Comet Ping-Pong: New Haven-ish Pizza

[Busboy]

The Thai room -- either the pioneer that brought Thai to DC or the abomination that held Thai food back a decade by frightening all of us away from it -- is finally gone. Well, it's been closed for months (years?) but that old sign finally came down the other week and the new joint is open: Comet Ping Pong.

Though it is the offspring of the dynamic duo in charge of Buck's Fishing & Camping, the pizza parlor apparently owes its name to last year's sad passing of liquor store owner and neighborhood legend Sid Drazin, who, with his wife Bernice, ran Adams-Morgan's Comet Liquors for 25 years. Carole Greenwood and James Alefantis have acquired the sign and, barring objection from the usual neighborhood cranks, will get it up, no doubt, where they're good and ready. In the mean time, I'm glad these guys were the ones to get hold of of it (for more about Sid and a look at the sign, click here).

Inside, the front room feels like a warehouse from just outside the Green Zone, but with TriBeCa lighting and booths that look like ping-pong tables set between park benches. The walls are maybe 15 feet high and have been overpainted and distressed, achieving an effect similar to a tenement hallway that's been repainted every decade or so, with different layers peeling away at different rates as the neighborhood collapses and the crack dealers move in. The wall behind the bar is lightened with blown up black and whites of friends of the owners including, I was pleased to see, farmer hearthrob Mark Toigo of Toigo Orchards and force of nature Cinda Sebastion of Gardener's Gourmet (the folks who used to sell their greens by the bowlful). There isn't much vegetation on the menu, but I expect it will be fresh.

The back room has the ping-pong tables, balls an paddles and, with its cement floors and overhead lights resembles nothing so much as the garage at a 50's vintage Citgo. I kept waiting for bay doors to open up and Buik with a bad tranny to be pushed in.

In other words, the place is totally cool. How Upper Northwest, long a refuge for people determined to prove that the city can be as boring as the suburbs, will take to it, I know not.

One promising sign vis a vis the neighbors: in attitude, decore and layout the place is totally kid friendly. There is nothing to break, the servers are friendly and, apparently, anything goes in the back room, so let the little monsters mess around back there. In fact, if you ever spent a rainy afternoon in a friend's basement or garage playing ping-pong or bumper pool, you'll likely find the back room delightful. Oh, and there's pizza

Pretty good pizza, in fact. Very good. It is unwise and unfair to take too detailed a look at a restaurant that hasn't even gotten its sign up yet, and I have no idea how it compares to the New Haven pies their pizza is modeled on, but I think Comet is very serious player in the pizza wars. Yeasty crust with lots of crunch. Quality cheese. The toppings are excellent, with a few offering a slight twists on familiar themes (as one might expect): not onions, but carmelized onions, not peppers but roasted peppers. My only disappointment was a the strikingly small brush of sauce on the red pizzas, not even enough to fully coat the bottom of the pie. Further investigation will be needed to determine if that was the recipe, or an aberration.

I had excellent pepperoni, my wife loved her white pizza with clams (blessedly not served in the shell), and I liked it quite a bit, too. Daughter (13) gave it an "ok", but she eats Domino's willingly.

The wine is cheap and, well, it's a good pizza wine. The beer selection is modest but sounded good, and there's a full bar. Service was enthusiastic. Tables are available. We are going back.

Comet Ping Pong 5037 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202-364-0404

[Busboy]

Had a rematch at Comet Ping-Pong and a good pizza has now improved -- crust more crisp than bullet-proof and properly browned/blackened (who doesn't love those crackery bubbles?), and sauce now deployed in appropriate quantities. Service remains a bit herky-jerky with one and arguably two pizza orders screwed up out of four/five if you count the comp, but they sling new pizzas at you quickly and amicably. The Chianti is better than the Primitivo. Pies are small and expensive, my 13-year-old daughter was left unfilled by hers and I could easily have downed two. But, for my money, Comet is now the best in town and not by a narrow margin, so judge accordingly.

[docsconz]

But, for my money, Comet is now the best in town and not by a narrow margin, so judge accordingly.

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Strong words. I take it that you like it more than Two Amys if that is even your second place pizza?

[Busboy]

But, for my money, Comet is now the best in town and not by a narrow margin, so judge accordingly.

←

Strong words. I take it that you like it more than Two Amys if that is even your second place pizza?

