Author Topic: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic  (Read 1002 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Dave in Fairfax

  • Posts: 2016
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #25: July 21, 2020, 08:29:05 PM »
IMHO, the best pizza is NY style margherita, very thin crust, with lots of sauce fresh mozzarella and basil, ideally cooked in a coal or wood-fired oven.
Sounds like Angelo's Coal Oven Pizzeria on 57th Street. My firm was between 55th and 56th Street, so we often cut through Le Meridien Hotel and ate there for lunch.

I used to work at Old Glory in Georgetown and we would sometimes trade food with others in our restaurant group. I recall that Paolo's has some good specialty pizzas.

Offline imref

  • Posts: 42525
  • Re-contending in 202...5?
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #26: July 21, 2020, 09:15:30 PM »
Sounds like Angelo's Coal Oven Pizzeria on 57th Street. My firm was between 55th and 56th Street, so we often cut through Le Meridien Hotel and ate there for lunch.

I used to work at Old Glory in Georgetown and we would sometimes trade food with others in our restaurant group. I recall that Paolo's has some good specialty pizzas.

I haven't been to Angelos.  Around here there's a fantastic place in the Belfort furniture shopping center near Dulles Airport (https://www.yelp.com/biz/emilios-brick-oven-gourmet-pizza-sterling), probably the 2nd best pizza I've had in the area (Buon Appetito in Chantilly is still my favorite).

In NYC there's a surprisingly good / great pizza place called Don Pepi's in Penn Station near the Amtrak/NJT section, when traveling was a thing I'd plan my train trips to NYC around having time to grab a couple of slices there.  It's barely the size of a closet, with hardly any place to sit, but so freaking worth it.

Offline Count Walewski

  • Posts: 2689
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #27: July 21, 2020, 11:34:51 PM »
Wikipedia recognizes 11 regional pizza types in the United States: California-style, Chicago-style, Detroit-style, Grandma pizza, Greek, Jumbo slice, New Haven-style, New York-style, Trenton-style, Quad City-style, and the infamous St. Louis-style. My goal is to one day try them all.

I'm from Chicago though growing up we never had deep dish: we ate something called "Chicago tavern cut" which looks like this: https://steemitimages.com/DQmUejYUYxtS9r2GzixL2HF4tEV1zrBfT6ycejRApcDq45K/pizza.jpg

If you call any pizza place in a non-touristy part of Chicago that's what you get. These days though when I go to Chicago I order the deep dish, because it's more unique and different from what I can get anywhere else.

When I lived in Cambridge, MA I recall the Greek style being really popular there; there was also a chain called "Upper Crust" which was peaking in popularity at the time. They briefly had a DC location on Pennsylvania Ave near the White House. I'm ashamed to admit it but New Haven beats the crap out of Cambridge when it comes to pizza.

Offline HalfSmokes

  • Posts: 21606
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #28: July 21, 2020, 11:42:39 PM »
Going out of your way to get St Louis style?

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 39410
  • Platoon - not just a movie, a baseball obsession
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #29: July 22, 2020, 12:01:25 AM »
(Image removed from quote.)
Looks a bit like the stuff the cook made at summer camp 45 years ago,  and I'm not saying that derisively. Cook's name was Vinnie D.  He split his time between being a Miami Beach cook in the winter and cooking at summer camp during the summer. Used to make a square pizza in like a 32 slice tray that always came with 2 pieces of pepperoni on each slice.  We used to have races to see which tables could eat more pizza.  I forget the record.  Thick bready stiff crust but he had to cook it without any browning because it was for kids.  I liked it as a change of pace from what I ate back home, and much better than rural Maine pizza.

