SADLY, CO. IS NOW CLOSED.
I have been to Co. or Company three times now. And what’s so funny about that is, I don’t love it. There are so many restaurants in the city for me to try, so why do I repeat one of the more mediocre ones? It’s all part of the job, my friend.
I first ventured to Co. shortly after they opened. I was a fan of Jim Lahey (Sullivan Street Bakery) and wanted to see what all the hype was about. I remember good pizzas but terrible service. Then I returned during my official pizza search across the city. You can read my review here. And now TONY brings me back once again to this little corner in Chelsea to try one of the pizzas I never tasted, the Popeye.
The Popeye Pizza features the same chewy, charred crust that Lahey blesses all of his pies with. They’re similar to the ones at Motorino and Kesté and are also baked in a wood oven for just two or three minutes. To me, the big difference with Co.’s pizza is the lack of culinary skill in composing a balanced delicious blend of toppings. There is no denying that the crust is amazing, but I’d be happier just eating their Pizza Bianca (just the bread with olive oil and salt) than spending a fortune on one of their fancier and overpriced pizzas.
But the Popeye was on the list, so we had to have it. Of course, spinach figures prominently in the dish. In fact, the slightly wilted greens cover the width of the pie. Underneath, there is mozzarella, pecorino, grueyere, black pepper, and garlic. But to be honest, I couldn’t taste much beside the bland spinach and the rich cheese combo. I was hoping there’d be more sharpness from the pecorino (in order to balance the rest of the cheese). And there was garlic here? Where? My guess is that it was rubbed on the crust or mixed with the cheese. I doubt it was used to season the wet spinach because it had no flavor! I’m afraid Jim Lahey is giving spinach a bad name. It reminded me why kids don’t like to eat the wet, soggy vegetables.
And the biggest problem with all this was how overpriced the restaurant is. We ordered an artichoke salad for $12. It was maybe six pieces of artichoke hearts with a handful of shaved parmesan, and a sprinkling of arugula. For 12 bucks? Seriously! This is a pizza joint. I’m not here for tasting portions. I’m here to fill up on the food and get my money’s worth.
I may be in the minority here (and I think it’s because diners get blinded by that delicious bready crust), but I just don’t like Co. I’ve given it three tries now and unless I search for the best bread in the city, I think that was their last chance for me.
Would Co.’s Popeye make my Top 100 of the year? I love the bread, but the toppings and pizza as a whole suffer from bland, poorly executed composition giving this a 5 out of 10.
