Tony's Pizza Napoletana

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There was a time that you could count on one hand the number of establishments cranking out wood fired Neapolitan pizza. In Peter Reinhart's book American Pie the only Neapolitan that is referred to is Pizzetta 211. [It should be noted when I took Reinhart's class back in June he said it probably wasn't worth the trip to solely try the pizza - they aren't exactly located in the thick of things.]

In Ed Levine's book Slice of Heaven, exactly three San Francisco pizzerias are mentioned (A16 which was closed for remodeling, the previously mentioned Pizzetta 211, and Tommaso's which didn't exactly get a ringing endorsement by Levine).

As I looked at the travel map that we had been compiling over the course of the last year, I found myself saying, "For a place that doesn't have much in the way of pizza, there sure are a bunch of pizza places on this map." Our first stop was going to be Tony's Pizza Napoletana.

Apologies for the lame picture. I accidentally erased the originals.

Tony Gemignani's restaurant is actually right next door and connected to Tony's Coal-Fired Pizza and Slice House. Between the two establishments he cranks out like five different styles of pizza (Classic American, Classic Italian, Roman, Sicilian, and Napoletana).

For me the attraction was that Gemignani had actually won the 2007 Best Pizza Margherita in the World Pizza Cup in, get this, Naples, Italy. He was the first American and non Neapolitan to ever win the award.

We arrived in San Francisco just in time for lunch...well....maybe the ass end of lunch. Since there wasn't a whole lot of eating going on during our morning flight, to imply we were starving when we landed would be an understatement.

We dropped our bags off at the the Le Petit Auberge and headed straight to North Beach (thankfully all downhill), to Tony's Pizza Napoletana. The restaurant ended up being about half a block from the hotel (Washington Square Inn), we stayed at the last time we were in SF.

The restaurant itself is certainly a casual place that welcomes both locals and tourists. The walls are lined with subway tile and the interior is tastefully decorated. There were thankfully no kitschy murals of Old Napoli painted on any of the walls. The restaurant is bisected by a wall, the wood fired oven and pizzaioli are on one side, the entrance and bar on the other. I would try to snag a table on the oven side of the restaurant.

As sacrilegious as it is, my wife is averse to pizza margherita. We wanted to order the truffle pizza but fell victim to the small window between white and black truffle season. They were willing to give us a pizza that was "truffle-esque" (sans truffles and instead drizzled with truffle oil) at a greatly reduced price. We instead ordered the New Yorker (muzz, hand crushed tomato sauce, pepperoni, sausage, ricotta, chopped garlic & oregano).

Since I lost out on the option to get the margherita I felt the abundance of toppings kind of overshadowed the dough. If there's one thing I noticed it's that Tony's garlic, whereever the hell it is from, brings the spice. I can't say for sure how much water I consumed that day, but the garlic was certainly whipping my ass all the way up to dinner.

The cornicione is texturally spot on. Each bite offers a soft pillowy mouth feel, with the light crisp that you would expect from being cooked in the high heat of a wood fired oven. My only criticism is that the dough hand a touch of blandness to it that I wasn't quite expecting.

My overall impression is that Tony's is certainly a worthy pizza destination. I found that the numerous pizza spots that I would stop at in the coming days would be as successful in putting together the total pizza like they did here at Tony's.

If you are putting together a pizza map (and I suggest you do), or even just a San Francisco eating map (which I also suggest you do), Tony's Pizza Napoletana needs to be put on both. I just wish I had more time, and stomach room to try the other four types of pizza.

Tony's Pizza Napoletana
1570 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 835-9888
tonyspizzanapoletana.com/



Tony's Coal-Fired Pizza and Slice House
1556 Stockton St
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 835-9888
www.internationalschoolofpizza.com

No false advertising at Compola's Tasty Pizza

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As far as I'm concerned the west side has the east side beat hands down in pizza. Up until last Saturday, Geraci's was really the only pie on this side of town that I would put in my Cleveland top five. (I don't count Crostatas because they're Neapolitan.)

