DAY 8, Pizza Month 2009; Rizzo's (Astoria)

DAY 8: OCTOBER 8th, 2009

LOCATION: Rizzo's Fine Pizza (Steinway St and 30th Ave, Astoria, QUEENS)

ORDER: 1 slice of Sicilian, half a slice of Neopolitan, personal Mafiosa

GUEST(S): Alan Fessenden

REVIEW:
Miracle on Steinway Street. Maybe miracle isn't the right word for it but how do they make the crust so thin and the taste so flavorful? In 1959, Joe Rizzo and his brothers opened up a small pizzeria on Steinway Street in Astoria, Queens. The surrounding area has changed a lot but Rizzo's address is still the same. Once you taste it you'll thank the Rizzos for keeping the business family owned and operated all the while. They will likely thank you right back from behind the counter as they do on their menu for choosing them.

It's easy to support a liitle pizza shop when the slices are a unique brand of deliciousness. All of the specialty pizzas are distinctly Mediterranean in origin. I will vouch for the personal Mafiosa topped with sausage, roasted pepper, olives, and capers by saying it was honestly the first time I enjoyed eating olives in my life. There were just the right number of them to really bring out the flavor in the roasted pepper on the extremely (almost Roman) thin crust. Something for every tastebud!

I appreciated the Mafiosa with all my mouth, but the Rizzo signature slice, the thin crusted Sicilian, is what keeps me coming back. The recipe includes copious amounts of rich, tangy tomato sauce with a single slab of creamy mozzarella flanked by bits of sharp and mild grated cheeses. All of these rest atop a thin, crispy gas powered oven crust.


"If you want doughy or cheesy, it's probably not for you," David Rizzo, acting manager tells me.

David Rizzo, like his father before him, makes pizza the way he likes to eat it. Fortunately for everyone I have ever met here, we like it that way too. Definitely take a chance on Rizzo's. The first one's free....for real - tell them its your first time. I bet it won't be your last.

MISC.:

1. When I leave Astoria, this may be what I miss the most

2. Alan spends one month a year clowning around...literally.

VIDEO CLIP:



RATING:
4.45/5

• VALUE:
  4.5/5


• AMBIENCE:
  3/3


• TASTE:
  8.5/10


• SERVICE: N/A
  0/0

16/18 = .889 x 5 = 4.45

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