Angela's Pizza List

One woman's quest to try every pizza she possibly can... get delivered. GOAL: Try at least 52 different pizza from my neighborhood in 2012 and write a haiku for each one. Dream big, kids! FOLLOW ME! http://twitter.com/angela_mayans #pizzalist

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Pizza #24: Daniela's

Sometimes you like-a the sausage and sometimes you like-a the pizza and sometimes you like-a to get them together like the #pizzalist pizza a la salsaiccia I got from Daniela's. Sometimes. 

Here we are again, back in-a Pizzatown!

Sometimes you get-a this pizza and it satisfies-a your hunger. But eat it quick because it doesn't keep-a for very long-a. Not-a recommended for reheats, but who needs-a reheats when you have-a need for one-sitting big eats!

What's with the spacing here, Daniela? C'mon...

Sometimes you just do-a silly voices, for-a no discernable reason, but-a hey, as my grandmama always said, different-a strokes for-a different-a folks. Haiku!

Sliced sausage sweetens

a cheesy, chomp-worthy pie.

Forgive a bland crust?

-Ang

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Pizza #23: Mario's Trattoria

I've never actually met anyone named Mario, but if I did I would shake his hand*. Marios have already given us the best video games, AC Slater, and a love of orange crocs and socks, and today they give us #pizzalist pizza number twenty-three, the Pizza Bianca from Mario's Trattoria.   

Speaking of AC Slater, we see the revival of the Saved By The Bell-style pizza box...

Most white pies have very distinct cheese regions. The mozzarella dominates the landscape with islands of ricotta lumped here and/or there. This can be delicious, as it gives you the opportunity to savor each of the different cheeses independently with each bite.

Mario skimped on slicing, but not on flavor.

Mario's pizza bianca is more egalitarian with its cheeses however, mixing the ricotta with the mozzarella somewhat evenly in a pas-de-deux of cheesy goodness. I appreciated this; I delighted in this, both mentally and physically. Each slice danced into my mouth culminating in a standing ovation from the full house that was my cheese-filled stomach post-pizza. My heart's gone gooey for Mario's melty cheeses. HAIKU TIME!

White, like driven snow

Evenly distributed

cheese, like polar bear

-Ang

*Granted, I shake most people's hands when I meet them, so this shouldn't be TOO shocking, but you get the "point".

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Pizza #22: Ziglioni's Pizza Bar

If you're a pizzalover- and I assume either you are and that's why you're here or you're just stalking me*- and you appreciate a crackery crust with quality ingredients, check out #pizzalist pizza-maker Ziglioni's Pizza Bar.

A classy box for a classy pizza.

They fancy. Oh yeah they real fancy. How fancy, you ask? So fancy my pizza wasn't even in English. Nope, I ordered the Ai Carciofi e Tartufo Pizza which must translate to "mmmmm oh yeah nom nom nom nom nom want more" and contained mozzarella, artichoke, Pecorino Romano, truffle oil, sans sauce. Brilliant.

A slighty charred crust makes for some crunchy good eats!

Some folks disagree with a no-sauce pizza but some folks ain't me. I love it, and Ziglioni's did an excellent job of loading up the cheese and toppings while maintaining the integrity of its wafer-thin crust. If anything, they could have been a little less heavy handed with the truffle oil, but that's such a #firstworldproblem that I hesitate to even mention it. Haiku time!

Shaved Pecorino,

Cheesey, artichoke pizza

No sauce for me, thanks.

-Ang

*Which is fine too. I find it quite flattering when dolls are made out of my hair. 

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Pizza #21: L'Allegria Restaurant

For the twenty-first pizza of #pizzalist history, I ordered the prosciutto and pineapple pizza from L'Allegria Restaurant. The prosciutto was a tasty way to up the class-factor on what would otherwise be a typical common man's Hawaiian pie (and that extra class was needed since the rest of the night involved a group of twenty-somethings playing Truth or Dare). Also, this pizza featured maximum cheesiness which is always a plus for me.

I want to live in Pizzaland where the pizza is always rising in the distance...

I won't be long-winded since I'm a little behind on my #pizzalist, so let me put it this way: I am sad that I have too many other pizzas to eat such that I will not be having this one again any time soon. But that doesn't mean you can't have it, dear pizza-loving readers, and I highly encourage you to do so.

Truth or dare pizza

Truth, this pizza is yummy.

Dare, order again!