Ever the optimist, I've soldiered on and continued the pizza quest here on the east side. Since we were staying in and wanted to watch the newly arrived Paris, Je T'aime from Netflix (great movie BTW twenty different five minute short films about love in Paris), we wanted something that would hold up to the drive home. I had heard nothing but good things from people about Compola's Tasty Pizza on Mayfield Rd so we decided to give it a try.

Tasty Pizza, as it's commonly referred to, has dine in as well as carryout and delivery. The dining room is a a series of tables with wooden benches and chairs. While certainly not the kind of place to park your ass for hours on end, it is by no means a dive.

Mushroom, Onion, Bulk Sausage on left
Pepperoni, Bulk Sausage and Bacon on right

After paying $15.25 for a 12" with three toppings on each side (pepperoni, bulk sausage, and bacon on my half - onions, mushrooms, and bulk sausage on Regina's half), I hopped in the car and sped home. As is always the custom, I place the pizza in the boot of the car to keep any pieces from falling out during the drive back. I don't know what is, but I usually find one or two slices missing if the box sits on the passenger seat. Don't let this happen to you. Secure that stuff!

We queued up the movie and dug into the box. I like Geraci's a lot, but this pizza had much of what I like about Geraci's and none of what I don't like about them. For me it all starts with the crust. If the crust sucks it doesn't matter what you put on top - the whole thing is going to taste like supermarket dreck.

Tasty makes a dough that has a moderate chew to it, but doesn't have the crunchy edges that destroy the roof of your mouth. (Think age 10... bus comes in five minutes... you wolf down an entire bowl of Cap'n Crunch in three...you spend the entire ride to school tonguing the tattered remains of skin hanging from the roof of your mouth.) The bottom has a brown crispy coating that lends a little bit of crispiness to the pleasantly chewy dough.

The cheese and the sauce are moderately applied. Some people like pizza that is loaded with cheese that when lubed with a lot of sauce slides right the crust - leaving you with a big old hunk of cheese and pepperoni dangling past your chin. Tasty puts enough cheese and sauce to where it clings to the dough anchoring the toppings in place - nice and clean-like.

The toppings were actually very good, too. The mushrooms are fresh (not out of can), which Regina doesn't typically like due to their chewiness, but these were really thin and may have been sauteed. The onions were quartered and thinly sliced which evenly distributed the flavor throughout the slice. My slices were decidedly salty which has a tendency to happen when you have that much cured meat you're half the pie.

I absolutely loved this place. If you look at the list on the upper right you'll see that Compola's Tasty Pizza is the new #2 on my list of "Best Pizza Americana in Cleveland". If you're within striking distance of Richmond and Mayfield Rds in Lyndhurst, you have got to try this little pizzeria.

Update: October 15th, 2010
We ordered a 12", and 14" was accidentally made. Perhaps it was an off night, but the crust was a bit out of control (very thin toward the middle and very puffy and doughy around the edges). I think the 12" might be the best incarnation of this particular pizza. If you do order their sausage, make sure you order the bulk sausage. The regular sausage is thinly cut and tucked under the cheese. I thought the bulk was above average.

Update: November 3rd, 2010
We ordered the 12" and the world balance was restored. The crust was king and the pie disappeared in 20 minutes flat. While waiting for my pizza I noticed the row of coolers against the wall. Tasty has a rather extensive lineup of conventional beers as well as craft beers from, but not limited to, Dogfish Head, Founders, Tröegs, Flying Dog, and Great Lakes ($3 a bottle). If there's one thing nearly every pizza shop across the country lacks, it's a decent selection of suds that aren't created by the Evil Empire. Just one more reason to head over to the this gem on Mayfield Rd.

Compola's Tasty Pizza
5101 Mayfield Rd
Cleveland, OH 44124
(440) 449-1252
www.compolastastypizza.com

Some Pizza Places

I am an admitted barbecue and pizza fanatic. Whenever I travel, these are usually the two main food groups I look into when visiting. Barbecue is actually pretty easy to scope out; the problem is that you have to pretty much sample their chicken, ribs/pulled pork, and brisket in order to be able to properly judge the pitmaster's abilities. With pizza, you can pretty much after one slice just how good - or bad - their product is. Very rarely is a second or third visit required to give it a thumbs up or down.

