vegetable toppings I don't mind piling on. Then again, peppers, onions and mushroom as a "group topping" go pretty well with sausage because they're like a sandwich.

[Daniel]

That trip sounded so great.. I am happy you guys had such a good time.. And was very impressed you made it to Nathans.. After hearing your schedule i was betting against the night finishing with a hot dog.. Very impressive appetites.. Thanks for the pics.

[Rich Pawlak]

The brand new issue of ESQUIRE, has an article within, "The BEst Bites of Food in America", and on p. 141, bite No. 30:

"The crust axis of a corner slice of Sicilain pie--not much cheese, lotsa olive oil, pillowy up top, crunchy down below, from L&B Spumoni Gardens..."

[NulloModo]

I have to ask: Are there Grotto Pizzaerias in Philly?

Grotto's is a bit of a DE institution, and there pizza is well... different than normal. It looks sort of like a regular pizza, but something they do with the basic ingredients gives it a very different taste. It is odd in that the first bite tastes somewhat bad, but after that you just want more and more, and it keeps getting exponentially better, so much so that you can ignore the inevitible GI side-effects that follow the next day, or that night.

[herbacidal]

I vaguely think I've seen the name somewhere in the area, but can't recall where.

Even, if I could I, I have no clue as to whether or not it's even related.

[mrbigjas]

grotto pizza is naaaaaaaaaasty

or at least the ones in bethany beach are... i don't know if there's a difference between various locations or franchises, but we used to order from grotto when we were down there in the summers, and i gradually grew to hate it.

[Andrew Fenton]

It is odd in that the first bite tastes somewhat bad, but after that you just want more and more...

we used to order from grotto when we were down there in the summers, and i gradually grew to hate it.

Well, we know that the effects-- good or bad-- develop over time. So what's the deal? From the name, I'm speculating that they allow the pizza to age in a cave, like a fine cheese. But that's probably not it.

[phifly04]

Grotto,s is an average at best pie,so average in fact that i have taken to making my own as they are the only game in town(Long Neck)They are mostly in the "shore"points Bethany,Dewey,Rehoboth,Lewes but they are expanding northward

[MarketStEl]

When in Rehoboth, I prefer Nicola's to Grotto, but Grotto is everywhere on the Delaware coast.

[Rich Pawlak]

I have to ask:  Are there Grotto Pizzaerias in Philly? 

Grotto's is a bit of a DE institution, and there pizza is well... different than normal.  It looks sort of like a regular pizza, but something they do with the basic ingredients gives it a very different taste.  It is odd in that the first bite tastes somewhat bad, but after that you just want more and more, and it keeps getting exponentially better, so much so that you can ignore the inevitible GI side-effects that follow the next day, or that night.

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Closest Grotto's Pizza joints are on Rte 202 South just north of Wilmington, and near Rodney Square in Wilmington. The ORIGINAL Grotto's is in Lake Ariel, PA.

[herbacidal]

Now that I think more about it, isn't Grotto a chain pizza joint, with locations in malls?

Or am I confusing it with Scotto's?

[NulloModo]

They don't have mall locations that I know of, though they are a (local) chain. They are all over northern DE too, with at least three or four around the UD campus. I personally haven't ever eaten at any of the beach locations, but there can be a pretty big swing in quality from location to location at the ones I have been to.

it is just a different style of pizza, the crust is very crispy, the cheese is sort of swirled on, and there isn't tons of it, but the sauce is flavorful and it has a really interesting bright orange grease that just permeates everything... It sounds bad from the way I describe it, and in many ways, it is, but at the same time, it is also very very good, and I find myself getting odd cravings for it every so often. Sort of bizarre stuff, you know it isn't the best, and you know that after you eat it you will feel a bit dissapointed, but hidden in that dissapointment is the reward, it always manages to surprise you in some way and remind you of why it is so good... but that feeling tends to fade faster than the lingering sense of it being regrettable pizza. Maybe they put crack in it.

[john b]

The ORIGINAL Grotto's is in Lake Ariel, PA.

←

It wasn't Harvey's Lake?

[mrbigjas]

hey in other pizza news: did you guys see where joe's pizza on 16th street had a fire? they're closed for a while. apparently if you need your joe's fix you can go to their other location on 17th & chestnut, but i've never been there.

[herbacidal]

Yea, just noticed that the other day.

I didn't know that other place was theirs.

I guess they mean the place a few doors east of Tokyo Lunchbox.

[MarketStEl]

Okay, folks, we gotta move fast on this one.

It's already been moved and seconded on the "Last Chance for Lombardi's Pizza" thread, so I'll formally introduce the proposal here for the hardcore pieheads to vote on:

Last Rites for Lombardi's, 18th Street between Sansom and Walnut.

We have two Saturdays and two Sundays available: 5/6, 5/7, 5/14 and the final day of business, 5/15.

I move we gather for farewell pies starting at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 14.

Any takers?

[Andrew Fenton]

This weekend is no good, but next weekend should be just fine: I'm there...

[cdh]

I'm there!

[Mummer]

Me, too!

[gbredben]

Sounds like a plan.

[KatieLoeb]

If we're Saturday 5/14 - I'm in!

[Rich Pawlak]

I'll do my best

[MarketStEl]

Sounds like it's a go, then.

The next Pizza Club outing will be on Saturday, May 14, at 3 p.m.--a special farewell to Lombardi's Pizza on 18th Street just north of Rittenhouse Square.

Come hungry! I'll add this to the local eG calendar.