-Ang

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Pizza #20: Original Pronto Pizza

Very rarely are you ever going to hear me say that you are better off NOT having pizza than even having the most pathetic $.99 shame slice*, because very rarely is that true. Well, today is one of those sad days, pizza friends. Don't bother with #pizzalist's Original Pronto Pizza unless you hate your stomach and want to commit suicide by pepperoni grease. 

"Best Pizza in Town", if you're really into vomiting and heart disease.

On the one hand I was excited about this pizza as it was chock full 'o cheese, they didn't waste any space on unnecessary crust, and the pepperonis were speecy-spicy**. Then I picked it up and the pools of grease that had formed on top began cascading about me like a waterfall of wasted opportunity. We can put a man on the moon, people. We can make a cheesey pizza that doesn't have to be dabbed at with a napkin like a d-bag***.

They can't all be winners. I'm sure even in heaven there's a crappy part of town with bad traffic.

This pizza left me feeling ill, which for most people who don't ignore their evolutionary instincts is a sign to not eat it any more, but I'm an American, so I gave it another shot reheated the next day. Same story. Turns out death pizza doesn't suddenly become quality over night thanks to any magical properties of my refrigerator.

Sigh. Such is life. Let my story be a warning to you, fair pizza eaters, and steer clear of the Original Pronto Pizza. Now, who's hungry for a haiku??

Pepperoni grease

Drips, like tragic pizza tears

Sorrowful belly

-Ang

*About as rarely as Lindsay Lohan successfully completes a court sentence. #topicalhumor

**For those of you who don't speak it, that's Italian for "kinda spicy".

***D-bag= dabbing-bag. One whose "bag" is to "dab".

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Pizza #19: Capizzi Pizzeria

One of the beauties of #pizzalist, other than the obvious I-get-to-eat-pizza-all-the-time thing, is that it is centered upon my natural desire to be lazy. In other words, every pizza gets delivered, to me, in my home, where I probably look like a hobo because I'm sitting around in my knickers unwashed and watching back-to-back episodes of Rescue Me. It's the American Dream. It's that kind of luxury and freedom that my father came to this country to give me*, so darn it, it is a veritable PILLAR of the #pizzalist model.

Well, father, I let you down and actually went OUT for this #pizzalist pizza at Capizzi Pizzeria. Turns out, there are benefits to this novel concept of actually eating pizza in-house. They include (but are not limited to) being able to enjoy the house Montepulciano and these whimsical menus. 

He's half tongue-licking pervy, half I-wanna-give-him-a-hug. Thus, you win, perv. 

While Capizzi runs on the pricier side of things, they had some delicious offerings, including the prosciutto and arugula pizza I shared with an old friend. Brass tacks: quality ingredients, heaping prosciutto, cracker-y crust, light on the sauce, could've used a liiiiiitle more cheese**, all-around winner in my book***. 

You may notice they've employed the "Trodgor method" of slightly burninating the crust edges.

Moral of the story: if you've got a few extra bucks in your pocket and you're looking for a fancy pizza, ignore the fact that it's located in Hobotown underneath Port Authority and visit Capizza Pizzeria****. Trust me, once you're inside, you'll forget you're in Hobotown and feel like you've transported to beautiful Flavor City*****. Haiku!

Old friends catching up

over a decadent pie

Sweet, the memories.

-Ang

*That, and GoGurt. No GoGurt in Cuba.

**Because this is America.

***Or e-book, as 'twere these days.

****Maybe take a tin of baked beans as a peace offering, just in case you do get cornered. 

*****If you're lucky, you might spot some bum fights on your way out of the neighborhood. Dinner AND a show!

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Pizza #18: Rosa's Pizza

I'm going to be honest with you, because you deserve that. Readers, I'm going to give it to you straight. No BS, no fancy language; heck, I'm not even convinced I will use multi-syllabic words.

In fact, I'm about to use NO multi-syllabic words to tell you about Rosa's Pizza*. 

One of the worst oft-used box schemes out there. Where did they make this pizza, "The Max***"???

I drank some wine with friends. Scratch that. I drank a good deal of wine with friends. We sat on my roof, on a nice day, and did this. At the end of the day, we had a need for pizza to give weight to our tums. You know what I mean.

Rosa's Pizza hit the spot. 

Some may call it "drunk food". I just call it food.

Top marks for thick cheese and a crust of dough. Low marks for style and sauce. At times, sauce just ends up a waste of time; a thing that does not add to a pizza, a thing that just makes the bits on top not stick in place. This was one of those times. But all in all? She did the trick. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand - HAIKU!

A day in the sun,

Anchored in pepperoni.

Again, next weekend?

-Ang

*Except for "Rosa's" and "pizza", obviously. Don't be ridiculous**.