As far as Cleveland goes I think I've pretty much had what people routinely call their favorites. I don't typically find myself in the Akron/Canton area all that much, so I really can't say that I've sampled the notables there. Here is a small list of pizzerias I've been to in the last month or two with a brief description of what I thought.

Upper Crust Pizza, Chicken & Ribs
15631 Puritas Ave
Cleveland, OH 44135
(216) 267-0500



This was a recommendation from my brothers-in-law. With the amount of pizza that is ordered by the two of them I knew I had to try it. While over a friend's house that lives in the neighborhood we decided to give them a try. As with the other pizzas in this review, this is what Peter Reinhart calls pizza americana (a catchall term for mainstream American pizza). We ordered a pepperoni and sausage that held up pretty well to delivery. I would describe it as moderately greasy, with a thinner crust under the cheese than you find with most pizzas of this genre. Upper Crust Pizza certainly qualifies as a decent neighborhood pizzeria, but nothing to go out of your way for.

La Pizzeria
2188 Murray Hill Road
Cleveland, OH 44106
(216) 229-9050
www.lapizzerialittleitaly.com




The name seems to suggest that it's somehow Italian, hence closer to a napoletana style. Don't be fooled. LP is americana all the way. Thankfully they sell it by the slice - so this little experiment only set me back a couple of bucks. It could have been that the person making the pizzas was being entirely too generous with the cheese, but the dough underneath was borderline cooked. Could it have been an isolated incident? Maybe. Even so, cheese aside, I think La Pizzeria is an average pie in the Unversity Circle/Little Italy area.

Reddi's Pizza Parlor
5781 Dunham Rd
Cleveland, OH 44137
(216) 663-6652



One of my wife's friends was pimpin' this place. Reddi's Pizza Parlor is your classic neighborhood sit-down pizza place that you remember from your childhood. Serving up a classic pizza americana, Reddi's turns out an above average product. The crust (or cornicione as it's technically called) is not large like Antonio's but has a similar feel to it, but smaller. The sauce and cheese are properly portioned to where the grease doesn't get out of control. The staff was also really friendly - with the cashier being way above average in beauty. I think Reddi's is actually above average for the area. Should you have a reason to be in the Garfield Hts, Walton Hills area I would recommend giving them a try.

Miscellany
I met my sisters at AMP 150 for a few drinks and was very surprised at how good the Mushroom Flatbread was. While I'm not even going to pretend like it was pizza, the cracker-like appetizer was absolutely delicious. It was essentially a shit load of diced up Killbuck Vally Mushrooms with some sort of citrusy flavor to it on top of an oblong cracker thing. I don't like mushrooms, but this was the best thing I've eaten with fungi since the scrumptious steak at Downtown 140. If you go, you must try.

Neighborhood spots - East and West

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As much as we’d like to believe that every meal we have is going to be a memorable one, the truth is that many of them are just good. Is it a crime to not have a restaurant that makes it onto Travel Channel or the Food Network. The chef may not be a well known James Beard nominee or even award winner. I’m a fan of the little places that serve their local neighborhoods and put out a good product every night, just as much as those grabbing national headlines.

I’ve pulled out a handful of short reviews that I think warrant a mention. Two are pizza places and two are small restaurants. Enjoy.

Brennan’s Colony
If there’s a definition of neighborhood restaurant/bar, this is it. You can walk into this place on any given night and it will be full or very close to full. The regular menu offers a wide array of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, etc. The beers on tap had a wide variety from domestic piss to imported piss to a few craft beers. (I got DH 60 minute).

I had a particularly difficult time trying to figure out what I wanted from the specials menu because it had so many things that sounded good. After being told how good the ribs were, I compromised and ordered the pulled pork sandwich. All I can say is that it was reasonably priced, good size, and tasted good. How can you complain about that? There’s a lot of competition that has cropped up in the area in the last few years and it’s still going strong. They have good food at a good price. Probably not worth a drive across town from the west side, but if you’re in the neighborhood it’s a great place to stop.

