Pizza | Goodies First

May 21

La Rosa and Son

1/2 I don't care what anyone says, this is the best pizza I've had in the area (whatever the heck you want to call that area…Cobble Hill? Boerum Hill? Carroll Gardens North?). For such a scary Italian-American neighborhood, they don't do so well with the pizza. But La Rosa? They're alright. The staff is friendly and the wine is cheap (it even says so on the menu). (4/31/04)

Not bad, not bad at all. Maybe I've grown overly skeptical over new neighborhood restaurants. I don't know what it is with areas where professionals and families congregate begetting mediocre eats. La Rosa and Son has that readymade, built new to look old vibe, but compared to the blah pizza churned out at practically every legitimate old school Italian-American joint in the immediate region (and believe you me, there's more than plenty), I'm not complaining. Purists might say the pies are a little heavy on the cheese, but I'm no stickler, having grown up on the west coast loving gooey Hawaiian toppings (you could get killed trying to order ham and pineapple here). (5/21/04)

La Rosa and Son * 98 Smith St., Brooklyn, NY

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Mar 16

Pie

1/2

Part of the great NYC pizza frenzy of 2002-03. Their shtick is pizza by the
pound. But as it's just around the corner from James', it was at least worth
a try. A small slice of potato-rosemary and egg and bacon were quite good.
My only issue might be the potato, which they also do at Sullivan St. Bakery
and though I've only sampled it once, if I'm correct the potatoes stay soft.
Here they reheat the potato slices and they become like potato chips, and
well, I don't care that much for potato chips. Heck, they'd make good
homemade potato chips, if you're into that sort of snack, but I'd like a
little chew to my thinly sliced tuber. Nonetheless, Pie beats other blah
pies nearby (no, I'm not referring to Otto).

Pie* 124 Fourth Ave., New York, NY

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Jan 4

DiFara’s

1/2

OK, this is like the holy grail of pizza, so I can't explain my chronic
reluctance to give it a try. People go nuts for Sripraphai as NYC's ultimate
Thai, and I've never had a problem giving into the mania — but pizza — I
don't know. On my final carbohydrate-eating weekend, it seemed like as good
a time as any to pay a visit. The thing with places like this is the
routine, like you're not a regular, and you know there's going to be a
procedure or unspoken rules. I mean, this is NYC. I was aware that
everything is handmade on the spot and that it's manned by an older
gentleman. This makes for a long wait, and everyone else seemed to be
ordering plain slices. I wanted an artichoke and an eggplant, while James
wanted pepperoni. This seemed to cause trauma, at least on our end. James
became convinced he was going to make an entire pie with each topping and
out of confusion we'd be charged for three whole pizzas. I didn't believe
this, but was confused on how they seem to make an entire pie for one unique
slice. See, I didn't know the procedure. We could've made it more efficient
by ordering the same toppings. I got nervous we weren't going to get pizza
at all because like 20 minutes had passed, but it all worked out in the end.
And the pizza was pretty damn good. A nice crispy crust, fresh mozzarella,
parmesan grated on the spot and vegetables sauted to order. I understand
the time involved, but it made me nervous because that's the way I am.
(1/4/03)

This time we thought we were being smart by calling ahead for a pizza
with eggplant and pepperoni, but I don't know that it makes any difference,
or that you're even able to do that. When we showed up 45 minutes later and
the pizza hadn't even been started. What can you do? Don't good things come
to those who wait? Maybe in the rest of the country, but that adage seems to
go against the grain of most New Yorkers. Once again, a very good pizza
resulted. Everything will be fine once I develop my patience building
skills. (2/15/03)

DiFara's * 1424 Avenue J, Brooklyn, NY

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Apr 6

House of Pizza and Calzone

Hmm, strange that I've never mentioned the re-birth of HOPAC. They closed last summer around this time and got me scared, so I ran over and bought a bunch of deep fried calzones (I live down the street now). But then they re-opened with new owners who seem to be doing things the same way where the food is concerned and unlike the old way where everything else is. And that's a good thing. They're actually open on weekends and after 5pm and have coupons and delivery menus and all that. (7/27/05)

Pizza Hut Lodi

Pizza Hut. What more can I say. After a hard afternoon at the International Food Warehouse, a sit-down suburban-style meal seemed in order. We went wild and ordered not only the large Meat Lover's pizza (which boasts six cheeses–how on earth is this possible? Besides middle-American stand-bys cheddar, Monterey jack, mozzerella and parmesan, what else could they be using?) but Meat Lover's pizza with stuffed crust. Oh, and some cheesy bread too (with tomato dipping sauce). We left full of cheese, grease and starch, yet not fully satisfied. Pizza Huts just don't feel the same as they did in the '80s, though it's entirely possible that tastes refine a bit between the ages of nine and 29.