←

I have long been underimpressed by 2 Amys and "authentic" Italian pies in general. Authentic, auschmentic! Give me a pizza made withing walking distance of the 4,5, 6 or D lines or, in DC, the Red Line.

(My second choice, btw, is a staunchly inauthentic joint called Vace Italian Deli).

[Pontormo]

I wonder what would happen were you to take a camera in to shoot pictures for John to see.

* * *

John, Charles simply does not like the kind of pizza produced at 2 Amys, and if I am reading him correctly, finds it's a bit too self-important. See the thread on pizza in dc for further details. I don't think the matter is unrelated to the high, well-deserved praise of Ray's the Steak or good French wine sold at lower prices.

I wouldn't knock the notion of authenticity, though. Italians are serious about this kind of stuff, just as the French are. I appreciate all efforts to make those traditions accessible to Americans at home whether on the scale of Marcella Hazan's books or the more modest scale of a neighborhood pizza place.

What it comes down to, in part, is the relationship between Italian and Italian-American food.* I personally don't see why someone with an appreciation for the former has to dismiss the latter, sneering at all "red sauce" joints or good, satisfying American pizza with pliant crusts, loads of sauce and lakes of cheese sprinkled with red chili flakes. I've never gone to Comet, but it sounds like it might be closer to Italian-American types of pizza. Nothing wrong with that. There's a place in my stomach for both.

*Of course, 2 Amys is not an authentic Italian restaurant.

[docsconz]

I like a number of different styles of pizza, although my favorite is "la vera pizza Napolitana," which Two Amys makes. BTW, I think that they are at their best when making simpler pizze. I also happen to like New Haven style pizze so if they are true to that style I would probably like it too.

[Busboy]

Comet has backed away from their claim of New Haven "authenticity." As with many made-for-TV movies, it is more "inspired by" than "based on" the real thing. Whatever they call it, it is a good old Northeast Corridor pie.

I don't want to get into 2 Amys-bashing -- tweaking, yes -- as there are few things I like better than sitting at the bar and working my way through the small plates and cured meats as I work my way through the wine list. Matter of fact, this grim-ass afternoon here in DC would be a perfect time to do just that.

But my tastes are clearly too crude for the delicate nuances, or whatever, of 2 Amy's AOC (I do find AOC designation a little silly) pizza, as well as similarly Neapolitan-oriented spots. I need a little Ramones in my pies, Puccini is too elevated for the likes of me.

[Busboy]

The local "alternative" paper weighs in here. Reader weighs in here. (Second letter). Props to Anne Marson for actually calling (or visiting) a New Haven Pizza joint, so that they can be compared.

This place is simultaneously so fun and so exasperating that I love watching fans and detractors mix it up.

[hjshorter]

At least one local blogger is not a fan.

The erratic behavior, total lack of decorum, and excess of hipster attitude and aesthetic, was profoundly unbecoming. But the weirdness was so pervasive and unwavering, it became amusing in a "Tony and Tina's Wedding" sort of way, like we were about to be dragged into some interactive theater nonsense where misanthropic hipsters attack the general public with their powers of rudeness and insanity.

A little overstated, maybe...

[Busboy]

I, for one, have always found the hipsters extremly anthropic. (Perhaps because in me, the recognize one of their own.)

(Not)

I'd say it's ten times as likely that people go in with an attitude than that the servers bring their attitude to work with them. Though the service itself can be kind of sub-professional at times, I've never found it malicious.

It's pretty clear from the post that this guy has a thing about Carole Greenwood and would have a better life is he just stayed out of her restaurants.

[hjshorter]

I, for one, have always found the hipsters extremly anthropic.  (Perhaps because in me, the recognize one of their own.)

Naturally.

I'd say it's ten times as likely that people go in with an attitude than that the servers bring their attitude to work with them.  Though the service itself can be kind of sub-professional at times, I've never found it malicious.

If anything, my service there has been overly friendly. You bring your own karma.

[hjshorter]

Mrs. Busboy and I snuck out to Comet last night and endured a long night of friendly service and very good pizza. We were seated promptly, given printed menus (a new feature), and while we waited a bit for our initial server contact (they were down a server last night), she was friendly and apologetic when she finally got a chance to come around and we were never neglected during our meal.

We started with a garlicky caesar salad with house made croutons and a bowl of minestrone with bacon. The soup was a special, delicious and very filling. Mains were white pizza with merguez sausage and a white pie with melted onions and anchovies. The crust here is excellent - yeasty, crunchy, and properly salted - and the toppings are first rate.