Brennan's Colony
2299 Lee Rd
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
(216) 371-1010



Papa Santi’s
This is a new takeout/delivery pizza place that opened about 3 or 4 months ago in Woodmere. (It sounds eerily similar to another popular pizzeria in Little Italy that I think is highly overrated.) Housed in the old Pizza Hut To Go space (near Kinko’s on Chagrin), Papa Santi’s fills a pizza void in the Woodmere/Orange/Pepperpike area.

On a night that I was flying solo I decided to give them a shot. On their website they’re described as “Sicilian Style”. When I think of Sicilian style I’m thinking square pizza, square pieces, and a butt load of dough. This is not that kind of pie. (Not that I’m complaining, as I think no human should consume that much dough in one sitting). I would describe it somewhere between bar style and Midwest style. The pizza I had (pepperoni and sausage) tasted fine but nothing I would make a special trip for. My guess is that it will fill the immediate area's need for birthday parties, football games, and sleepovers for years to come.

Papa Santi's
27521 Chagrin Blvd
Beachwood, OH 44122
(216) 896-9855
http://www.papasantis.com/



Johnny’s Little Bar
A couple months ago I stopped in and grabbed a burger with a friend. I think in my mind I may have romanticized the quality of the food there to better than it was. It wasn’t as good as I remembered it being. Had the quality dropped off? Was there something wrong with my brain that I didn’t know what good food tasted like?

I recently stopped in again to make sure I wasn’t crazy. It was while I was waiting for my burger that I realized the problem, the quality hadn’t slipped – I think Cleveland’s restaurants have just raised their burger game. There are now a lot of places that offer a high quality and imaginative hamburger now (even in the downtown area). Little Bar will never want for customers. The menu is a good value and the food is solid. If I could change anything it would be that they add one more server. I have always felt as if there are too many customers for the waitstaff to adequately handle.

Johnny's Little Bar
614 Frankfort Ave
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 861-2166



Big Guy’s Pizza

This Tremont pizza place is actually a takeout place that will serve pizza at Hotz’s Café (directly next door), if you want to sit down and eat. They effectively use Hotz’s as a shared dining room. I’m guessing that Hotz’s doesn’t mind this since it seems to be more bar than café.

I think the surrounding neighborhood represents the lion’s share of Big Guy’s business. Again, the pizza is in that Midwest/Bar Pizza genre. They do put what I remember them calling a “Garlic Bomb” (used to be a whole bulb, but now a half bulb of roasted garlic) in the middle of the pie. It smells awesome when you open the box, but you aren’t quite sure what to do with it once it comes time to eat. Are you supposed to squeeze the roasted garlic out of the skins onto the pizza? I don't know. It’s a decent pizza, but nothing I would make a special trip for.

Big Guy's Pizza
2539 W 10th St
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 436-8888

New York Style Pizza - The Search Continues

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I was flying solo for dinner, so I figured I might as well dip into the "Regina doesn't do this kind of food for dinner" category. On this night my choice would be New York style pizza. More specifically I would be meeting my father at Capri pizza in Middleburg Heights.

Located in the shopping center across from Southwest General Hospital, Capri pizza was the last real legitimate New York style pie that had been touted by others as being authentic.

Going in with an open mind, I ordered a 14" pie (the smallest they make, the other size is 18") with pepperoni. with about 8 tables for 2 and a couple for 4 or more, Capri is a very typical spartan pizza joint.

While pizza is their main focus, Capri also offers sandwiches and pasta. Most of these offerings look to be your usual suspects.

The pizza is a tad bit too thick to really want to fold, and is a bit on the hearty side for New York style. That isn't to say the pizza is bad - it isn't. I think that it has the essence of New York style, but in the end it's just a little too thick and crunchy. I think it's a lot like Vincenza's, just more filling.

