DAY 6, Pizza Month 2009; Maffei (Flatiron)

DAY 6: OCTOBER 6th, 2009

LOCATION: Maffei's Restaurant (6th Ave and 22nd St)

ORDER: 1 slice of Grandma, 1 slice of Grandpa

GUEST(S): David Carl

REVIEW:
Maffei's throws a lot of grandmas in the oven and feeds them to their customers. Once you sink your teeth into a hot grandma you may never look at your own grandma the same. But before you do anything drastic, it's important to note that a grandma slice gets its name from the chefs, not the ingredients. Long before pizza was popularized in the United States, Italian grandmothers ("Nonna") used to push dough out into a cookie sheet, layer on tomato sauce, and season the dish with herbs, olive oil and cheese. The resulting crust is slightly thicker than typical NY pizza but not quite as thick as typical Sicilian style (here is an excellent resource for pizza crust from SliceNY.com).

(L to R: Grandpa, Grandma)

Over time the term "grandma" has been misused as it refers to pizza so much that it has become a blanket term for any rectangular shaped pie. Maffei even has a "grandpa" slice. I seriously doubt while grandma was stretching dough, grandpa was doing the same thing only with fresh mozzarella, basil, and slices of tomato. If so, that's not right! I had a slice of each. Not that you're ever supposed to compare grandma and grandpa, I like grandma better. While I typically prefer fresh mozzarella, I found it blander tasting and more rubbery in consistency. Also, the slices of tomato doubled the overall weight of the already heavy slice. But the grandma was just right. The tomato sauce pockets, olive oil, and mozzarella cheese created a mouthwatering blend that will definitely have me coming back.

Located in the heart of the Flatiron district, in the center of Manhattan, this old-school pizzeria has old-school prices. Grandma and Grandpa are each under $3 and even less during lunch. The secret is out though. A lot of people compete for very few seats so it may just be wise to grab a slice from the affable Maffei and his son and be on your way.

MISC.:

1. David Carl became a mover when a guy gave him a moving van.

2. Root beer and pizza may be the perfect combo.

VIDEO CLIP:


RATING:
3.67/5

• VALUE:
  4.5/5


• AMBIENCE:
  2/3


• TASTE:
  6.5/10


• SERVICE: N/A
  0/0

13/18 = .722 x 5 = 3.67

DAY 2, Pizza Month 2009; Lazzara's (Hell's Kitchen)

DAY 2: OCTOBER 2nd, 2009

LOCATION: Lazzara's (43rd St. and 9th Ave, NYC)

ORDER: 3 slices of pepperoni, half slice of cheese


GUEST(S): Robin Rothman

REVIEW:
A well-oiled machine, and I'm not just referring to the efficiency of the staff but volume of oil on each slice. Lazzara's Hell's Kitchen locale runs a tight ship. Less than five minutes after placing my order a piping hot six slice square pie loaded with diced pepperoni strips was handed over the counter. I happily grabbed my shiny, oil-rich quadrilateral and made my way to my seat, two feet away - narrowly avoiding an arriving delivery person. Judging by how often the delivery men bumped my chair, I gather Lazzara's is doing a brisk business. Tasting the slice, I could see why.

In Times Square, people, noises, bars, sirens, theaters, and gentlemen's club are aplenty but "good pizza" is tough to find. Located a mere two blocks from the "heart of the city" Lazzara's is a notable exception. Its also an exception to the typical New York round pie yet remains "exception"ally delicious. A real pizza paradox!

The other paradox is that this carryout and delivery place charges dine-in prices. Assuming you are pretty hungry, you may be able to knock out an entire large pie (6 slices) yourself. This means your tab will be around $18. At our rate, it worked out to about a dollar a napkin needed to dab the oil off the top of the pie. Lazzara's is good and quick but not cheap....nothing is in Times Square. Of course, a slice or two could be the perfect alternative to breaking the bank for a pre or post theater meal.

MISC.:
1. Robin Rothman is in love with the Great White Way, which means Broadway...not something racist like I was worried it meant. I gave her the camera and she just recorded all the theatres and billboards for musicals in Times Square.

2. I asked a patron named Ryan to talk on camera and he was kind enough to do so. He goes to Lazzara's at least a couple times a month.


VIDEO CLIP:


RATING:
3.33/5

• VALUE:
  3/5


• AMBIENCE:
  1.5/3


• TASTE:
  7.5/10


• SERVICE: N/A
  0/0

12/18 = .667 x 5 = 3.33