Many object to Comet's prices but I noticed lat night that some items, like the salads, are less expensive now than they were last fall. The pizzas start at $8.50 for a tomato pie, and toppings add up quickly, but it's not out of line with what 2 Amy's charges. Wine prices have come down too. Total last night for one salad, one soup, three pizzas (one to go), one Tanqueray gimlet, and two half carafes of wine was $96, including tip.

The pizza and vibe here suit my taste better than 2 Amy's, where the thrill of waiting with George Stephanopolis, and dining next to Clarence Page has not made up for overcooked, underseasoned pizza and toppings. Comet would get my business all the time if they just opened up a little earlier - 6:15pm is a late start for my little kids.

(ETA I was surprised to see Carole Greenwood in the kitchen last night.)

Edited February 1, 2007 by hjshorter (log)

[phaelon56]

My Chevy Chase DC based buddy and his GF went to Comet Ping Pong late this past weekend and were sorely disappointed. I mentioned it to them after seeing this thread and they were enthused at the propsect of a new dining option in their end of town.

The experience failed to live up to their modest expectations. Three bottles of soft drink and two pizzas - one white and one red (the red with sausage) totaled $45 with tax and tip. Both of them were unimpressed by the crust and found it (the crust) to have an extremely salty taste - almost as though salt had been used to keep the crust from sticking to the oven floor (instead of cornmeal). So salty that they left behind about 1/3 of each pie - despite still being hungry.

I was a bit surprised by their experience, having read this thread, but perhaps consistency is an issue at Comet?

[hjshorter]

Report from 5/23...

Softshell crab pizza: $17

Allagash White: $6

My son flirting with Carole Greenwood: priceless

Another good meal here, not perfect, not inexpensive, but who cares? I got to sit back, drink some beer, eat a great pizza, watch my son groove to the music and my daughter try to lick the pizza drippings off her elbow. "Super tasty" is their verdict on the pizza. I agree.

[hjshorter]

Comet now opens at 5 PM weekdays, and 3 PM on Sundays.

Ice cream sundaes are now available in addition to ice cream by the scoop. Flavors are strawberries & cream, or tin roof (fudgy chocolate and peanut). $7.50 each, and large enough that you'd be well advised to split one, especially after devouring a whole pizza.

[Busboy]

Washington Post critic Tom Sietsema is seduced by Comet's innate coolness, likes the pizza, too.

[Busboy]

I knew that a place a hip as Comet would find a way to piss off the neighbors. I guess every city has anal-retentive jerks; here in DC many of them find their way to the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions where they distinguish themselves by hassling the the kind of places most of us want to go out to for dinner or drinks.

ETA: 1)

This is not must-see TV.

2) A note to say that while there's a good argument to be made that ANC members tend toward the priggish, there vary ery good ones including the guys in my neighborhood who are going against type by fighting to allow mariachi bands back into the Salvadoran restaurants (and maybe a folkie or two at the Raven, who knows).

[Miami Danny]

While there are certainly enough jerks in the ANC, there are an equal number in the 'hospitality' industry if not more. Having been all three (jerk, ANC Commissioner, and bar owner), I can personally attest to the ridiculous behavior on both sides. It's easy to take a swipe at some gadfly, but just because it's easy, doesn't make it right. Additionally, you may not be privvy to negotiations that the owners of Comet may have had with the ANC or ABRA which may preclude anything on the sidewalk, which is normally public space. Knowing Ms. Greenwood's penchant for drama, I'm sure she hasn't exactly endeared herself to the many neighbors who don't really care about or patronize her restaurants. I admit it's cute and probably harmless, but then I don't have to walk by there every day, or shop there, etc. Especially as there seem to be a lot of children at this place, maybe it IS hazardous? You know, it always seems like fun until someone loses an eye!

[hjshorter]

It's going to get harder to walk in and get a table. We got there at 5:45 last night and the place was already hopping. Fortunately the staff seems to be taking it in stride, and our service was prompt and very friendly. My sons tomato pie came out just so, and he put away the whole thing*, but the eggplant/basil/smoked mozz was missing its basil and was boring and oily rather than inspired. Carole was not there, and it seems the kitchen still needs her to turn out consistently good food. Great espresso and tin roof sundae.

