Original Review: 01/30/13

Over the Christmas Holidays, the Pizza Snob returned to Weatherford where I was pleased to find that Nizza Pizza is alive and well. I can also say that they are still serving up the best pie in town—one that certainly lives up to classic NY-style standards.

And look what I found hanging on their wall!

Thanks Nizza Pizza for your support!

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ****1/2 Nearer Perfection

Nizza Pizza
1016 S. Main Street
Weatherford, TX  76086
817-594-9090
http://nizzapizza.com

My day with the Junior Snob Squad, that is my son and nephew, began with a lunchtime visit to Nizza Pizza in Weatherford. I am happy to report that they still make one awesome slice of pizza. Since we needed to head over to Fort Worth for some business, we thought we’d check out Hysen’s Nizza Pizza while we were there. After all, what better way to follow up a pizza lunch than with an afternoon pizza snack!

Doing my homework, I learned that both the Fort Worth and Colleyville Nizza locations have different ownership than the Weatherford, Waco, and Granbury ones. The Fort Worth locations are owned by the brother. This didn’t concern me since I knew they were both New Yorkers who headed west bringing their classic pizza recipes with them. Hysen’s has been in Forth Worth now since 1997 after starting in the pizza biz in Manhattan in 1975.

Much like the Weatherford joint (I’ve yet to visit any of the others), Hysen’s works out of a free-standing building. They have a great location near a busy business district and not too far from Texas Christian University. Their spacious room has a cool pizza joint vibe, and there is plenty of parking out front–rare by Fort Worth standards. In addition to pizza, they offer a full Italian menu. If you are too tired to leave home, they will deliver.

Since I said that this would be a snack, the Squad and I each ordered a single plain cheese slice priced at a reasonable $2.25 a pop. The friendly fellow at the counter said they were fresh out of the oven, so he didn’t even need to reheat them. I would later disagree.

Despite being lukewarm, the slices were classic and tasted wonderful. They had a good balance of quality ingredients cooked just right.  No doubt an oven refresh would have really helped to amp up the flavor. Nonetheless, we were very pleased and knew that we had discovered the best pizza joint in Cowtown.

In comparing it to Weatherford’s Nizza, we all thought that it was a notch below. Maybe it was just the lack of the refresh.  My nephew, the Tay-ster, however, thought that the tomato sauce in Fort Worth wasn’t as rich as the one in Weatherford.

Minutia aside, we snobs loved it and will certainly return next time we are in town.

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ****Near Perfection

Hysen’s Nizza Pizza
401 University Drive
Forth Worth, TX  76107
817-877-3900
www.hysensnizzapizza.com

There are only so many times that the Pizza Snob can drive by a new pizza joint without having to give it a try. Such was the case over the Christmas Holidays with Pastafina Italian Restaurant in Weatherford, Texas. One day in my daily drive back and forth on South Main, I could no longer resist the lure of their big red, green, and white sign.

Ms. Pie claims that we’ve been there before for Italian food, and that I didn’t like it. News to me, but the fact that we didn’t try their pizza tempted me to cover some new ground in not so pizza-prosperous Weatherford.  I made my move on Pastafina one weekday afternoon with a plan to bring home a to-go pie that, of course, I would first sample hot and fresh out of the oven. Earlier that week, I paid a return visit to the fab Nizza Pizza who still set the bar high for the best pie in town.

Pastafina’s location is in a free-standing building just a few blocks off of the town square not too far from Nizza. They are a family-owned, full menu Italian restaurant, and they have three other small town Texas locations (Granbury, Stephenville, and Cleburne). Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, they also deliver. Their walls were adorned with many “Best in Weatherford” awards that I noticed were for Italian food, but not specifically for pizza.

Stopping short of the dining room greeting stand, I ordered my small cheese pie to go ($8.00) at the counter. My hopes rose like pizza dough when I spotted their conventional pizza oven. However, they started to sink when I had to go to the very bottom of the menu to find pizza. Further, it was labeled as Neapolitan. Skeptical, I asked, and they confirmed it to be thin-crust Neapolitan. The sight of the CPO still made me question whether this would be a true uncut and soggy Neapolitan pie.

The brisk but mild sunshiny day seemed just right for me to sample a slice or two out of my pizza box on a patio table out front. Thankfully, inside I found a very non-Neapolitan looking pizza! Classic in composition, it was properly cut into six slices, only three of which would wind up making the trip back home with me.

I grabbed my first piping hot slice and watched the steam float off in to the chilly Texas air while I burned the roof of my mouth. The first thing I noticed was the realization of my nephew the Tay-ster’s warning: Their pie was oily. It had a good coloring with a rich-looking tomato sauce and a golden-brown end and bottom crust. The cheese gave the appearance of possibly being a blend.

Eating away, I was pleasantly surprised to find Pastafina’s pie to be tasty, enjoyable and overall delicious. The crust though not darkened was still quite crisp and tastefully chewy. I confirmed that the Mozzarella was blended with some other cheese, but it was not overdone and distracting.

This restaurant with pizza as a sideline was certainly a real treat–especially after eating at some bad pizza joints in Forth Worth over the prior few days. If only a little thinner, crisper, and less oily, and this would be a great pizza. Unfortunately for Pastafina, as far as Weatherford pizza goes, Nizza is just too nearby to make anyone settle for the second best in town. However, if I was at Pastafina for an Italian dinner, one of their small pies would make an outstanding appetizer for the table to share.