Pizza Hut * 160 US Highway 46 E, Lodi, NJ

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Dec 1

Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut. What more can I say. After a hard afternoon at the International Food Warehouse, a sit-down suburban-style meal seemed in order. We went wild and ordered not only the large Meat Lover's pizza (which boasts six cheeses–how on earth is this possible? Besides middle-American stand-bys cheddar, Monterey jack, mozzerella and parmesan, what else could they be using?) but Meat Lover's pizza with stuffed crust. Oh, and some cheesy bread too (with tomato dipping sauce). We left full of cheese, grease and starch, yet not fully satisfied. Pizza Huts just don't feel the same as they did in the '80s, though it's entirely possible that tastes refine a bit between the ages of nine and 29.

Pizza Hut * 160 US Highway 46 E, Lodi, NJ

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Sep 23

Pizzeria Uno

1/2 *The East Village Uno is no longer. I had no idea there were three other Manhattan locations. (11/07)

Number one, huh? Well, I don't know if I'd go that far. I've been curious about this seemingly suburban oddity on Third Ave. for some time now. Like who is it meant for? Homesick NYU students? Low-grade thrill seekers like myself? I guess it's not that far fetched, Dominos and Pizza Hut both seem to thrive in a city known for authentic pies. Why not throw a little Chicago deep dish into the mix.

Pizzeria Uno succeeds (with me) on two counts. One, the novelty factor. I'm not familiar with the chain, as it's not a West Coast thing. And I can't resist an uncharted sit-down franchise. Two, the disgusting nostalgia aspect. I don't know if it's the World Trade Center horror or what, but I've been craving all sorts of weird food I normally wouldn't. Thick crust pizza with sausage and green peppers, for one. I hate sausage and peppers, it's the kind of icky topping my mom would order when we were kids and I'd scornfully pick off. But I found myself eating an iceberg lettuce salad and combo pizza without even flinching. So, this is what the world's come to?

I felt sort of weird and conspicuous sitting in the window of the place, the same way I do when sitting outside at Dallas BBQ, like jeez, someone could see me. As if I'm better than cheesy, mass produced food. Later that night I saw our waitress at James's corner bar, Finnerty's and I semi-cringed. But then, what's more humiliating–to eat at Pizzeria Uno or to work there? Yeah, answer that.

PizzeriaUno * 55 Third Ave., New York, NY

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May 5

Aiello’s

I heard Aiello's made their wings good and hot. I've got a high tolerance
for heat, but boy, this was no lie. They burned going in and…well, you
know the rest (I had a bit of a hard time the next day at work. Working
stiffs should only eat them on Fridays or Saturdays, and I guess you
telecommuters can eat them any damn time you feel like.

Aiello's * 383 Third Ave., New York, NY

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Feb 21

Lombardi’s

1/2

The oldest pizzeria in the U.S.? The oldest coal-burning oven? Something
like that. Many swear by Lombardi's. However, I just sort of ended up there.
I'd wanted to go, but on this particular evening, Raoul's was the plan.
Twice the price, triple the crowd and who knows what else. I just wasn't in
the mood for a sceney place (I mean, the "New York Times" claims it to be a
favorite of Matthew Broderick and Gwyneth Paltrow, and who needs that). It
was freezing, and even though we were supposed to be a bistro mission, but
in the back of my head I was thinking how good an old-fashioned piece of
pizza sounded (actually I was thinking how great a Hawaiian pizza sounded,
but that's blasphemous in N.Y.) so we headed east for some simpler fare on
Spring St.

It was a house salad, a large sausage and mushroom pie and root beer. I
don't know where the root beer idea came from since I never drink soda and
it's not like this is Pizza Hut. All was good and low-key, and we ended up
sitting next to the third guy from "O Brother, Where Art Thou?." Not George
Clooney and not John Turturro–the other one (who I just looked up so as not
to sound uninformed–it's Tim Blake Nelson). Who needs Gwyneth, right?

I only regret leaving the leftovers in James's fridge. I meant to bring
a piece to work for lunch and I fear it'll be gone by the time I make it
back over there. (Yep, they were gone when I checked the next night.)

Lombardi's * 32 Spring St., New York, NY

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