**And the haiku is exempt. Just want to cover my bases before one of you #pizzalisters gets all snarky barky with your syllable-counting malarky. 

***http://bit.ly/Llmljw

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Pizza #17: Rocky's Brick Oven Pizza

Rocky's Brick Oven Pizza had a lot to live up to. This was the first American pizza I ordered following my much-anticipated trip to the Mecca of pizzadom- Italy*. For nearly two weeks I gorged myself on some of the finest, tastiest, most authentic pizzas this little green and blue planet of ours has to offer**, and suddenly I found myself back in the mundane world of the everyday pizza...

That being said, Rocky's Brick Oven Pizza delivered. Its thin, cracker-like crust and fresh chunky ingredients could just as well have been served at a sidewalk ristorante in Napoli. 

I saw several ristorantes in Italy whose tables were weirdly across the street, so even the box is authentic!

I recommend the ham, pineapple and ricotta pizza. The small pizza is perfectly sized for one person with a healthy appetite and a determination to eat all things that are delicious. 

Pineapple, ham and ricotta! All fresh off the vine***!!!

So hats off to ye, Rocky. You were a tasty transition back into the world of American pizzas and I'm not ashamed to admit I ate you all in one sitting. Haiku!

Heaping ricotta,

sweetening the salty crust...

Thin, barely holds it.

-Ang

*Italy post coming soon!!! 

**Pizzas on other planets don't work so well. Tried one on Mars but the toppings kept floating away. 

***YOU HEARD ME.

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Pizza #16: Abruzzi Pizza Plus

This #pizzalist pizza came from Abruzzi Pizza Plus. I almost slept through this pizza, which would have been a shame, for their "pepperoni delight" was a balm on my pizza-hungry soul.

Now if you're like me, you hear "pepperoni delight" and you think, "Well, gosh, Hank*, that must mean it's a pizza with a crapload of pepperoni on it. That will be a delight**!" 

WHAT A FOOLHARDY ASSUMPTION YOU HAVE MADE!!! 

Grrrl that cuisine is lookin' fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine.

No, this is Abruzzi Pizza PLUS****, where you don't just get a crapload of pepperoni (which is, by the way, a delight), but you also get beef, peppers, and nom nom nom nom- what were we talking about I got hungry and started eating my computer. Haiku time!

Wake up! Pizza time.

A pepperoni delight,

no longer a dream.

-Ang

*You've met Hank, right?

**If your response to pepperoni is less positive, then according to maritime law*** Hank is obligated to fight you.

***Then again, I'm more of an expert on bird law.

****The "Plus" means extra pizza powers!

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Pizza #15: Don Giovanni's

This week I let Cody pick out the #pizzalist pizza of the week and he followed his pizza-shaped heart* right to Don Giovanni's.  

The most notable part of this pizza experience was when I called Don Giovanni to find out why he sent us a plain cheese pizza instead of the margharita pizza we ordered. Turns out that was the Don's idea of a margharita pizza and I was the jerk. So, sorry Gio. She was cheesey, delicious, and went really well reheated and topped with pulled pork from Southern Hospitality**. 

Cheese on a pizza is like clouds in the sky. What do YOU see?***

Haiku time! 

Quote "Margharita"

Hit my triangle-shaped spot

But I can't win games

-Cody

Where's the basil, dude?

This is just a cheese pizza.

Whatevs. Still pizza.

-Ang

Pulled pork pizza. Not for the faint of stomach. 

*Instead of ventricles, pizzablood is pumped through its stuffed crusts. 

**Thanks, JT!

***It's a schooner!

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Pizza #14: New York Pizza Suprema

Abundance is the name of the game with the Supreme Special pizza offered by New York Pizza Suprema. Loaded with toppings, this was a hearty (but not too filling) cornucopia of flavors. The crust may have erred a bit on the soggy side but that is only because the ingredients were juicy and delicious.

Their box boasts the award of being on of the top ten pizzas in NYC. I'm not sure that I buy that, but I certainly won't turn my back on eating there again. "A Fine Sliceria"? I'd even venture to say, "A Better Than Average Sliceria". To put it plainly-

Yum yum. In my tum tum. 

And in case you ever wondered what my feet look like*.

Supreme special, CHOMP

Veggies, meats, CHOMP CHOMP

Can't hear you, eating.

-Ang

You know what they say about a pizza that needs TWO little table thingys?****

*Pervs.**

**Just kidding. Pervs make the world go 'round!***

***How did we get talking about this again?

****HUGE box*.

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Pizza #13: Claudio Pizzeria

Claudio has class. Claudio has pizza clout*. If you want a delicious pepperoni pizza, let me make one thing clear: Claudio Pizzeria will make you happy as a clam. 