PIZZA SNOB RATING ***1/2 Working on a Good Thing    

Pastafina Italian Restaurant
807 S. Main Street
Weatherford, TX  76086
817-599-5861
www.pastafinas.com

Since becoming official, The Pizza Snob has yet to spend any extended time in Memphis. Last year on our annual Christmas drive to Texas, I made a quick pit stop at the tasty Memphis Pizza Cafe.  Following suit this year, the trip landed me an unexpected visit to Little Italy.

With Ms. Pie staying back in Texas, it was just The Kid behind the wheel, The Philosopher sleeping in the back seat, and me. Hunger set in as it was getting dark on that Saturday evening. The Kid, who likes to eat healthfully, came up with a route through Memphis for us to grab some takeaway from Whole Foods.

The Kid’s “shortcut” took us seemingly forever along the busy commercial district of Union Avenue.  I spotted the words “NY-Style” atop a hole-in-the wall pizza joint at the end of an old strip center. I immediately made The Kid turn us around, and he parked the car right in front of Little Italy’s darkened store front. It was time for a quick slice.

Little Italy was bustling with activity. Since it only had a small room with a limited seating area, most of the pies were going out the front door as either deliveries or takeaways. I ordered a plain cheese slice at the counter for a total of $2.72 and took a seat. Looking around, I saw that they were pretty much a pizza, salads, and subs place although their menu also offered pasta, pizza rolls, and a few Italian deserts.

The first glance of my slice opened my eyes wide with anticipation. This seriously hot slice was put together slim and trim in truly classic proportion. But, I had to flop it into my mouth when I picked it up to eat. I immediately detected it was major mushy. Somewhere in the process of reheating, my slice lost any crispness it may have once possessed. Short of putting it in a microwave (which I didn’t notice), I’m not sure how they ruined this potentially brilliant slice of pizza. For otherwise, the cheese, sauce and oil were all fresh and delicious. Is this the way they always serve it, or did they just get sloppy and miss their chance to impress the Snob?

About half-way through, I took what remained on the white paper plate back to the car. The Kid, who has a good pizza-upbringing, immediately said, “Wow that looks like a ‘four’ to me!” I then let him have a bite to see for himself. He agreed with my Snob assessment—a slice that just did not live up to its potential. Finishing it off in the car, I found the pizza bones at the end good and chewy—another sign of this slice’s possibility.

We continued on our journey to Whole Foods where we, of course, did not get any pizza. Our quick stop at Little Italy was unfortunate, but, if I make it back to Memphis with more time on my hands, I will certainly give them another chance to prove themselves.

PIZZA SNOB RATING ***1/2 Working on a Good Thing    

Little Italy
1495 Union Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104
901-725-0280
[no website]

Original Review: 05/27/13
PIZZA SNOB RATING ****1/2 Nearer Perfection

The Pizza Snob is sad to report that you can no longer find a fun, great-tasting pizza experience just outside of Montgomery, AL. The pizza/speakeasy known as Capone’s Pizza & Subs is closed.

I am sure glad I got to taste their great pizza, and I wish former owner Bill Kennedy the best in his future endeavors.

NEW PIZZA SNOB RATING     R.I.P

Capone’s Pizza & Subs
4145 Highway 14
Millbrook AL 36054
334-285-5442
www.caponespizzansubs.com

Since crowning myself The Pizza Snob, I have made several trips back to my hometown of Bayonne, NJ. I now have written about eleven pizza places in the Peninsula City. As a result of my last trip home, readers have six more to look forward to. Even so, there are still enough pizza joints and bars selling pizza yet undiscovered for me to write about pizza in Bayonne until I’m old and gray. For a city of just over 60,000, Bayonne may very well sell more pies per capita than any city in the USA.

Lately, I have followed the leads of the Bayonne Facebook community. At the top was Mama Rosa Cucina Pizzeria. I had been there once for dinner and knew that it was an Italian restaurant that my family liked to frequent. That’s a good sign since Mom and Dad are fussy about the places they eat. But somehow Mama Rosa made their list—second only to their fave Italian place, San Vito. No one in the family ever spoke about Mama Rosa’s pies, so I thought I’d start off this trip by bringing one home for lunch.

Mama Rosa sits on the corner of Broadway and 36^th just at the end of midtown. As with any place on Broadway, it can be tough to find a parking spot. Be sure to have change to feed the meter! Inside, they work from a counter off to the right with a half-a-dozen or so dining tables off to the side. They sported side-by-side dual pizza ovens, conventional and brick. What a nice touch to cater to both those who like a good old traditional pie and those who like to fancy one up gourmet-style. Their menu follows suit and is split into two respective pizza sections. I noticed a few slices sitting out which surprisingly were of the gourmet genre. They also cater and deliver.

I did my usual and kept things simple by ordering a large plain cheese ($10.95) to go along with some Caesar salads with chicken. The extra nice wait-staff told me it would take fifteen minutes, and they delivered on time as if on a stopwatch! I usually try to eat at least one slice on site, but this time I chose to not keep the family waiting.

Back home, I opened the box to find a pie looking as classic as you’d expect in Bayonne. It had a slight disadvantage of having cooled down during my ride home. Nonetheless, it turned out to be a delightful pie made from textbook ingredients: delicious cheese and sauce atop tasty dough. Not overly flavored or seasoned, the sauce and cheese merged together hitting your taste buds exactly with the taste that you expected it to have. I would have preferred a crust that was perhaps a little crisper and less chewy.

I felt that something was missing from my analysis, so asked the Pizza Mom what she thought. “Not bad,” she said which for her means it was quite good. She did mention that it was dry. That was it! A little more olive oil would have not only provided some added flavor, but it also might have made the crust cook better. Still, Mama Rosa makes a great pie that I recommend you try.

