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Do You Put Ranch Dressing on Pizza?
I have NEVER heard of this culinary habit of ranch dressing on pizza until I read this in the Wash. Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/27/AR2008052700821.html
It just seems like such an incongruous flavor or condiment to add to a pizza.
Coal Oven Alert: Coal Fire Pizzeria, Ellicott City, Maryland
hmmm, interesting. thanks for the photos.
I might need to make the trek up there one weekend. have they worked all the kinks out and are they running smoothly up there?
Top Chef's Spike Mendelsohn Opening D.C. Pizzeria
I don't get out to Reston, VA very often, but I'll keep that in mind.
If you're looking for NY style slices in DC, I found it at the Washington Deli on 20th and K St. I decided to bite the bullet and get on the subway to check the place out (closest one is Farragut West station) yesterday for lunch and it is really close. It reminded me a little of the slices at Joe's on Carmine St in NYC. The underside was nice and crisp with some char, no tip sag. when I went in, they had a rack of pies in the back counter and a bunch of pies up front at the display counter. It was worth the trip even thought it isn't the most convenient for me during lunch hour. it literally took me an hour and 7 minutes total time.
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Recent Comments | Response to Comments
Top Chef's Spike Mendelsohn Opening D.C. Pizzeria
Washington Deli is opening up a new store on 5830 Georgia Ave NW. I hope they can maintain the same standard of the one on 20th and K St.
Do You Put Ranch Dressing on Pizza?
I have NEVER heard of this culinary habit of ranch dressing on pizza until I read this in the Wash. Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/27/AR2008052700821.html
It just seems like such an incongruous flavor or condiment to add to a pizza.
Coal Oven Alert: Coal Fire Pizzeria, Ellicott City, Maryland
hmmm, interesting. thanks for the photos.
I might need to make the trek up there one weekend. have they worked all the kinks out and are they running smoothly up there?
Top Chef's Spike Mendelsohn Opening D.C. Pizzeria
I don't get out to Reston, VA very often, but I'll keep that in mind.
If you're looking for NY style slices in DC, I found it at the Washington Deli on 20th and K St. I decided to bite the bullet and get on the subway to check the place out (closest one is Farragut West station) yesterday for lunch and it is really close. It reminded me a little of the slices at Joe's on Carmine St in NYC. The underside was nice and crisp with some char, no tip sag. when I went in, they had a rack of pies in the back counter and a bunch of pies up front at the display counter. It was worth the trip even thought it isn't the most convenient for me during lunch hour. it literally took me an hour and 7 minutes total time.
Top Chef's Spike Mendelsohn Opening D.C. Pizzeria
oh man...I didn't know that Vace had a deli store in Bethesda, MD! That's fairly convenient to me since about a 20 minute drive away from Bethesda. I just wish that downtown DC had more places that sell good slices (or at least convenient to where I work). I'm guessing maybe some of these mom and pop pizzerias can't afford the rent?
Top Chef's Spike Mendelsohn Opening D.C. Pizzeria
Santoslhalper - yes, I've heard good things about Vace. Again, I wish there were more these places close into downtown where I work. I can only go to those other places in mid town or uptown on the weekends when I have some time.
has anyone been to the Washington Deli on 19th and K St? I keep hearing from other sites how they sell good slices.
Top Chef's Spike Mendelsohn Opening D.C. Pizzeria
Paulie- 2 Amy's is good, but like others have said, sometimes it can be hit or miss. having said that, I haven't been there in awhile. It's worth a shot. You should have fun at Nationals Park, it's a nice stadium. The Nats have such terrible pitching though! Place will prolly be loaded up with the opposing team's fans anyway, the Nats are so bad...
Yeah, Pete's Apizza serves up New Haven style. I've only been there once and it was good. It's convenient too as it's right outside the subway stop so I need to get back there soon!
has anyone tried Moroni & Brothers? It's in a weird location, right on Ga Ave in the Petworth neighborhood. Doesn't look like there's any parking so you have to go off into the neighborhood on the side streets to park. Supposedly one of the owners used to work at Pizza Paradiso and learned how to make pies.