*He's five, so that tells you something about the size of the pizza. It seems to vary from visit to visit - last night they were on the small side.

Edited July 27, 2007 by hjshorter (log)

[Busboy]

While there are certainly enough jerks in the ANC, there are an equal number in the 'hospitality' industry if not more.  Having been all three (jerk, ANC Commissioner, and bar owner), I can personally attest to the ridiculous behavior on both sides.  It's easy to take a swipe at some gadfly, but just because it's easy, doesn't make it right.  Additionally, you may not be privvy to negotiations that the owners of Comet may have had with the ANC or ABRA which may preclude anything on the sidewalk, which is normally public space.  Knowing Ms. Greenwood's penchant for drama, I'm sure she hasn't exactly endeared herself to the many neighbors who don't really care about or patronize her restaurants.  I admit it's cute and probably harmless, but then I don't have to walk by there every day, or shop there, etc.  Especially as there seem to be a lot of children at this place, maybe it IS hazardous? You know, it always seems like fun until someone loses an eye! 

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I'm sure as an ANC commissioner you concerned yourself with real concerns not surreptitious ping-pong surveillance and as a bar owner you balanced commerce and the concerns of the neighborhood. And the combination gives you a unique perspective, to which attention must be paid.

But I was in the other night and tried to figure out how objectionable the table could be. It's set on a commercial strip on both sides of the street and sidewalk quite wide enough for pedestrians to avoid whatever hazards an errant ping-pong ball might proffer -- and to give combatants plenty of time to either recapture the ball or pull up before bounding into Connecticut Avenue. And there was no allegation that there was a public space violation -- It's about the same footprint as that of the benches outside Marvelous Market next door.

And, as for the kiddies: let's not homogenize the whole face of the earth on the million-in-one shot that some tyke may take a minor beaning from a ping-pong paddle. Thousands of people choke to death on dinner every year, and we know the effects of pepperoni and cheese on the arteries - and now they have ice cream! Maybe we ought just ban kids from the place altogether.

Bottom line: the guy was acting like a bozo. And, as such, can't complain when someone points that out.

[Miami Danny]

While there are certainly enough jerks in the ANC, there are an equal number in the 'hospitality' industry if not more.  Having been all three (jerk, ANC Commissioner, and bar owner), I can personally attest to the ridiculous behavior on both sides.  It's easy to take a swipe at some gadfly, but just because it's easy, doesn't make it right.  Additionally, you may not be privvy to negotiations that the owners of Comet may have had with the ANC or ABRA which may preclude anything on the sidewalk, which is normally public space.  Knowing Ms. Greenwood's penchant for drama, I'm sure she hasn't exactly endeared herself to the many neighbors who don't really care about or patronize her restaurants.  I admit it's cute and probably harmless, but then I don't have to walk by there every day, or shop there, etc.  Especially as there seem to be a lot of children at this place, maybe it IS hazardous? You know, it always seems like fun until someone loses an eye! 

←

I'm sure as an ANC commissioner you concerned yourself with real concerns not surreptitious ping-pong surveillance and as a bar owner you balanced commerce and the concerns of the neighborhood. And the combination gives you a unique perspective, to which attention must be paid.

But I was in the other night and tried to figure out how objectionable the table could be. It's set on a commercial strip on both sides of the street and sidewalk quite wide enough for pedestrians to avoid whatever hazards an errant ping-pong ball might proffer -- and to give combatants plenty of time to either recapture the ball or pull up before bounding into Connecticut Avenue. And there was no allegation that there was a public space violation -- It's about the same footprint as that of the benches outside Marvelous Market next door.

And, as for the kiddies: let's not homogenize the whole face of the earth on the million-in-one shot that some tyke may take a minor beaning from a ping-pong paddle. Thousands of people choke to death on dinner every year, and we know the effects of pepperoni and cheese on the arteries - and now they have ice cream! Maybe we ought just ban kids from the place altogether.

Bottom line: the guy was acting like a bozo. And, as such, can't complain when someone points that out.

←

Thank you for your measured response. Please understand that as an elected official, you are bombarded with what might seem trivial issues every day; however, to those making complaints, they don't seem trivial. And as a business owner, as anyone can tell you, there are sometimes shortcuts that must be taken. Not everyone out there cares if you succeed.