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ****Near Perfection

Mama Rosa Cucina Pizzeria
795 Broadway (corner of 36^th Streets)
Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-823-0500
[no website]

The Pizza Snob’s alter-ego, Music City Mike, was on his way to do what he likes to do best—see live music. My destination as my alter-ego, Music City Mike was to the Outpost in the Burbs concert series in Montclair, NJ, to see Willie Nile. As always, The Pizza Snob was also in the mix setting his sights on a pre-show stop at Villa Victoria Pizzeria. Although I found some good things said about this joint on the web, I never expected to find such a pizza treasure in suburban Jersey.

Montclair sits about 20 miles west of Manhattan on the better side of Newark. Villa Victoria sits on a small side street just off the main commercial drag, Bloomfield Avenue. Parking in downtown Montclair just after rush hour is dear; however, I got lucky and found a spot in the small free lot alongside the place. On my way inside, I took my usual storefront photo and noticed that I startled one of the gentlemen sitting inside at the window eating a slice.

Villa Victoria is tiny. It has only a handful of seats along a counter at the front window and along the sides. There is a walk-up counter with a visible and bustling kitchen behind it. Coming upon a place this tiny and busy, I just knew it had to be good.

While there were plenty of people like me that were there just for a slice, the kitchen was quite busy filling to-go and delivery orders from their rather complete Italian menu. I ordered a plain cheese slice ($2.35) at the counter which they immediately put back in the oven to toast up for me. I then took it to a counter seat facing the window. My pizza sensors eagerly alerted me that I was about to get into something really good.

The first thing I noticed about this perfect-looking slice was that it was slightly larger than usual, an added bonus to the great experience about to come. My first bite revealed how fresh and zesty it tasted. This hot, enticing slice of perfect proportion was pleasantly dosed with flavorful spicing. I next gave praise to each of its components: the cheese, sauce and oil which were all flawless. My slice was cooked crisp and toasty–beautifully browned on the bottom–allowing me to execute a classic Fold and Rip. Wow! It was really hard for me not to have another slice, but time just didn’t permit.

As I was leaving, the young gentleman who saw me taking photos surprisingly approached and asked me if I was trailing him on behalf of his ex-wife. Even after ID-ing myself with my business card as The Pizza Snob, I somehow thought he still didn’t believe me. I doubt that she’ll ever see this, but his ex should take solace in the fact that he has excellent taste in pizza!

Being just a tiny, cramped hole-in-the wall, Villa Victoria may not be worth a special journey into the heart of Jersey. But, if you are ever in the area, it is one perfect slice of pizza that should not be missed!

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ***** Sets the Standard

Villa Victoria Pizzeria
11 Park Street Montclair, NJ 07042
973-746-4426
www.villavictoriapizzeria.com

Given that Brooklyn is currently the most-happening New York City borough, it’s easy to skip over the old haunts in favor of its new trendy districts. One such area is the busy commercial district that runs along 86th Street. The Pizza Snob found his way there one Saturday morning to finally visit one of the Holy Grails of Brooklyn pizza, L&B Spumoni Gardens.

Since 1939, L&B has a long history in which an immigrant Italian family’s spumoni ice cream business developed over the years into a landmark restaurant and pizza joint. I first heard about L&B as the place where Joey from Nashville’s Joey’s House of Pizza learned to make pie. His daughter Stephanie was the first to tell me about their legendary “upside-down Sicilian.

So Bro and I made the journey by car to Brooklyn finding L&B just a few blocks beyond where the elevated subway platform ends its reign over 86th. It was raining pretty heavily, but there was still quite a lunchtime crowd on hand. The adjacent free parking lot was full, but we waited just a few for someone to pull out. Ahead of us stood L&B’s three-building empire spread across most of the city block. Both the restaurant and luncheonette were closed at this hour, but the pizzeria was open and busy.

Even before you enter the pizza shop, a sign foreshadows the simple choices of your upcoming dining experience: Round or Sicilian (Square) by the slice or pie including a ½ option on the Sicilian tray with only five toppings available (sausage, anchovies, mushrooms, pepperoni and extra cheese).

Entering the small narrow shop, I felt as if I was walking into a pizza factory! There must be at least a dozen conventional pizza ovens along the left wall with no less than a half-dozen guys taking orders and cooking pies. The rear wall was lined with the largest collection of empty pizza boxes that I have ever seen!

Facing some intimidation at the counter to order quickly (so that’s where Nashville’s Joey learned how to be the “Pizza Nazi”) we unhesitatingly each ordered a slice of both kinds at $2.50 a pop. Needless to say, we didn’t have to wait long. Our round and square plates were promptly filled with hot slices right from the oven. We eagerly retreated to the far back end of the row of tables opposite the wall of ovens.

I couldn’t resist starting with the exotic-looking Sicilian—unofficially coined as “upside-down” since the sauce is on top of the Mozzarella cheese. It is a work of art that is no less delicious than it is beautiful. I lucked out with a nice end piece that was crispy on the edges and fluffy on the inside. The tasty sauce on top was lusciously laced with a touch of zesty Parmesan to bring it to life. Yummy and delicious—I was now wishing that I had ordered a pair!

The plain cheese on the other hand was just that—a bit plain, but nonetheless, made with excellence. Near perfection, but just a little bit rudimentary for a place as famous as this. Specifically, it was dryer and not as crisp as I prefer. Plus, the flour used in the crust had a different taste that I couldn’t put my finger on. That out-of-this world Sicilian was just a tough act to follow!

L&B is an absolute must visit for any pizza lover. It’s entry in to the Snob’s Hall of Fame is a given, but it is on the merits of the Sicilian. I am giving L&B my first ever split-rating. Again, don’t miss this place if you have a chance. I will be back, and maybe next time I will also try the ice cream next door!

