The Premium Life

I have always had a passion for pizza.

I adore this simple, international, delicious food…a hot, cheesy, crisp-crust pizza, accompanied by a fresh mixed green salad and a cold, frosty beer rarely disappoint.

There are so many pizza styles – Neapolitan, New York Neapolitan, Chicago, Sicilian, Grandma, New Haven…and the list goes on and on.  Thickness, shape, preparation, ingredients and texture are all unique to the particular style – a veritable Shangri-la for “foodies” or the adventurous that are willing to explore the full spectrum.

Here are a few suggestions of pizza spots that I have recently had the pleasure to enjoy …I urge you to do some pizza exploration on your own and get back to me with your favorites…

Frank Pepe is my “go to” pit stop when traveling from New York to Boston.  The original joint located on 157 Wooster street (a mini Little Italy) in New Haven, has been a pizza Mecca since 1925. No frills necessary when you produce some of the best Napolitano pizza in the nation.

There are no menus– just a white board on the wall with the options of small, medium or large, original tomato pie, and a list of additional toppings. You can’t go wrong with the classic cheese but the signature Pepe favorite is the white clam pizza. The sauce is garlic and whole clams (including the bellies) is cooked to perfection. The crust is blackened from the scorching coal oven in the back. Whatever combo you prefer will likely not disappoint. Too bad I only make it there a few times a year.

Newly opened Co. (24^th and 9^th avenue) has been the talk of New York for the past few months.  Co is owned by the same owners of the famous Sullivan Street Bakery, whose bread has been pleasing New Yorkers for years. I was pleasantly surprised across the board: the service, décor, music selection, menu, and the pizza were all top notch.

The clean sleek wooden ambience was a nice contrast with the rustic menu. Highlights include;  the Ribolita, a classic Tuscan bread and bean soup, the great selection of salads and the small, but thoughtful assortment of “toasts” – I ordered the roasted red pepper toast, which arrived with a heaping mound of peppers that were deliciously seasoned with herbs, capers and olive oil. I always enjoy a salad with a pizza, so I opted for an arugula with shaved parmesan and artichokes salad. It was simple, and the flavors were balanced from the bitterness of the greens, the sharpness of the cheese and the peppery taste of the vinaigrette.

Now to the pizza…

Co. embraces the Neapolitan style of pizza. The use of a gas-fired earthstone oven sets this establishment apart from others who have pursued the Neapolitan ideal.  While this particular style of pizza has had huge success recently amongst pizza loving New Yorkers, I have always had an affinity for a crisp crust, with just the slightest taste of the oven that it was baked in – generally the Neapolitan style is slightly too chewy for my taste.  This dilemma is easily solved with a slight change in the typical preparation; I simply ask for my pizzas well done, or extra crispy when enjoying a Neapolitan style pie.

It is clear from the menu that the owners of Co. love fresh ingredients;  I chose the meatball pie, which is served with caramelized onions, buffalo mozzarella, Italian black onions and veal meatballs. Wow! I also ordered the Rosa pie, which is a little lighter – tomato sauce, garlic, oregano and ask for a side of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. For desert, I chose to indulge and tried the Banana Split, which is huge and perfect for a group to share. Iif you prefer something sweet but don’t have the room after the pie, just top the meal off with the comfort of a chocolate walnut cookie with a side of milk.

In the delivery department, I recently tried two spots, both of which were great.

Delivery is tricky, because even if you love the pizza when you eat it in a restaurant, it can be an entirely different experience by the time it arrives at your door.  I tried Gotham Pizza (144 9^th Ave and 19^th). The entire order was crisp, fresh and perfectly spiced. Although I love the variety of toppings the simple plain pie made me swoon…no need to add any of the usual condiments: oregano, garlic salt, or parmesan. It was all baked in and executed impeccably.

Two Boots (multiple locations in New York) is perfect for a quick slice. Any of the eight locations are a great option for delivery. With a variety of original and somewhat wacky combinations, they get it right. The cornmeal crust holds up well during the delivery time and it adds a grainy texture to the crust. The original partners love for Cajun cuisine and culture has a distinct presence on the menu: Bayou Beats pie with bbq shrimp, crawfish, aundouille, jalapeno & mozzarella and the variety of Po Boy sandwiches. If you aren’t in an adventurous mood to sample their specialty pizzas, they offer a large list of topings to create your own pizza.

Whatever your pizza preference might be, there is likely a style that you will enjoy…don’t be afraid to explore this fun, reasonably priced, and, most importantly, delicious food.

As always,  for assistance in planning your next experience please contact the Premium team at www.premiumlg.com

Eat well!

This entry was posted on Monday, July 27th, 2009 at 11:33 am and is filed under dining. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.