Top Chef's Spike Mendelsohn Opening D.C. Pizzeria
ugh....I dunno if DC needs someone to open up some fancy pizzeria who cleary hasn't educated himself enough. "Naploean" pizza? It's bad enough that Vapiano's opened up here in the Gallery Place area.
I wish DC had more places mom and pop places downtown where you can just get a good slice. Supposedly, Alberto's over in Dupont Circle has decent slices, but I can't get over there during lunch hour without coming back to the office late.
Dear Slice: 'If We Don't Take Care of the Customer, Somebody Else Will'
Nice post, Philip....it gives us consumers a different perspective. You make an excellent point about the good, hard working employees who put in their 8 hours a day and more in the service industry. In this economy, those two morons obviously didn't see how lucky they were to HAVE a job at Domino's. I'm sure there are a lot of people out there right now that would love to fill those vacancies at that Domino's franchise.
Pizzeria Owner Pistol-Whips Complaining Customer
good thing nobody said anything about the stromboli!
A Slice of Heaven: Washington, D.C.
you know, I've been to Ella's in the past few months and I actually like them. You have to realize that if you're comparing it to NYC, then the standards are relative. But for DC? Like Ed remarked, it's better than the run-of the-mill joint you might have in DC but I think for DC, it really is a notch above the regular chains and all. (Oh, and in regards to Ed's comments about Ella? Turns out the restaurant owner named it after his daughter).
Now on occasion, the pies at Ella's have been rushed out to me and the quality wasn't so hot and the cheese to sauce ratio was out of balance. And I like Ella's a lot better than Matchbox....since Matchbox is now in the rejuvenated area of 7th Street, and the Verizon Center is the main hub for all kinds of sporting events, I find Matchbox to be too damn crowded. I've eaten there about three times and I found that their pies don't have enough crispness to its underside. It was so thin that you couldn't pick it up either and the toppings would just slide right off the slice.
But still---for DC? It's at least a step in the right direction.
There is a new place called Moroni and Brothers that's been open for a little over a year; I haven't had a chance to stop in. The owners used to work at Pizzeria Paradiso.
Citigroup Deal Banged Out Over Domino's Pizza
ha! nah, we're good...FDIC pays for the pizza out of their own pocket. Unless you count the fact that they're a US government owned institution being paid a salary with our taxpayer money. Since I'm in DC and know how government agencies work, I'm pretty sure these FDIC staffers did it out of their own wallets. You'd have to fill out a government form to get cash from some imprest fund and then turn in the receipt blah blah blah...
Best Pizza in Boston?
@airstrikemike - definitely try 'em out. I think Canestaro's is a nice joint, I like the pies. It's real close to Fenway Park, so I'm surprised that no one said anything about the place. I guess a lot of folks want to hit the Cask and Flagon before the game.
Citigroup Deal Banged Out Over Domino's Pizza
they shoulda sent out for 2 Amy's or a bunch of other DC joints that serve better pizza than Dominos.
Best Pizza in Boston?
What about Canestaro's nearby Fenway Park? Or DaCoopa's in east Boston? I'm surprised those haven't been mentioned.
Do You Put Ranch Dressing on Pizza?
How do you get a white trash girl to suck your d**k?
Dip it in ranch dressing.
Do You Put Ranch Dressing on Pizza?
I don't put ranch on anything! Gross tasting stuff.
Do You Put Ranch Dressing on Pizza?
Amen "omnomnom"! (I'm from Mich, too. Same area)
Do You Put Ranch Dressing on Pizza?
I absolutely love ranch on my pizza. Granted, I am a middle-school student (though homeschooled), and got the idea from my (middle school, homeschooled) friends after we started dipping French-Fries in Ranch (that's justified in Mich--here most of the fries are way too greasy or way too dry). We decided to try it on our pizza--and it's great. Only Hidden Valley (tm) works though. Deep dish pizza doesn't need it, fortunately. A group fave for us is cayenne pepper, fresh black pepper, ranch, and tabasco sauce. I agree, if it's good pizza, it doesn't need condiments, but (1) pizza in metro-detroit isn't that good, and (2), it doesn't matter if it needs it--if ya want it, I say put it on unashamedly!