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ***** Sets the Standard (SQUARE) / ****1/2 Nearer Perfection (ROUND)

L&B Spumoni Gardens
2725 86th Street Brooklyn, NY 11223
718-449-1230
www.spumonigardens.com

When Bro said that he could have eaten another slice after our visit to L&B Spumoni Gardens, he should have known that The Pizza Snob always has a another plan. On my list of Brooklyn joints to visit was Lenny’s Pizza. In business since 1953, John Travolta made Lenny’s famous in Saturday Night Fever, the 1977 movie about the disco days. In the film’s opening credits, Travolta’s on-screen character, Tony Manero, orders up two slices at Lenny’s window. He then proceeds to lay them atop one another and prance down 86th Street doing some “double-decking slice strutting.”

I was surprised when Siri told me that Lenny’s was also on 86th just a few miles from L&B. So, we headed back into the dense commercial district and found a parking spot right in front. It sits in the middle of the block under the noise of the elevated subway platform.

Lenny’s has been around since 1953 and is your typical East Coast pizza place offering and delivering the usual quick Italian wares (hot and cold heroes, pasta, and salads). The counter sported two layers of specialty slices under glass. Something that you didn’t see at the time of the movie was their awning trendily boasting “Whole Wheat Products and Health Plates.”

Not in a “double-decking” mood, we each ordered a single slice ($2.25) at the counter from the wait staff who all strangely wore red Cincinnati Reds baseball caps. Across from the counter, there it was as I expected—a picture of Travolta. A quick reheat of our slices, and we retreated to a table in the back.

My extra hot plain cheese slice looked spot-on perfect. I spotted a nicely-charred bottom crust as the slice folded perfectly right into my mouth. From first bite, I knew that Tony Manero was on to something—this was a killer slice of pizza! The top was seasoned with flavorful oregano and gently oiled. The aforementioned crust was crisp, chewy, and delicious. The fresh ingredients were all assembled in the perfect dimensions and, best of all, cooked with precision. Without a doubt, Lenny’s serves a classic Hall of Fame slice.

Bro, who can sound a bit like Tony Manero, agreed saying, “That was a good one!” Visiting Lenny’s may not have been on our agenda for the day, but it sure made our great pizza adventure even better. I urge you to give Lenny’s a try, and if you are game, go for the double-deck challenge. It’s now on my personal bucket list of things I need to do as The Pizza Snob.

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ***** Sets the Standard

Lenny’s Pizza
1969 86th Street Brooklyn, NY 11214
718-946-1292
www.lennys86.com

The Slice website offers a map of the twenty current New York City-Area Coal-Oven Pizzerias. The intense dry heat of a coal oven can produce a charred and crisp pizza crust that is delightfully delicious. I have heard it said that new locations are currently banned for environmental sake, and that a prospective pizza-maker can only inherit an existing one. However, another Slice article states that there is no such ban on the books, and the scarcity of coal ovens is due to the fact that they are merely a hassle to maintain. As you would expect, the Snob has his sights set on visiting all twenty.

The last time I was in Manhattan, my limited powers of observation finally noticed Arturo’s Coal Oven Pizza. This was despite the fact that I have probably driven by its location on the corner of West Houston and Thompson a million times. For the unfamiliar, Houston (pronounced “house – ton”) is a busy boulevard that serves as the dividing line between Greenwich Village and Soho. My desire to visit Arturo’s was recently heightened when a 1960’s photo of Bob Dylan walking past the place appeared on the cover of the booklet to his Another Self Portrait box set.

Early one Sunday evening, I made the journey into the quiet lower Manhattan to visit my fifth of the twenty coal ovens. Arturo’s has been around since 1957. Walking inside is like entering a timeless movie set of Manhattan in the last fifty years. The elegant red façade leads you into the front room where a live jazz trio plays amidst the busy classic wooden bar. Off to the right are two separate dining rooms. All three rooms are tight quarters fully adorned with old photos and bright colorful caricature-like artwork by Arturo himself. Although Arturo’s offers a fairly full Italian menu, just about everyone I saw was there for pizza.

Seated in the back room, I ordered a small Mozzarella ($17) after which I walked the rooms admiring the owner’s interesting artwork. My pie arrived with the coal oven charred look, but was surprisingly much thicker than I would have expected. Still feeling full from a late birthday lunch for Mom, my first thoughts upon seeing this pie was that it was way too heavy for my current appetite. Nonetheless, I didn’t hold back, and only half of the eight slices remained in the to-go box for Mom and Dad.

Arturo’s pie was about as red looking as I have ever seen with an extra dose of tomato sauce applied atop the scattered streaks of cheese below. The end crust was deeply charred black and crisp, almost to the point where you’d label them as burnt. Given this oven treatment, the slices stood up strong and firm supporting much more cheese and dough than I like to handle. This sucker was at least a half an inch thick! It’s a pie constructed more along the lines of what you’d get at a Mellow Mushroom and not a Manhattan pizza joint. Despite this major shortcoming, it still was a tasty dish attributable to the fine ingredients and the magic heat of the coal oven.

In comparing Arturo’s pizza to the other coal oven pies I have had in the past, I was surprised that it did not have as much coal flavor as the others nor was its crust as chewy. Arturo’s was a fun place to visit, but there’s much better and less heavy pizza to choose from in the city.

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ****Near Perfection

Arturo’s Coal Oven Pizza
106 W. Houston Street
New York, NY 10012
212-677-3820
www.arturoscoaloven.com

As the Snob has said before, it feels like I will never run out of new pizza places to try in my hometown of Bayonne, New Jersey. I took advantage of the mild winter weather one Sunday afternoon on my last trip back to walk around town and visit a few places for the first time.