With all of the usual suggestions tried, I still have to say that Sweet Basil is my choice for most authentic New York style pizza in Cleveland. If you happen to be in Middleburg Hts or North Olmsted, give it a shot. Capri pizza is good, it's just not New York style enough for me.

Capri Pizza
18340 Bagley Rd
Cleveland, OH 44130
(440) 243-2999

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This is just a short list of places I’ve been to near my house (and beyond) that don’t really warrant more than a few sentences.

No. 1 Express
If it’s number one it’s got to be good, right? Wrong. Superior, No. 1, Superior No. 1, I don’t know where the whole “best” thing comes from with Chinese restaurants, but it doesn’t tell the customer much about the actual establishment.

No. 1 Express is run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurant that has surprisingly bland General Tso’s chicken. If it's spice you like, go elsewhere. I can say that the service is fast, the store is clean, and the food is cheap. I wouldn’t, however, be expecting anything approaching Sun Luck Garden.

No. 1 Express
3977 Warrensville Center Road
Warrensville Heights, OH 44122
(216) 991-5944



DiBella’s Old Fashioned Submarines
This sandwich shop makes both hot and cold submarine sandwiches. When I walked in I saw a massive neon DiBella’s sign on the back wall that reminded me of the Kenny Rogers Roasters episode of Seinfeld. Put that sucker on the other side of your bedroom window, and you just might become Kramer-like.

If you’re watching your figure this is probably not the place you want to eat at. When I want to go, I have to do so without my wife because it's definitely not Subway. I ordered the Godfather which had Genoa salami, capicola, and spicy ham. The sandwich, which I ordered hot, was really delicious. Unfortunately, the guilt factor afterward has been enough to keep me away.

DiBella's Old Fashioned Submarines
4025 Richmond Road
Warrensville Heights, OH 44122
(216) 378-0783
www.dibellas.com



Rocco’s New York Style Pizza
I was over in the North Royalton area and drove past a sign that said “New York Style Pizza”. Since it was dinner time I figured I’d swing in. Located at (I believe) the former location of an Antonio’s satellite store, Rocco’s is for the most part a carry-out place. There are a few tables that you can eat at, but nothing totally dedicated to dining.

I went with a small (14”) pizza with pepperoni. Ray, the guy cooking the pizzas, was very friendly and served up my pizza. The pizza was, in fact, New York style. I liked it okay, but thought that the crust was missing a little something (what that is I can’t say for sure). It’s a solid pie, just not anything extraordinary. It reminded me a lot of the neighborhood pizza shops you find in the Jersey/ New York area.

The service is friendly and the prices are good. When I asked if they had any menus they said they were getting more in this week. Is it me, or do you think that’s a little ridiculous? If I owned a restaurant (especially a carry-out pizza place) I would have menus in reserve. It’s worth a try if you’re in the area, but I wouldn’t call it a destination.

Rocco's Pizza
5670 Wallings Rd
Cleveland, OH 44133
(440) 582-1132

Eddie's Pizzeria Cerino

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My wife was born and raised in Seven Hills. In the past 17+ years I've known her and her family, nearby dining spots have always been a bit of a problem. If it wasn't D'Agnese or Corleone's there just wasn't that many places to choose from in terms of good places to eat.

Before my in-laws went back to FLA we decided to try the recently opened Eddie's Pizzeria Cerino. First off let me say that the exterior and the interior are very well done. I always love going to a restaurant that is as nice on the inside as it is on the outside. It isn't that it's lavish or anything, but you can tell that a lot of time was spent on the overall concept - and it shows.
We went on a weeknight and it was a full house. After a twenty minute wait we were seated. The service was prompt and friendly. The food arrived in an appropriate amount of time.

If I had to compare the pizza to something it would probably be most like California Pizza Kitchen. I don't think it tastes as much like CPK as much as it looks like it. I tried the Italian Blue Smoke which was topped with balsamic infused bbq sauce, chicken, pancetta, caramelized onions, mozzarella, and provolone cheese. I thought it was a really good pizza.