Top Chef's Spike Mendelsohn Opening D.C. Pizzeria
Tried Primo Italiano in Reston per a previous post. Surprisingly good Italian-American food, worthy of a more serious restaurant, hidden in a counter service deli. I would go back for their pastas for sure.
As for the pizza, quite frankly, I'd never order it again. The crust is too squishy and both the cheese and sauce are standard issue. Almost every casual Italian-American resto in the burbs makes pizza, and this is a bit below average. For the poster who recommended it, I think Italian Cafe in Falls Church is much better. Still, none of these places put the same effort into the crust as a serious pizza parlor.
Top Chef's Spike Mendelsohn Opening D.C. Pizzeria
2 Amys is still tops, not just for DC, but would be hard to beat anywhere.
I love ordering an onion and olive pie from Vace. Getting a reheated slice does not do any pizza justice. They put the cheese under the tomato sauce here. Carry-out only. Finding excellent pizza can be difficult anywhere, especially if it is not thin crust.
Washington Deli is ok for what it is, but really, not serious at all.
The Atomica at Pizzeria Paradiso is excellent.
All the rest are ok to very good. have not tried Primo Italiano in Reston (mentioned above but this is the first I've heard of it) or American Flatbreads which is the Vermont place now in the VA suburbs which gets high marks.
A Slice of Heaven: Washington, D.C.
To add, there has been a pizza revolution going on in the DC area recently with Red Rocks, Pie-Tanza, Mia's, and Pete's Apizza adding to quite a few other fine choices. Pizza Paradiso makes a version called Atomica with spicy salami. It is great, but it needs the spiciness because the plain pizza is a bit boring. Vace, listed in a previous post, is my #2, but it is carry-out only. They do a great job with onions and olives that really make it a glorious, pungent mess. The regular pizza comes with the cheese under the sauce, so this is a terrific pie with a different take, and it works. Older choices like Ella's (substandard) and Piola (an international chain) used to be average for DC, but now they are considerably below the bar.
A Slice of Heaven: Washington, D.C.
After having tried pizza in Old Forge, PA and NYC (Luzzo's) and New Haven (Pepe's white clam) on a recent trip, I was curious to go back to 2 Amys which is my local DC fave and a place I haven't been to in a while. Every margherita I have ever had there has been stellar and this time might have been the best ever. It is a minimalist pizza. Not covered with a sauce, but what I call a tomato wash. Brilliant fresh tomato flavor, creamy dairy bite from the cheese, large pieces of fragrant basil, and a razor thin crust that is piping hot and fluffy on the edges. The light drizzle of olive oil adds a gorgeous scent, unlike the comparitively heavy hand at Luzzo's which only add slipperiness. (still, Luzzo's was a terrific pizza.)
The best pizza I have eaten in twenty years.
Coal Oven Alert: Coal Fire Pizzeria, Ellicott City, Maryland
For a complete jackarse's opinion of Coal Fire Pizza, click here:
Coal Oven Alert: Coal Fire Pizzeria, Ellicott City, Maryland
If anyone is interested, we've got our impressions...
http://www.grubgrade.com/2009/06/03/featured-restaurant-coal-fire-pizza/
Coal Oven Alert: Coal Fire Pizzeria, Ellicott City, Maryland
I'm not sure what the kinks are you're referring to, but it looked to me like they're operating under fairly normal parameters for a new restaurant. Sounded like something was being installed in the kitchen, but it was only a momentary disturbance. I did get the feeling they're still trying to figure out the best kitchen flow and prep procedures. However, I think I was the first customer of the day, so it's not surprising that they didn't seem totally in the zone yet. Still, they were ready to roll when I walked in; the oven was hot, the pizza came out quick, and it was served with a smile.
Top Chef's Spike Mendelsohn Opening D.C. Pizzeria
You have to go outside DC to get the best pizza. Primo Italiano in Reston, VA just outside DC has the best pizza by far.
I also strongly recommend Crozet Pizza outside of Charlottesville if you are ever in that area. You need a reservation because they only cook one pizza at a time.