I stumbled upon my first stop, a new place on Broadway just across from Bayonne Hospital. The very un-Italian sounding Ronny’s Pizzeria and Restaurant was so new that a “Grand Opening” banner still hung atop its storefront. Inside, I found a spacious newly-tiled and painted room full of tables and chairs with the usual walk-up counter overlooking the pizza oven. If my memory serves me well, another pizza joint stood on this spot before Ronny’s takeover and refurbishment.

Ronny’s offers a full menu of Italian wares, and their counter displayed an assortment of specialty slices. I stayed basic and ordered a $2.00 plain cheese which my host immediately reheated. The slice looked to be right out of the Bayonne guide to making pizza—thin and crisp with its ingredients in all the right proportions, although perhaps slightly smaller than usual.

Overall, Ronny’s was a delicious slice that went down quick—just three fast bites to get to the “Fold and Rip.”   I found Ronnie’s crust to be a little dry, and my slice tasted rather plain. This plainness got me to thinking whether some joints expect you to do all the spicing up yourself. Maybe that’s why they leave the oregano, garlic and parmesan cheese on the table. While the Snob thinks that the spicing should be left up to the pizza craftsman, it seems that the students of the Bayonne school of pizza are inconsistent about who should do the seasoning.

With so many pizza-lovers and places in Bayonne, most people tend to order their pies where it is most convenient. If I lived in this area, I would not hesitate to place an order from Ronny’s. But, it’s probably not a pizza that I’d go out of my way for.

PIZZA SNOB RATING     **** Near Perfection

Ronny’s Pizzeria & Restaurant
637 Broadway (between 29th and 30th Streets) Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-858-5777
[No website]

The next target of my Bayonne Pizza Blitz was just a block up Broadway from Ronny’s Pizzeria and Restaurant.  Brothers Pizza & Pasta was new to me, but many locals on the Bayonne Facebook page said great things about this family-owned and operated business.

Entering the small joint, I made my way through a packed house of young children celebrating a birthday party. Getting to the counter, I ordered the requisite $2.00 plain cheese slice while succumbing to the fact that there would be nowhere inside for me to eat it!  Aside from the facts that their room is small and that there is no counter space from which to scarf a slice, Brothers looked to be the usual generic Jersey pizza joint. They offered specialty slices and the usual things you would expect from a place like this. They do stretch out a bit in the pizza department by also offering pan and stuffed varieties.

While waiting, I watched the day’s San Francisco-Carolina NFL playoff game on the hanging flat screen. Joining me was the rather boisterous birthday dad who was diverting most of his attention to the game rather than the birthday party. These kids were on their own since that looked like their uncle who I encountered standing out front grabbing a smoke.

As they threw my slice in the oven for its reheat, I noticed that it looked a little smaller than usual, but it came out looking great with a generous coat of oil on top. The bottom was toasted crispy to reveal a delicately browned crust.

Each time I eat an unfamiliar slice, I start by finding the reasons why a slice might not get a perfect Snob score. I soon came to the conclusion that there was simply nothing wrong with Brothers’ slice. This one must have been made by an honors graduate from the Bayonne school of pizza-making!

Comparing this slice to some other Bayonne slices I found that the cheese had a slight run to it. When I think about it, I take this as a good sign that they used just the right amount of Mozzarella. The cheese needs to move a little! The delicious tomato sauce was boosted by a light flavoring of oregano which made for one tasty piece of pizza. The fact that I had to eat this one while standing outside on Broadway did not distract me enjoying the splendor of this slice. My Bayonne Facebook friends were right—Brothers slice is a true winner!

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ***** Sets the Standard

Brothers Pizza & Pasta
649 Broadway (between 30th and 31st Streets) Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-339-9500
http://brothersbayonne.com/

I resumed my Bayonne Pizza Blitz by heading across to Avenue A on the west side of town. Pizza Linos was another place recommended by the Bayonne Facebook page, located just a block away from Bayonne High School. Judging by their 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. weekday $1.00 slice special, I suspect they do a good after-school business despite there being another pizza place directly across the street from the school. They sell the usual stuff one finds at a place like this, and they surprisingly also serve a Philly cheese steak.

Linos is your typical Bayonne pizza joint—tables in the front and counter in the back overlooking the conventional pizza oven. Walking up to the counter, I thought that their specialty Philly cheese steak slice on display looked pretty tempting if I was into that kind of thing. Not wanting to shock my readers, though, I stuck with my normal cheese slice for the going Bayonne rate of $2.00.

I got there just before the 2 p.m. special kicked in, and they took my slice from a fresh whole pie sitting on the counter waiting for the students to arrive.  I waited a few minutes for my reheated slice, and on its arrival, my first thought was how economical Lino’s slice looked. It is a typical NY-style slice that is good and lean on all fronts—sauce, cheese and crust. Slices like this are a dream—they go down real fast and you can eat quite a few before filling up.

Lino’s slice could have used just a little more tomato sauce to suit my liking as well as some oregano or garlic flavoring. Ingredients aside, it was cooked perfectly—firm and crisp and nicely scorched on the bottom making for a tasty and chewy crust.

By Bayonne standards, this slice was super-thin, but a very good one. Had I not had other pizza plans for the day, I would have eaten a few more. Lino’s pie is one I’d certainly want to try again.

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ****½ Nearer Perfection
Pizza Linos
721 Avenue A (Between 31st and 32nd Streets)
Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-455-3032
[No website]

The Bayonne Pizza Blitz continued with a walk further up Broadway. La Guardiola Pizzeria & Bistro was another recommendation from the folks on the Bayonne Facebook page and is a bit more upscale than most of the pizza joints in town. It has a nice European-style café look. Its hip look and fancy tables made me wonder if I would even be able to grab a slice there. When I finally spotted some slices sitting on the counter, there was not a plain cheese in sight among the fancy ones on display. I really was not sure what I was getting myself into!