My in-laws enjoyed the Italian Chef salad and the pizza they shared with me. Regina didn't really care for her Eggplant and Wild Mushroom Melt sandwich. I will tell you, though, that she's very particular about her eggplant. Everything gets compared to the eggplant from Primo's in Philadelphia. (I just shake my head when she orders it because I know it won't meet her romantic idea of eggplant).

I'd be curious to know what pizza snobs have to say about EPC. While it may not be the best I've ever had it certainly fills a huge void in the Seven Hills/ Independence area. They decor and of food is a notch above your typical pizza joint and fun night out. I'd recommend it for a cheap night out.

Eddie's Pizzeria Cerino
7305 Broadview Road
Seven Hills, OH 44131
(216) 236-6007
www.pizzeriacerino.com

Sampling Slices

A while back my sisters and I decided we would get together for dinner last Saturday night. My mother was originally going to watch the kids but she had a really hectic week so we had to come up with plan B.

I will eat pizza on any day, any place, and for any meal. Since both of my sisters live on the west side and we had 2 kids under the age of 2½, we had limited options.

We decided to each pick up one west side pizza a piece. We picked up an Angelo’s deluxe pizza, my sister Bridget got a Mozzerella Basil pizza from Sweet Basil in Westlake, and my sister Darcy who was hosting got a pepperoni pizza from Danny Boy’s in North Olmsted.

My favorite on the evening was from Angelo’s in Lakewood. It’s a pretty sweet sauce, but works really well with the amount of cheese they use as well as the buttery crust. I don’t think it’s one of those pizzas that I would eat with any regularity. I don’t like it as much as Antonio’s or Geraci’s, but it is tasty.


My next favorite was probably Sweet Basil. This is the closest thing I’ve had to true New York style pizza in Cleveland. I could tell that it was the real deal as soon as I saw the really wide pizza box. A very thin crust under the cheese with a uniform Neapolitan edge, Sweet Basil has a unique product, very foldable and every bit as good as a typical east coast fare. My only complaint is that the pizza does not travel well. The humidity in the box wreaks havoc on the pie. Of the three this is the one I would most want to try again, only next time I would eat at the restaurant fresh out of the oven.

Update:
I've eaten in the actual restaurant it is is THE New York Style pizza in Cleveland. This is a great place for families, couples, and everything in between. Owner Dan Joyce is doing a fabulous job out here in Westlake.

The Grapes of Wrath Pizza (awesome)

Danny Boy’s was probably my least favorite sampling of the night. I just thought it was an average pizza. Part of the problem was that it was being eaten along side two very good contenders. Would I turn my nose up at it if someone served it a party? No. It’s better than Papa John’s or Pizza Hut. I just didn’t think it was a great as some people have made it out to be.

I actually thought this was probably more fun than going out to eat. I had my first taste of GLB’s Christmas Ale for the year, that hit the spot! For whatever reason, this year’s incarnation seems a little spicier than in years past. A definite winner.

Forgive Me Father, For I Have Sinned

Wednesday night I was flying solo for dinner. Part of the reason I haven't been posting more frequently is because I've been busy trying to finish the painting on the back of my house while the weather is still warm. So Wednesday I finished up the painting and figured what the hell, I'll celebrate with a pizza.

Since my recent relationship with Geraci's had thawed I've been there a few times. Tonight I felt like something different. Originally, I wanted to go to Marrota's in Cleveland Heights but remembered the last time I got it "to go" it didn't hold up the way I would've liked it to. They, Marotta's, have very good pizza ...if you eat in the restaurant. However, if you order takeout the steam inside the box turns it into a mushy mess.

I figured I would see how well Dewey's would hold up if I got their pizza to go. A pizza chain out of Cincinnati, Dewey's has been in Cleveland Heights at least since I had come back to Cleveland a couple of years ago. It went against my "local only" policy, but didn't really feel like sitting in Marotta's by myself grubbing on a pizza.