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 39410
  • Platoon - not just a movie, a baseball obsession
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #30: July 22, 2020, 12:13:01 AM »

When I lived in Cambridge, MA I recall the Greek style being really popular there; there was also a chain called "Upper Crust" which was peaking in popularity at the time. They briefly had a DC location on Pennsylvania Ave near the White House. I'm ashamed to admit it but New Haven beats the crap out of Cambridge when it comes to pizza.
F Upper Crust!  Scumbags! The dude stole the recipe from my favorite home town place, Sweet Tomatoes.  Worked for her, was going to open a branch, went off on his own with her recipe. Expanded like crazy. Place got into trouble with the Department of Labor for something with its workers (don't know the details - underpaying, stealing tips, something like that I think) and had to shut down.

Here's a link to the top 10 pizzas in my home town. I've not been to #1, #2 is Pepe's but that I associate with NewHaven, and #3 is Sweet Tomatoes.  Chunks of tomato instead of sauce, and yes, the slices are huge.  Comella's is down on the list and is nothing special, but the Comella's kid played for the NY Giants (running back, I think, in the 90s).  https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g41707-c31-Newton_Massachusetts.html

Offline HondoKillebrew

  • Posts: 842
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #31: July 22, 2020, 10:03:06 AM »
Several years ago, I read an interesting discussion online about DC area pizza.  Many of the older, independent places (nearly all are gone) used to make their pizza in rectangular pans and sell square or rectangular slices.  And many of them had a similarly thin crust and similar taste.  Apparently, that's because a company (supposedly based in the midwest) sold pizza ovens, with those pans and with a standard pizza recipe, to people opening pizza places in this area in the post WWII era.  Some of the older places still in operation, whether or not they were part of that group, remind me of that -- such as Ledo, Mario's, The Broiler, etc. 

Offline skippy1999

  • Posts: 19411
  • Believe!!!
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #32: July 22, 2020, 11:08:40 AM »


I'm from Chicago though growing up we never had deep dish: we ate something called "Chicago tavern cut" which looks like this: https://steemitimages.com/DQmUejYUYxtS9r2GzixL2HF4tEV1zrBfT6ycejRApcDq45K/pizza.jpg



When we lived in Waukegan that's the pizza we would get from this little place called Quonset, it was greasy cheesy deliciousness! unlike that nasty deep dish  :turrible:

Online blue911

  • Posts: 18484
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #33: July 22, 2020, 11:19:26 AM »
when I saw this new thread I figured it ended up in politics for reasons I can't fathom. :)

Detroit pizza is called "Sicilian" where I grew up.

IMHO, the best pizza is NY style margherita, very thin crust, with lots of sauce fresh mozzarella and basil, ideally cooked in a coal or wood-fired oven.

They’re similar but Detroit uses cheddar cheese. The Detroit style that I’m used to has a lighter more airy crust. But that could be just happenstance.

Offline varoadking

  • Posts: 29499
  • King of Goodness
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #34: July 22, 2020, 12:31:49 PM »

I'm from Chicago though growing up we never had deep dish: we ate something called "Chicago tavern cut" which looks like this: https://steemitimages.com/DQmUejYUYxtS9r2GzixL2HF4tEV1zrBfT6ycejRApcDq45K/pizza.jpg


That's what I grew up with as well...damned tasty stuff...

Offline Count Walewski

  • Posts: 2689
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #35: July 22, 2020, 02:04:44 PM »
I read somewhere on the internet that the reason Detroit pizza is rectangular is because it was originally cooked in an engine drip pan (cuz, like, Detroit, they make cars).

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #36: July 22, 2020, 05:53:09 PM »
Several years ago, I read an interesting discussion online about DC area pizza.  Many of the older, independent places (nearly all are gone) used to make their pizza in rectangular pans and sell square or rectangular slices.  And many of them had a similarly thin crust and similar taste.  Apparently, that's because a company (supposedly based in the midwest) sold pizza ovens, with those pans and with a standard pizza recipe, to people opening pizza places in this area in the post WWII era.  Some of the older places still in operation, whether or not they were part of that group, remind me of that -- such as Ledo, Mario's, The Broiler, etc.