I asked for a plain slice ($2.00), and mysteriously one appeared out of nowhere. It was just out of sight and ended up looking just about as Bayonne-like as could be. After its reheat, it came out looking great in all the right proportions and with the traditional contents. The tomato sauce was plentifully applied, and the cheese was just a tad runny within acceptable limits. It was toasted just right with a nice scorch on the bottom that made it stand up firm and crisp.

The slice had perfect execution but was lacking in flavor somewhat. I didn’t see any condiments on display pointing me in that direction either. Maybe pizza places should post a sign saying “Apply Your Own Seasoning!” Although the oil on the surface was applied just right, as I got to the end, I found the pizza bones to be a little dry.

Looking around at the flair of this place, I thought it would be a great place for a full Italian dinner. Their van out front proudly boasts their catering biz.  When it comes down to it, however, La Guardiola stands up well as a place in Bayonne with a solid pizza slice that won’t do you wrong.

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ****½ Nearer Perfection

La Guardiola Pizzeria & Bistro
819 Broadway (Between 37th and 38th Streets) Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-823-3399
http://laguardiolabistro.com/

Walking back home from my Bayonne Pizza Blitz, I thought I was finished until I saw another place that was off my radar. This joint was just a block up from Brothers on the other side of the street. Thinking that I had room for another slice, I thought I’d give this place with an interesting name, Denapoli Krispy Pizza, a try. I found the thought of a crispy pizza quite enticing, so the appeal imbedded in their name worked!

I walked inside to find a sleek modern-looking interior with flashy tile and a violet neon “pizza” sign. Denapoli’s design was a diversion from the Bayonne pizzeria handbook despite its modest look from the outside. The sleek design was quite Spartan with bare walls and little else in sight. The napkins were even hidden behind the counter. Denapoli’s was also different in the price department:  Surprisingly, my plain cheese slice was only $1.50.

Things started off a bit strange when my slice came out so steaming hot I did not even want to touch it.  I could also tell that the cheese was fragile, and that I was going to have trouble keeping it on the crust. Overall it was cheesier and oilier than my liking. There was also a flaccid spot in the middle of the crust that caused some huge cheese slippage. In fact, when I was done, two large globs of cheese remained atop an oily paper plate.

The advertisement of “krispy” was certainly a disappointment since there was really nothing crispy about this slice at all–until I got to the crust which produced a crunch. Overall, this was disappointing for a Bayonne slice. It was even a little wider than usual making it harder to fold to help with the hot slipping cheese issue. Man, this slice was a mouth-scalder!

On the good side, the slice had a nice oregano flavoring, and when I could safely manage a bite without burning or making a mess on myself, it was quite tasty. Sorry, but there are too many better joints in Bayonne. I doubt I will go back to Denapoli.

PIZZA SNOB RATING     *** ½ Working on a Good Thing

Denapoli Krispy Pizza
674 Broadway (Between 31st and 32nd Streets)
Bayonne, NJ 07002
201-823-3500
[No website]

In January, the newly launched Music City Center announced the addition of two adjoining food places to their convention facility: a Dunkin’ Donuts and a pizza place called Al Taglio. These two establishments sit on the southwest corner of the gigantic downtown center at Fifth Avenue South and Korean Veterans Boulevard. Both places are accessible from the street directly opposite the new sleek Omni Hotel and its resident, styled-out Bongo Java local coffee shop. A news release stated that the concept for Al Taglio (Italian for “by the cut”) was created by a hospitality firm for the Center. Ownership was not disclosed.

On a cold wintery afternoon, I invited my friend, former boss and fellow pizza lover there for lunch. We quickly discovered that this is a tough place for locals to visit without having to drop a wad for parking. With the metered space on the Boulevard full, the cheapskate in me led us to find a free spot several blocks away–one that only a downtown parking warrior could find!  Once inside, it was apparent that Al Taglio’s was primarily created as a “captive” location for conventioneers, being quite crowded with many name tag wearing out-of-towners.

Al Taglio’s clean and modern look was clearly designed to fit with the classy Omni. It features a full service bar even though it is a small room with only a few tables both inside and out. On this busy day, seats at the bar were our only option, and they came with the downside of the occasional blast of cold outside air from an opening door.

They call their pizza “Roman-style,” but it looked like Sicilian—or “square,” as they call it in pizza country. Ordering at the counter, we came upon their slice display with four choices laid out on what looked like a giant baking sheet. I chose the “Rosso” with its mix of tomato sauce and Mozzarella and Pecorino cheeses which was their proxy for a plain cheese slice. I ordered a pair ($4.00 each) but passed on adding a $7.50 salad not wanting to blow twenty bucks on lunch after adding a bottle of water. Captive-pricing indeed!

Seeing the slices on the baking sheet led me to believe they were hot and ready to go.  Much to my surprise, they loaded all four of our good-sized slices into a TurboChef convection oven to be reheated. Looking like a microwave on steroids, I was afraid what this contraption would do to my slices.  Sure enough, they looked a lot better before they went in! The after version looked like a “melt” over a thick slice of bread. Fortunately, the convection heat did not dry out the pizza like a microwave would have.

Despite the look, I found the slice to be quite fresh and tasty. By request, I got two corner slices and soon found that the crispy end crust was by far the best part. The middle was too bread-like and airy, and I felt like I was eating cheese on bread. The dough was also not as traditional tasting as a Sicilian.  While it was tasty, I am really not a blended-cheese guy and found the Pecorino too strong and pungent for my taste.