Top Chef's Spike Mendelsohn Opening D.C. Pizzeria
Moroni is pretty decen but in the middle of no where is right. Pretty sure that Dora (from paradisio at Dupont) and her husband own the place - both learned pizza at Paradisio. And yes, Vaca is fine good serviceable slice pizza served up in a fine italian deli. And Red Rocks is two blocks west of the same Metro (Columbia heights) as pete's.
Top Chef's Spike Mendelsohn Opening D.C. Pizzeria
Thanks one and all on the 2 Amys feedback. Sounds like I'm gonna have to find out for myself and hope it's a hit and not a miss day. Certainly sounds like it'll be hit day at Nationals Ballpark (What no naming rights?!?!?!?!).
Ciao,
Paulie Gee
Top Chef's Spike Mendelsohn Opening D.C. Pizzeria
O, and by the way, Spike is a stiff and the money comes from his family. In general, he got nothin'.
Top Chef's Spike Mendelsohn Opening D.C. Pizzeria
Paulie - last two times I was at 2 Amy's the pies were undercooked - it was as if the oven was running cool and no one was watching what came out of the oven. Great cheese plates and salumeri though. Try paradisio, RedRocks, some love Comet Ping Pong (i think it's Ok) and if you can wrangle a fresh pie at Pete's Apizza it's not bad either.
Top Chef's Spike Mendelsohn Opening D.C. Pizzeria
Awesome! The food & service at Good Stuff is better when he's not around, so if he has something new to distract him, maybe he won't show up over here on the Hill for a while. As for what kind of an oven to have, he likes to leave his deliveries out in the back alley (DC has cited him twice for it, & he responded with the "Back Alley Burger"), so perhaps he could assemble the pizzas & just toss them outside to bake in the sun for a while...
Top Chef's Spike Mendelsohn Opening D.C. Pizzeria
vace on connecticut ave in cleveland park has decent slices, especially bianca
Top Chef's Spike Mendelsohn Opening D.C. Pizzeria
2 amy's is awesome, probably the best pizza in dc.
Top Chef's Spike Mendelsohn Opening D.C. Pizzeria
@DC Caps What do you think of 2 Amys? I am planning on checking them out when I hit DC for a Nationals game.
Thanks,
Paulie Gee
Best Pizza in Boston?
Pizza Oggi, now in Cambridge, has some consistently great pizza. Great crusts, usually sprinkled with poppy seeds or whatever else is hanging around, and hight quality toppings. www.oggigourmet.com
Best Pizza in Boston?
I have a few favorites:
1, Bianchi's Pizza on Revere Beach.
2. Santarpio's in East Boston
3. Brown Jug in Chelsea
4. Little Italy in Beverly
Dear Slice: 'If We Don't Take Care of the Customer, Somebody Else Will'
I agree with what most of you are saying. You know, I live down the street from some solid slice places, as well as Co. and Patsy's (the weak 23rd st location) etc, and get great pizza a lot and guess what? I still buy frozen pizza twice per month!
People let their wallets do the talking. The average joe is a tastemaker. If there was no place for a pizza joint like Phillip's, it would go out of business. Instead, it is successful enough for 6 locations. People look down their noses too often around here (myself included...) and need to keep in mind that we are nothing but highly opinionated people with an easy way to get their voices heard, online.
Dear Slice: 'If We Don't Take Care of the Customer, Somebody Else Will'
Great post. While I also prefer the classic new york coal oven pizzas the standard american pizza as you describe it definitely has its place in this world. Different strokes for different folks, after all.
Dear Slice: 'If We Don't Take Care of the Customer, Somebody Else Will'
PG,
Thanks for the love. That really is what its all about, making peop Neole happy .
We as neopolitan and new york pizza lovers know what we need to produce (and see) a quality pie. For most of America that is totally different.
We use housemade dough, real mozz, and canned tomatoes just like every other pizzeria in the world. It is a DIFFERENT STYLE of pizza, that doesn't mean it isn't quality. It's different.
PG
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Washington Deli is opening up a new store on 5830 Georgia Ave NW. I hope they can maintain the same standard of the one on 20th and K St.