PrintPizza Slice Crisis in NYC: The Ray's Syndrome
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a pizza slice crisis in NYC that threatens to undermine sixty years of tradition, a crisis that calls out for mayoral or government intervention.
The NYC slice, once a justifiable source of culinary pride in this town, is going to hell in a hand basket filled with pizza cheese and canned pizza sauce. Think about it. The streets of Manhattan are filled with slice joints, each one worse than the next. You know the slices I'm talking about. The crust is thick and gummy. Every bite brings a mouthful of unbaked dough. The sauce is canned pizza sauce. It tastes like Franco American on a bad day. The cheese is that abomination called pizza cheese, and there's so much of it on every piece that slice weights are approaching one pound.
I call this the Ray's syndrome. Ever since some variation of a Ray's (Original Ray's, Ray Bari, Imitation Ray's, ) started appearing on every corner the state of the NYC slice has never been worse. Other mini-chains have also descended on our city like some kind of slice plague, and the situation has reached epic proportions. Our quality slice culture is fast disappearing.
Interstingly, this fast deteriorating situation seems to be limited to Manhattan. Brooklyn's quality slice culture remains intact, or certainly more intact than Manhattan's. Certain neighborhood in Queens have upheld slice standards well. And Staten Island, the home of Nunzio's and Joe and Pat's, is a veritable beacon of pizza slice quality.
I wrote about the state of the slice in the Times a few years ago.
The situation has only gotten worse. C'mon, people, this is an important quality of life issue. Or I should say a quality of slice issue.
What can we do about it? There's no sense in lobbying Blomberg or anyone else in his administration. They're all lame ducks, and they've had one whole term to tackle this issue. And they have done nothing.
I believe the answer lies in lobbying our city councilmen and women.
Tell them that was once a source of city pride has become some kind of cruel joke perpetrated by slice purveyors who are taking down our reputation.
Reply to this post, and I will present it as a petition. Join me in saving the NYC slice. It's not too late.
Bring Back the real NYC Slice.
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9 Comments:
Clearly, we need a Real New York Pizza Association with the balls (actually, chutzpah for NY pizza) necessary to certify pizzerias as authentic. It would perhaps differ from the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana, although I'm inclined to agree that take-out looses any designated status. Re-heated slices may be equally unentitled to the Neopolitan status. There are two certified purveyors in NYC. I don't believe they certify places that sell by the slice or use ovens other than wood fired. Neither do I believe that NYers are making a beeline to the two plces certified, but then in NYC, a crowded restaurant doesn't always signify good food, or even good value.
The specs (English translation) defining "Pizza Napoletana" for the EU are at:
http://www.fornobravo.com/vera_pizza_napoletana/VPN_spec.html
The US site is here:
http://www.verapizzanapoletana.org/vpn/charter.html
Oh yeah, and I'm nominating you as president of the charter chapter and certification committee.
Bux at 8:27AM on 09/27/06
I agree Ed, manhattan's pizza slices suck. They have been going downhill for a while now. I find Sicilian slices are the only slices worth buying these days. It seems it takes more time and effort to produce the Siclian slice. The neo slices in Manhattan are cookie cutter and most have no taste or don't even taste like pizza as we remembered it. I miss the old days when you could walk into an unknown pizza joint and sample a great tasting slice you never tasted before and felt the rush of something great. Now you wouldn't dare try a new place unless it was recommended by someone unless you were starving. What can we do?
Nycatfan at 7:45PM on 09/27/06
stay away from the dumps that are dumping on nyc - FAMILIGA is weak - they are expanding and their pizza has no passion.
Abitinos had the nerve to take Joe's vaunted corner store on bleeker and father demo square. why did Joe lick his wounds and take up sole residence in that lesser space (formerly Golden Pizza in the early - mid 90'2)
Villa Pizza on 42nd and 8th - a dump.
there are still some fine purveyors - Sal and Carmine, Fat Sals, Ben by Franks, Little Italy Pizza on e43rd, and more. patronize the good and defeat the bad.
bigdaddy at 8:14PM on 09/27/06
... patronize the good and defeat the bad
There was a time when my addiction to slices demanded at least one a day particularly if I was covering ground by foot. Today, I'm loathe to try a new place and don't really like most of the old ones I know.
Abitinos can't fill Joe's shoes, huh. I think I instictively knew that from the look of the place from a block away. Yet, it appears to have a thriving business and the eaters are smiling. One one hand, eating in the city is so much more rewarding than it was a couple of generations ago. At the same time, there have been so many unreasonable losses that it makes you wonder how many people actually appreciate good food.
Bux at 9:27AM on 09/28/06
Best slices for my money in Manhattan are Patsy's in Harlem, Bleecker Street Pizza, Sal & Carmine's, Joe's, DeMarco's, Vinny Vincenz, Adrienne's (do they still do slices?), Muzzarella and wierdly, the Bayou Beast from Two Boots. -Guttergourmet
guttergour at 11:44AM on 09/28/06
Re: Adrienne's Slices.. I've been in twice recently, and no go on the slices. I asked, "When the heck are you going to have slices again?" and the response was to "check back in November, after the tables on Stone are gone..."
What the hey?!? Spurned, I went over to Rosario's and enjoyed a great italian sandwich, and later a pretty good slice of Red Velvet cake.. but I still wanted a sausage slice.. sigh
dbdtron
dbdtron at 4:26PM on 09/28/06
My pizza pet peeve is when people don't cook the veggie toppings before baking. I get this soupy mess and a floppy crust. Can anyone make a crispy crust anymore? Darn those canned mushrooms, too.
SuGoodEats at 8:26PM on 09/28/06
I haven’t noticed the dire state of the slice, partly because I never look to pizza just for a slice. In the past few years I think pizza has been upgraded from the quick slice to the ultimate pie. Maybe we should stop looking for a great slice and start searching out and enjoying all the fantastic pies out there. To me a slice is considered fast food, while a pie is a destination meal. I think NYC pizza deserves to be treated as a destination meal.
LCjr at 7:42AM on 10/01/06
I wish we had the same problem in Los Angeles, perhaps it will take a few generations to build the pizza biz here, but that's unlikely. There is one good place in LA, Mulberry Street Pizzeria in Beverly Hills. Unique and great thin sliced, not messy, perfect crust.
hiphopdoc at 2:25AM on 10/26/06