With Al Taglio, the Center did a great job of maintaining its upscale image tie-in with the Omni. While I did not dislike this pizza, I certainly did not like it enough to go through all the hassle again. I even passed on a return visit when I was held captive downtown for a two-day meeting at the Omni. Al Taglio’s Roman style doesn’t really seem to be my thing, and after all, both Joey’s and Manny’s are only a short hop away!

PIZZA SNOB RATING ***1/2 Working on a Good Thing    

Al Taglio Nashville
321 5^th Avenue S. (at Korean Veteran’s Boulevard) Nashville, TN  37203
615-401-1390
www.altaglionashville.com

OK, so I get it. Neapolitan style is the traditional way pizza is made in Italy, and the pies are baked in wood burning ovens using the finest imported ingredients. That doesn’t mean I have to like it.

DeSano Pizza & Bakery arrived in Nashville a few years ago to much fanfare. (They also have locations in Charleston and Los Angeles.) Hearing that they served Neapolitan (my least favorite type of pizza, just below frozen) gave me zero interest in going there. Despite encouragement from those who had been, I didn’t even care to know where the place was.

Recently, I had to drop off an eBay item to someone working just off Music Row. While looking for a parking spot, I chanced upon DeSano’s behind the tall office building near the stupid looking statues in the Music Square Circle. Hungry with some time to kill, I thought I would give it a try. What did I have to lose other than a few bucks for a pie I may not like?

DeSano’s occupies a single story building set to the rear of its small parking lot which happened to be full.   I found an empty meter on the street close by. I chuckled at the display of their hours: “11:30 a.m. until the dough runs out.”  That comment was as cool as their spectacular layout: a small entry room on the left where you order and pay and a casual dining area off to the right.  The spacious seating area full of family style picnic tables in full view of three giant wood-burning pizza ovens named after Italian cities.   The large menu on the wall offered a selection of traditional and specialty pies. Their only other items are Calzones, salads and desserts. Both beer and wine are available. They advertise take-away.

I ordered a small Margherita pie for $12, took my number (a pizzeria first for the Snob), and grabbed a seat at an empty table where I witnessed the family-friendly appeal of the place. At this hour there seemed to be a lot of children there enjoying the experience of seeing their pizza prepared in the open room. My number was soon up, and my pie came quickly. Cut into eight small slices, it came served on a silver cafeteria-style tray.

The pizza was similar to one that I recently had at Bella Nashville Pizzeria over in the Farmers’ Market. Given that I’m a New York-style pizza guy, and that Neapolitan just isn’t my thing, I do have to say that DeSano’s serves a pizza that is fresh with good quality ingredients. Overall it is a tasty dish, and I enjoyed the fresh flavor of both the Mozzarella and the tomato sauce. I didn’t touch the four big basil leaves on top since they looked to be more for show than for my stomach.   There wasn’t much oil to detect which was a good thing. Over-oiling a Neapolitan can make it nothing more than a container for a soupy mess of tomato sauce. Unfortunately, the pie was limp and not chewy. This lifeless crust is what I find so unappealing about this kind of pizza.

I’m sure these pies taste better when they are loaded with a bunch of wild toppings which just isn’t for me. Maybe that’s why I should just stick to eating at New York-style pizza joints. But living in Nashville, I just had to give this DeSano’s a try. I can now consider that done, and whenever I feel like a diversion for something different, I’ll visit Brooklyn for a zesty coal oven Margherita pie.

PIZZA SNOB RATING ***1/2 Working on a Good Thing    

DeSano Pizza & Bakery
115 16th Avenue S. Nashville, TN  37203
615-953-1168
www.desanopizza.it
 

Since the great food truck explosion at the turn of the century, the Pizza Snob has had only a few four-wheeled pizza experiences. A few years ago, I tried a truck at the Germantown Festival that I never saw again. Before I took to blogging about pizza, I had a few slices at the great PizzaBuds Truck that has since vanished. Now, there is a new pizza truck in Nashville called Crankees Pizzeria. Unlike the other two that served New York-style slices, Crankees brings Neapolitan style to the mobile pizza scene.

This year’s Record Store Day extravaganza at Grimeys New and Preloved Music was made even better by adding a parking lot full of local food trucks. Despite my general disfavor for Neapolitan pie, my taste buds yearned for some cheese and sauce, and I couldn’t resist the urge. So, in between loading up on special record releases and the afternoon of free music in Grimey’s parking lot, I had my first crack at Crankees.

It is quite a sight to see a full-blown wood-fire pizza oven in the back of a converted truck—especially one that fires up to 905 degrees! Crankees serves up 10-inch pies in four different varieties. I stayed simple with the $9 Margherita. Made fresh-to-order, it didn’t take long as their hot oven lived up to its claim to cook a pie in just 90 seconds.  Mine came out looking great—especially how the end crust looked charred, crisp and enticingly crunchy. Of concern was the center which looked a little runny with a collection of tomato sauce and olive oil.

Overall the pie was hot, fresh and tasty. In true Neapolitan style, it was generally thicker in crust and cheese than I prefer.  But taste wise it was quite satisfying—much more so than my recent experience at the much-heralded DeSano. In fact I’d say that this is as good as this kind of pizza gets for me. The tomato sauce was downright delicious with flavorful overtones of fresh basil and olive oil. But what really gave this Neapolitan an upgrade in my book was its chewy and slightly crunchy bottom crust—the place where these pies generally disappoint me most.