As a lifetime resident I can confirm that until the arrival of chains, rectangular thin-crust was the far most prevalent style.

Shakey's was the first chain restaurant I can recall.  And Ledo's wasn't a chain back then.   

Offline Dave in Fairfax

  • Posts: 2016
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #37: July 23, 2020, 09:03:37 AM »
I worked briefly at a restaurant in Sterling Park in 1983 which had the square, thin pizza. A fairly generic strip-mall pizza place.

I think Armand's Chicago Pizzeria is credited with bringing that not-really-Chicage-style of deep dish to the DC area. I first had that in 1987 when I was a student at Georgetown. I liked it, especially the chunks of tomato in the cheese rather than just sauce, even though it seemed to offend some purists.

Offline imref

  • Posts: 42525
  • Re-contending in 202...5?
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #38: July 23, 2020, 09:44:23 AM »
I worked briefly at a restaurant in Sterling Park in 1983 which had the square, thin pizza. A fairly generic strip-mall pizza place.

I think Armand's Chicago Pizzeria is credited with bringing that not-really-Chicage-style of deep dish to the DC area. I first had that in 1987 when I was a student at Georgetown. I liked it, especially the chunks of tomato in the cheese rather than just sauce, even though it seemed to offend some purists.

Was it Armand’s in old town Alexandria that had the Saturday night pizza buffets?

Offline Dave in Fairfax

  • Posts: 2016
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #39: July 23, 2020, 05:47:55 PM »
I only ever had Armand's pizza in Georgetown, so I don't know. Odd that I wouldn't know, since buffet and all-you-can-eat are my favorite styles of cuisine.

Offline imref

  • Posts: 42525
  • Re-contending in 202...5?
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #40: July 23, 2020, 06:00:48 PM »
I only ever had Armand's pizza in Georgetown, so I don't know. Odd that I wouldn't know, since buffet and all-you-can-eat are my favorite styles of cuisine.

They used to have an awesome late-night pizza buffet in Old Town.  It made for a nice destination after going to some of the bars in the area (Bullfeathers the like).

Offline KnorrForYourMoney

  • Posts: 16254
  • pissy DC sports fan
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #41: July 23, 2020, 07:29:57 PM »
I tried Detroit-style once and it just wasn't for me.  I can see the appeal it holds for some, but I'm not the biggest fan of really thick crusts.  For me, it's all about the cheese and sauce.  That's why I'm an unabashed fan of Chicago-style deep dish.  Some people think that because it's a thick pizza it has a thick crust, but if done properly, it's pretty standard crust (in terms of thickness) with tons of cheese and tomato.

As a lifetime resident I can confirm that until the arrival of chains, rectangular thin-crust was the far most prevalent style.

Shakey's was the first chain restaurant I can recall.  And Ledo's wasn't a chain back then.   

Someday you'll tell us about when the Robins changed their name to the Dodgers. :old: :lol:

Offline Ali the Baseball Cat

  • Posts: 17657
  • babble on
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #42: July 23, 2020, 08:03:54 PM »
Shakey's goes way back...franchises in crusader forts, etc.  That was some crap pizza too IIRC.   

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #43: July 23, 2020, 08:33:26 PM »
Shakey's goes way back...franchises in crusader forts, etc.  That was some crap pizza too IIRC.

Yeah but our 8th grade civics teacher Mr. Seyler played piano at the one in Suitland and he could really play that ragtime.

Unfortunately he tended to put his finger in his nose a bit frequently so I wouldn't have wanted to play the ol' 88's after he had played it.