Besides being an out-of-town chain, there a couple of other things I don't really like about Dewey's. First it's the size of the pizzas. Who the hell eats an 11" or 13" pizza? Since it is a thinner style pizza, an 11" is too not enough but a 13" is too much. Why not sell a 12" like everyone else in the free world does? This brings me to my second dislike, the price. There's a $3 price jump from 11" to 13" but just a $2 dollar jump from 13" to 17". Do you see a problem with that? In the end, I suppose it's the fact that I have to make a choice between starvation and gluttony.

The pizza itself is quite good. A typical hand tossed New York Style pizza, Dewey's has a flattish crust that has a good balance of crustiness combined with a soft chewy inside. The sauce actually has a little heat to it. I don't know what exactly it is, but it's unique (a good unique). They put a moderate amount of cheese on the pies, as well. I've seen many a pizza ruined by cheese stinginess or too much (there is such a thing).

Overall Dewey's pizza is good. I like it. When you factor in the size/price issues though, I probably won't be going back. It just kills me to support a chain right here in Cleveland. If I was in another city it would be different. Go to Marotta's across the street.

Dewey's Pizza
2194 Lee Rd
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
(216) 321-7355
www.deweyspizza.com

Vincenza's Pizza and Pasta

Vincenza's Pizza and Pasta
603 Prospect Ave
Cleveland, OH 44115
(216) 241-8382

I had to go downtown to pick-up some plotter paper. Since I was in the neighborhood I figured I'd stop by Vincenza's in the Arcade. I don't get downtown during lunchtime much, so it's always an opportunity for me to try something new. Well, Vincenza's isn't really new for me (I'd been there once before), but I figured I'd give it another try.

I'd remembered the last time I was here I walked away somewhat hungry, so I decided to try a plain, a pepperoni, and a sausage New York style. As far as by-the-slice pizza service goes these people were very friendly. Not just friendly, but friendly enough to where it stood out of the ordinary.

So how's the pizza? Eh. I think it's kind of different, not in a good way or a bad way. The crust is very crispy on the bottom (ala Flying Pizza in Columbus, OH). It's unique, but this doesn't help the foldability factor. The rest of it ain't bad, but it's nothing that knocks me off my seat. The sauce? The cheese? The crust? New York style? Not really, kind of like Flying Pizza (only not as good). Remarkably, the crust is so "airy" that I still didn't feel very full after 3 pieces. If being full is what you're after they also do Sicilian, as well. I just can't stand that much dough.

My verdict is this: If someone had it at a party I'd eat it. I just wouldn't go out of my way to go there.

Pizza My Heart

I really sometimes wonder about the things I read on Yelp. It can seem as though certain cities are more accurate (or more suited to my tastes) than other cities. Since the visit to Darby Dan's went so amazingly well, I figured we'd try another lunch time Yelp referral for the day.

Since the Monterey Bay Aquarium was the morning and early afternoon's entertainment we figured we'd try to find some nearby pizza-by-the-slice place. The goal was to not ruin our appetite since were had a much anticipated reservation for Passion Fish in Pacific Grove.

So where would our search through Yelp lead us?

We ended up going to Pizza My Heart, a chain of pizza places based in NoCal. Since this is the only one I've ever been to I don't know if they all have the surfer decor or not. This one did. The bright airy restaurant had a selection of 3 or 4 pizza-by-the-slice pizzas out front (a la Sbarro). Of course if you were hungry enough you could obviously order an entire pie.

Made from hand tossed dough, the reheated slices had a subtle crunch to them when you bit into them. Even though there was a little bit of crunch to them you could still fold them over. Good stuff. With a lighter but still very tasty sauce and a moderate amount of cheese the pizza was very enjoyable.

What I also found interesting about Pizza My Heart was that the side bar had a very wide array of spices you could sprinkle on top of your pizza. I can't say that I've ever seen that many spices for putting on pizza, before.


Overall I thought this place was a winner. It's one that I'd definitely go back to. Unfortunately, I thought this was going to be one of about three pizza places I'd try during our trip (A16 and Pizzaiolo were also on my radar), but it ended up being the only one. Like I told my wife, though, it gives us two more reasons to go back.