Pizza

And Video Rentals, To Boot!

In previous posts, I’ve called Ray’s the McDonald’s of NY pizza chains and Patsy’s the Starbucks. And now I come to another visible NY pizza empire and the question arises, what recognizable corporation can I compare Two Boots to? And after much consideration, I guess they’d have to be the Urban Outfitters – they’re hip, …

Pizza

A Coal New World

There are so many different possibilities with pizza. You can have thin crust, thick crust, white, deep dish, stuffed, vegetarian, organic, kosher, leftover. The variations are endless. And what’s great (but daunting for me) is that New York seems to offer every single option. One type of pizza that was completely foreign to me was …

Pizza

Pie-dentity Crisis

SADLY, CO. IS NOW CLOSED. About a year ago, the hip new pizza movement in New York City became evident when Jim Lahey opened a spare, homey pizza restaurant in Chelsea with lots of natural lighting. Lahey is first and foremost a baker and has been making delicious pizza-like concoctions at Sullivan Street Bakery for years. …

Pizza

Taste of the Mediterranean (Sea, that is)

When you think of pizza, generally the ingredients that come to mind are cheese, tomato, bread, basil, maybe pepperoni or sausage, mushrooms or anchovies, maybe even olives and garlic. Thanks to California Pizza Kitchen, pineapple and BBQ chicken aren’t so far-fetched. But one ingredient that is often involved but not predominant is salt. Well, the …

Pizza

A Tri-fecta of Mistakes

Even self-proclaimed foodies like myself have been known to make mistakes. They don’t happen often, but most of my mistakes come from ordering food. That’s probably why I’m so neurotic when it comes to choosing an entree. I want to make sure I try the best option on offer. “Live today like it’s your last, …

Pizza

Another Pizza the Puzzle

SADLY, RAY’S PIZZA IS NOW CLOSED. You’re traveling through another dimension, a dimension of many pizzerias all claiming to be the original and famous Ray’s. A journey into a wondrous city of entrepreneurs who have no imagination. That’s the red font up ahead and the aroma of cheesy grease – your next stop, the (Pizza) Pie-light …

Pizza

Changing of the Pizzaiolo

Unless you inherited one or were grandfathered in, it is illegal to own and use a coal-burning oven. It’s bad for the environment and it’s competition for the likes of Grimaldi’s and Lombardi’s. We don’t want any black lung or broken knee caps. You can imagine whenever a coal-burning pizzeria closes, many budding NY pizzaioli …

Pizza

Art and Science and Pizza

Things are constantly changing in this city. It feels like more so than the rest of the world. There’s always a new fashion, a new restaurant, a new Apple Store, a new cockroach tormenting my roomates. The art and science worlds are two that never seem to stop evolving. Technology is constantly surpassing us to …

Pizza

Lost at Serafina

According to their website, the owners of Serafina were lost at sea and swore if they ever got rescued, they’d open up an Italian restaurant. Can you imagine Tom Hanks in Cast Away telling Wilson the volleyball that all he wants to do if he is rescued is open up a chain of Red Lobsters? …

Pizza

The Undiscovered Pizza

It’s the dream of every foodie to discover a secret unexploited gem. Something that people will be talking about and will push the business to the next level. Of course, that and to be a contestant on Supermarket Sweep. (Is that show even still on the air?) I want to announce to the world (wide …