Crunch, that's Claudio.

Spice, that's Claudio. Oh, whoops.

Sauce stain? Claudio.

-Ang

Literally every time I upload the pizza photo I think, "Roll that beautiful bean footage!"

*Not to be confused with Pizza Klout, who believes Claudio is influential only in Orlando, new moms and iPad.

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Pizza #12 - Fat Sal's Pizza

Get out your pens and papers*, pizzafans; it's time to take notes.

You see, there's more than one guy named Sal around these parts and more than one of those guys sells pizza**. You may recall a previous review for New York Sal's, but that's not who I'm going to talk about today.

No, today I'm talking about the sadogue Sal who sells savory slices with sweet sauce and spicy toppings which are sure to cast a spell of supreme satisfaction. I'm talking about Fat Sal's Pizza.

Ultimately "Fat Sal's" was cheaper to print than "Big-boned Sal with metabolic problems".

There is a reason this Sal is fat, and it's nothing a therapist can fix. Unless that therapist gets paid $250 an hour to make his pizza no good. Which would be a terrible business plan****. What I'm saying is, Fat Sal must be tapping into the inventory. I know I would if I ran such a delicious pizza empire. I mean, FIVE locations? That dude's gotta be rollin' in the dough*****. 

Don't get me wrong; it's nothing special, but that's ok. Solid crust, solid toppings ratio, solid grease factor, solid go-to New York slice. Not the one to get if you want to impress the ladies. DEFINITELY the one to get when you've come home drunk and are depressed after not being able to impress any ladies******.

Special mention: solid reheat in the morning. 

The best part of wakin' up... is pizza to cook up!

Go-to delicious

"Fat Sal", New York City pal

Trusty 'ol slicekick.

-Ang

*Or note-taking robot. 

**Never- and I mean NEVER- grab the "slices" offered by "Port Authority" Sal under the overpass on 9th Avenue. He will cut you.***

***NYC is a fun and safe place for the whole family!

****But not as bad as a business plan that utilizes frogs to serve as home delivery vessels for beans. You know, order a bag of kidney beans, they show up three, four at a time in little baskets that sit on the backs of the frogs that swarm to your home. Monkeys train the frogs where to go, obviously.

*****Which is probably against proper food handling procedure, but who knows, that could be what makes it so tasty!

******Even though you showed her some SUPER sweet photos of you at Burning Man.

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Pizza #11- The Linc

I'm in the mood for love, simply because pizza is near me! More specifically, the carne Italiano pizza from The Linc. We already know I'm a sucker for a white pie and this one had delicious meats too. Double trouble! In fact, I learned what "speck" was thanks to this pizza. The prosciutto was a bit salty, the speck was a bit hearty, the crust was thinner than Kate Moss after a coke bender, and the mild mozzarella held all the flavors together. All-in-all it was a growth experience and I feel bettered as a person for having had it. My tum felt pretty great about it too. 

In sum, if you are given the chance, eat this pizza. Chomp til you cain't chomp no mo'. 

Where is that other waiter coming from/going to? Is he lost? He looks lost.

Prosciutto, speck, cheese

carne Italiano

Carnivores rejoice!

-Ang

Sweet sauce, dude. No, literally, the sauce was rather sweet.

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Pizza #10 - Two Boots Pizzeria

So clearly I've reached that point where now that I've been doing this blogging thing for a few months it seems like just SO MUCH WORK to sit down and actually write one. This is ridiculous and will not continue. It's rude of me to leave you unknowing of my pizza journey and for this, I deeply apologize. 

I have not stopped eating pizza by any means. In fact, now I've had a couple pizzas from the #pizzalist that I'm not blogging about yet because I didn't take pictures. Really, I just look for any reason for repeat pizzas. IT'S AN ADDICTION, PEOPLE*. Back to business.

I've heard for years that Two Boots Pizza is delicious and fancy. In fact, they claim to have been pizza pioneers since 1987**. Well, the rumors were true. In fact, I'm awarding Two Boots the #BestCrust award thus far. This is quite an accomplishment, as I'm someone who is picky about my crusts. The majority of the time the crust is simply a vehicle for toppings, but this was a crust I looked forward to, I savored, I gently crunched in my mouth, savoring each mouth-watering doughy moment. So, there's that.

I need to find an apartment in this beautiful pizza community. 