But you haven't really addressed the most important issue-there may be agreements or documents that may preclude the table. Just because MM has benches doesn't mean that Comet can use the space for a Ping Pong table, or anything else. If it is public space, there is a process that must be followed to legally get to use the space. I know it may seem silly, but I'm guessing that Greenwood has not made a lot of friends in the neighborhood outside of her customers, many of whom probably do not live in the neighborhood, and that may factor into this incident. There could also be other problems with the place (trash, noise, parking, the usual). I don't know the guy, he could be just a bozo, but you also don't know if there have been complaints or near-accidents or other issues.

And I'm not saying because one kid may get hurt, we should ban everything that that one kid might do. My point is the ANC guy might be right, in spite of his obvious bozo-osity. Regardless, I do think that posting the video on YouTube was a cry for help.

[Busboy]

While there are certainly enough jerks in the ANC, there are an equal number in the 'hospitality' industry if not more.  Having been all three (jerk, ANC Commissioner, and bar owner), I can personally attest to the ridiculous behavior on both sides.  It's easy to take a swipe at some gadfly, but just because it's easy, doesn't make it right.  Additionally, you may not be privvy to negotiations that the owners of Comet may have had with the ANC or ABRA which may preclude anything on the sidewalk, which is normally public space.  Knowing Ms. Greenwood's penchant for drama, I'm sure she hasn't exactly endeared herself to the many neighbors who don't really care about or patronize her restaurants.  I admit it's cute and probably harmless, but then I don't have to walk by there every day, or shop there, etc.  Especially as there seem to be a lot of children at this place, maybe it IS hazardous? You know, it always seems like fun until someone loses an eye! 

←

I'm sure as an ANC commissioner you concerned yourself with real concerns not surreptitious ping-pong surveillance and as a bar owner you balanced commerce and the concerns of the neighborhood. And the combination gives you a unique perspective, to which attention must be paid.

But I was in the other night and tried to figure out how objectionable the table could be. It's set on a commercial strip on both sides of the street and sidewalk quite wide enough for pedestrians to avoid whatever hazards an errant ping-pong ball might proffer -- and to give combatants plenty of time to either recapture the ball or pull up before bounding into Connecticut Avenue. And there was no allegation that there was a public space violation -- It's about the same footprint as that of the benches outside Marvelous Market next door.

And, as for the kiddies: let's not homogenize the whole face of the earth on the million-in-one shot that some tyke may take a minor beaning from a ping-pong paddle. Thousands of people choke to death on dinner every year, and we know the effects of pepperoni and cheese on the arteries - and now they have ice cream! Maybe we ought just ban kids from the place altogether.

Bottom line: the guy was acting like a bozo. And, as such, can't complain when someone points that out.

←

Thank you for your measured response. Please understand that as an elected official, you are bombarded with what might seem trivial issues every day; however, to those making complaints, they don't seem trivial. And as a business owner, as anyone can tell you, there are sometimes shortcuts that must be taken. Not everyone out there cares if you succeed.

But you haven't really addressed the most important issue-there may be agreements or documents that may preclude the table. Just because MM has benches doesn't mean that Comet can use the space for a Ping Pong table, or anything else. If it is public space, there is a process that must be followed to legally get to use the space. I know it may seem silly, but I'm guessing that Greenwood has not made a lot of friends in the neighborhood outside of her customers, many of whom probably do not live in the neighborhood, and that may factor into this incident. There could also be other problems with the place (trash, noise, parking, the usual). I don't know the guy, he could be just a bozo, but you also don't know if there have been complaints or near-accidents or other issues.

And I'm not saying because one kid may get hurt, we should ban everything that that one kid might do. My point is the ANC guy might be right, in spite of his obvious bozo-osity. Regardless, I do think that posting the video on YouTube was a cry for help.

←

I'm somewhat familiar with the public space issue from listening to one of my old bosses bitch about the process (ever meet John Calamico of Boss Shepherd's?) and reading the various free weeklies which are invariably chock full of nuanced (or not-so) debates about sidewalk use, trash, music, etc. I assumed that as an ANC commissioner he would know if there was public space issue and have the means to respond through more traditional and effective channels. Maybe he's been foiled by the fact that the relatively charming James Alefantis, rather than the more abrasive Carol Greenwood, seems to be the public face of Comet, leaving him a lesser reservoir of neighborhood ire to draw from.

The crowd is pretty neighborhood-y, by the way. And though the table tennis crew may be a little rowdy for some tastes, that's a pretty relative thing.