It seems that there are not too many pizza trucks around since schlepping a pizza oven around is no easy doing. Crankees manage it well, and you can follow the whereabouts of their truck through the schedule on their website. You will be glad that you did.

PIZZA SNOB RATING     ****Near Perfection

Crankees Pizzeria
(mobile pizza truck)
Nashville, TN
615-715-4315
http://crankeespizzeria.com

Route 440, referred to as the “back highway,” is a four-lane stretch of road running alongside Newark Bay from the end of Bayonne through most of Jersey City. It features an ever changing flow of retail establishments. Stadium Pizza is on the bayside near the Danforth Avenue in Stadium Plaza. Although their menu displays an image of the ancient Roman Coliseum, the “stadium” referenced by both the center and restaurant is the late Roosevelt Stadium.

Roosevelt Stadium which once stood nearby was a historic place where Jackie Robinson famously first broke the color barrier in baseball’s minor leagues in a game against the old Jersey City Giants. In the late Seventies before its demise, the dilapidated old place was where we watched high school football games and big-time rock concerts. (One memorable show there was Crosby, Stills Nash and Young on the night Nixon resigned.) Its parking lot was a place where couples “parked” and where you took your drivers’ test. But today in place of these memories stands a housing development called Society Hill.

Now that I’ve gotten all nostalgic and cleared that up, we can talk about pizza. Stadium Pizza sits on the end of a row shops anchored by a Pathmark supermarket. This generic joint’s menu includes everything you’d expect with classic New York-style pizza serving as its main calling card.  There’s a walk-up counter and casual seating (Formica booths and tables) in the front and a fancier dining room with wooden tables and chairs in the rear.

There was a busy weekday lunchtime crowd there when I arrived including a police car parked out front. I took that as a good sign since local cops know all the good places to eat! My plan was to take something home for the folks after first grabbing two slices while I waited.  I sheepishly asked the gal at the counter how the pie was as I placed my order.  She gingerly told me “Oh, it is good!” Some slices were sitting out there waiting for me, and for two bucks a pop they fired them up for me in their twin conventional pizza oven.

The gal was right—Stadium’s pie hit a home run out-of-the-park!  The slices were perfect in terms of construction. Text book correct.  The tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and olive oil were all delicious, fresh and tasty, topped with a pleasant seasoning of oregano. A little drippy with oil and majorly hot, my first slice became a bit of a battle with cheese slippage and minor damage to the roof of my mouth. After I let things cool down a bit, I was able to control my second slice much better.

These slices are just about as good as you can get. I left a truly happy man with the roof-of my mouth scalded just enough to remind for the rest of the day about the great pizza lunch I had in Jersey City.

PIZZA SNOB RATING ***** Sets the Standard

Stadium Pizza
321 New Jersey 440
Jersey City, NJ 07305
201-434-0100
[no website]

Courtesy of a business trip, the Pizza Snob made his first trip to London in almost twenty years. While planning my visit, I simply could not resist the temptation to have my first international pizza-eating experience. A web search for “New York-style pizza in London” led me right to Mulberry Street where they boasted of being the only such place in London and being voted the “No. 1 Pizza in South East” by The Times.

My expectations were lower than low. The photos of their pie did not look appealing. They also took their name from the main street in Manhattan’s Little Italy—a place where you will find lots of great Italian food but not a single pizza joint. I wondered how bad their pizza would be considering the likelihood that they would not have access to the proper ingredients. Would it be the wrong cheese, sauce or dough? Or would it be a complete disaster?

After checking in at my flat, my enthusiasm made Mulberry Street my first London destination. It was quite easy to locate and was just a short walk from the Bayswater tube station. Upon my arrival I encountered two small problems: they had yet to open for noontime lunch and they were cash-only. I took a short trip back to the high street where I killed a few minutes converting some dollars for pounds. I was now ready.

The room was small and seated only about a dozen. The counter seating was lined with empty china plates. I was their first customer of the day and was surprised to see that they sold slices in addition to 10-inch and 20-inch pies.  I ordered a single slice of Margherita for £2.75. Pizza of various types is their specialty, but they also offer other items such as salads and pastas. I could not see how they were making my slice, so I was not sure if it was being individually constructed or coming out of a whole pie.

It took several minutes for my slice, to arrive, and I was relieved to see that they were using a conventional pizza oven.   Their contradiction of categorizing NY-Style with the name of something more akin to Brooklyn gave me some concern.  My eyes could not believe what I saw:  Served up on a china plate (without a knife and fork) was a spot-on perfect looking New York slice! Without hesitation, I folded it and bit in to find a slice so good that I felt transported across the ocean! The ingredients were all classic in taste and downright delicious. The crust was cooked to perfection—crisp and charred on the bottom. The tip of the slice may have been slightly flaccid from a tad too much oil (my slice was what I like to call a “drainer”), but I didn’t mind. The end crust was a little dry; nonetheless, it was good and crunchy. Without a doubt, this was a fabulous slice of pizza—hot, fresh and tasty!

After finishing, I spotted the cook behind the counter. I told him that I was from New York and asked him where he learned to make such great pizza. He replied only with a blushing smile—he knew he was making good pizza!

I had meetings with several ex-Patriots over the next few days and shared with them the joys of my discovery. I have a feeling that Mulberry Street is going to see quite a few more homesick Americans stopping in for a quick slice. I can’t yet speak from experience, but I just can’t imagine there being a better slice of pizza in all of England. Likewise, the pizza of Mulberry Street would hold its own anywhere in the United States. What a truly unexpected experience this was.

PIZZA SNOB RATING ****1/2 Nearer Perfection
Mulberry Street
47 Moscow Road
London W2 4AH, UK
44 20 7313 6789
www.mulberrystreet.co.uk