I love gimmicks***, so the fact that they use silly names for their interestingly-topped pizzas is of course a draw for me. My pal Rob and I enjoyed The Dude (cajun cheeseburger pie with tasso, andouille, ground beef, cheddar and mozzarella), and the Newman (sopressata and sweet Italian sausage on a white pie). Let me go ahead and spoil the ending for you- 

THEY WERE BOTH SUPER DELICIOUS. It led to a Sophie's Choice type conundrum- which do I eat first? Which flavor do I want to finish on? How do I craft the perfect taste journey when I have two distinct yet equally delicious flavor sensations?? I WANT TO STUFF THEM BOTH IN MY MOUTH AT THE SAME TIME SO NO PIZZA FEELS LEFT OUT.

Ultimately, The Newman was my fave of the two (sucker for a white pie), but the Dude was also fantastic (and less "cheeseburgery" than you'd expect with a cheeseburger pizza, but in a good way).

The Dude abides... in my belly.

Two kinds of pizzas

Each one better than the last

This one's best... no this!

-Rob

Hello, Newman.

The Dude, The Newman

Put on your Two Boots... right, left

Walk into my mouth

-Ang

Don't leave me, pizza. Please, never leave me.

*<insert cry for help here>

**Led by their trusty guide, Pizzajawea. 

***Seriously, I will buy anything if its name is a clever pun or if it is a common household product shaped in a silly silly way. 

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Pizza #9: Luigi's Restaurant

For #pizzalist pizza number nine, Luigi's Restaurant (917-563-3037, 304 8th Ave) presented my friend Drexel and I with a pepperoni pie last night and I'll cut to the chase: serviceable. 

I didn't know Verizon made pizzas! Can you taste me now?

This is the kind of pizza you want when you've had a couple... or a dozen. Greasy but not crazy greasy, bland-ish pepperonis, crunchy crust. It was all well and good enough, but in the end there is simply too much delicious pizza in the world to waste another trip on Luigi's. Sorry. Deal with it, Luigi.

Angela is great

Pizza is so rubbery

Tequila is rough

-Drexel

Slight plastic bag taste

You are still pizza to me

Pizza to eat drunk

-Ang

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It's pizza eatin' time, y'all! YEEHAW!

I recently spent some time in Houston, Texas*, and while I was there I sampled some local pizzas (three, to be exact). Being extremely loyal to my New York pizzas**, I was skeptical that Texas could pull it off to my liking, but Cody Lee did his best to prove to me that them cowboys can sure throw down a delicious pie. So if you're ever in the Houston area***, check out the following!

1. Luigi's Pizzeria

Here we have the caprese pizza from Luigi's Pizza. SUPER healthy amounts of mozzarella on this guy. Luigi is clearly a New Yorker at heart, or at belly. If you're afraid of delicious, stay away from this one.

Cody's not afraid of delicious. He's about to pounce on that pizza XCORE.

2. Star Pizza

Meat, meat, meat, meat, meat, meat, meat, meat...

With Star Pizza, we gave in to our carnivorous side and ordered a thin Ben (ground beef, Italian sausage, pepperoni and ham). The crust on this guy wasn't my favorite, a bit dry if you ask me, but overall a solid showing of meats. Mmm meats.

Also, they could stand to work on their box presentation****. It always disappoints me when pizzerias employ a plain, non-decorated box. Feels like low self esteem to me.

Take pride in your pizzas, folks!

3. Pi Pizza Truck

Instagram makes my memories look so much more stylish.

Ok look me in the eye because I'm about to say something and I'm not going to say it again: If you ever go to Houston, get pizza from Pi Pizza Truck. 

I had the 420 slice. It had a sweet spicy BBQ-type sauce, heapings of cheese and- here's where the 420 part comes in- Fritos. Yes, Fritos. MADNESS. Made for a tasty slice and a crunchy bite*****! 

All their pizzas are somewhat mad but I'm convinced they are all the exact right kind of mad. Take The Drunken Peach, for example. Peaches and blueberries in whiskey syrup, diced habanero peppers, Texas goat cheese and mozzarella. Sign me up for that flavor party and Imma be needing a plus one to accomodate how much pizza I plan on eating. So if you've got a "thing" for a little crazy******, do yourself a favor and find this truck. 

Southern pizza tryst

deep in the heart of Texas

I want more Pi please

-Ang

*Pronounced "house-ton".

**I once cut a man for suggesting we order Chicago-style.

***Pronounced "house-ton air-ee-uh".

****TWSS?

*****And as science has proven again and again, the more noise you make when you eat, the more friends you make. HAVEN'T YOU READ SCIENCE???

******YKWYACHL.