Offline Count Walewski

  • Posts: 2689
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #44: July 26, 2020, 08:25:16 AM »
I passed through Dayton, OH a few days ago and I had Dayton-style pizza. Wikipedia does not recognize Dayton-style pizza because it is mostly served by just one chain (Marion's) but it is a very kooky pizza style and I get it every time I am in Dayton (all 2 times in my life so far including two days ago).

https://anotherfoodcritic.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/img_1395.jpg

It's a very thin pizza, reminiscent of Chicago tavern cut, but is cut into even smaller pieces, often into little strips. The sausage is grated into little rice-like pellets and put all over the top of the pizza. It's very salty to the taste. Reheats really well, I've found: we ate one pie for dinner two days ago, and the second pie we've been reheating in our Airbnbs across the country as we drive back to the DC area.

Offline 1995hoo

  • Posts: 1082
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #45: July 26, 2020, 02:00:00 PM »
Marion's is a strange place, but the pizza can hit the spot.

Another good place to stop in the Dayton area is Company 7 BBQ, just north of I-70 in Englewood.

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 39410
  • Platoon - not just a movie, a baseball obsession
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #46: July 26, 2020, 02:07:43 PM »
got a couple of slices from we the pizza today because I was in a hurry.  It's not bad, but nothing special. Size of the slice is the biggest thing going for it.  Doughy for thin slices.  Generous toppings but the guts of the pizza (crust, sauce, cheese) is sort of meh.

Offline Five Banners

  • Posts: 2242
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #47: July 27, 2020, 09:24:13 PM »
I passed through Dayton, OH a few days ago and I had Dayton-style pizza. Wikipedia does not recognize Dayton-style pizza because it is mostly served by just one chain (Marion's) but it is a very kooky pizza style and I get it every time I am in Dayton (all 2 times in my life so far including two days ago).

https://anotherfoodcritic.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/img_1395.jpg

It's a very thin pizza, reminiscent of Chicago tavern cut, but is cut into even smaller pieces, often into little strips. The sausage is grated into little rice-like pellets and put all over the top of the pizza. It's very salty to the taste. Reheats really well, I've found: we ate one pie for dinner two days ago, and the second pie we've been reheating in our Airbnbs across the country as we drive back to the DC area.

Reminds of some from central New England

Offline JCA-CrystalCity

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 39410
  • Platoon - not just a movie, a baseball obsession
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #48: July 28, 2020, 08:58:59 AM »
Wikipedia recognizes 11 regional pizza types in the United States: California-style, Chicago-style, Detroit-style, Grandma pizza, Greek, Jumbo slice, New Haven-style, New York-style, Trenton-style, Quad City-style, and the infamous St. Louis-style. My goal is to one day try them all.

...

When I lived in Cambridge, MA I recall the Greek style being really popular there

Most of the Greek places were "[locality] House of Pizza."  Really nothing special.  I think they all probably bought equipment and recipes from the same vendor.  However, most of them made good hot subs / grinders.

In New Haven, there's actually a Greek-style place that was very popular among students and Alums called Yorkside.  They started up just about the time I started college, so it's funny to see how a few of us have aged when I stop by.  I used  to hit it on my drives up to Boston, along with Ashley's ice cream and the coffee / tea place on the block (now Blue State Coffee but before that Koffee Two).  Nice family dishes.  Goodness I hope they are surviving without the foot traffic. 

Also, there used to be a place Bulldog Pizza across from the old Rudy's on Elm and Howe. Greek, not very good at all, but the owner Spiro became a big John Anderson fan in 1980, probably because Anderson's wife was Keke Machakos Anderson.  HE even had a "Keke Special" on the menu - whole wheat crust, feta, olives, and probably some tomato slices, too.  I ordered it a few times.  The campaign had Keke stop by Bulldog for a photo op I think during the run up to the general election. 

Offline OldChelsea

  • Posts: 8160
  • Nats Supporter in Exile
Re: Pizza (2020) - a noncontroversial topic
« Reply #49: July 28, 2020, 09:08:52 AM »
Shakey's goes way back...franchises in crusader forts, etc.  That was some crap pizza too IIRC.   

They were the pizza chain back in the 70's, before newer chains came in. They're still eking out a marginal existence out west, mostly in California.