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Top 5: Damon Gambuto's Favorite Burgers in Los Angeles
@iheartcheese: You're absolutely right, iheartcheese. I am totally guilty of skipping past the word "favorite," and instead inserted "best" in its place, believing this to be a definitive list of L.A.'s best burgers instead of just Damon Gambuto's personal picks. Forgive my rash response!
Top 5: Damon Gambuto's Favorite Burgers in Los Angeles
I know everyone's got their opinion of what makes a great burger, but I have to agree with some of the other comments here. You cannot write this list without including Father's Office and Apple Pan. Without them, the list is irrelevant.
Dear Slice: 'Heading to NYC, and Pepe's in New Haven'
Damn you, Adam. I had already planned on a New Haven trip, but now I feel helplessly compelled to fly out there much sooner than I had originally planned. Those pies look SO GOOD.
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Naples: A Trio of Pizzas at Pizzeria Starita
I'm extremely jealous, nextgospel. I would LOVE to try a fried & baked pizza; it just sounds all kinds of right.
I have to admit, both the Il Corno di Maradona and the angioletti look absolutely repugnant (the first resembles a deep fried giraffe's penis and the second diarrhea on egg rolls), but I'm sure they would have tasted awesome. I've yet to find the dessert that wasn't improved by Nutella.
Thanks for the write-up!
Top 5: Damon Gambuto's Favorite Burgers in Los Angeles
@iheartcheese: You're absolutely right, iheartcheese. I am totally guilty of skipping past the word "favorite," and instead inserted "best" in its place, believing this to be a definitive list of L.A.'s best burgers instead of just Damon Gambuto's personal picks. Forgive my rash response!
Top 5: Damon Gambuto's Favorite Burgers in Los Angeles
I know everyone's got their opinion of what makes a great burger, but I have to agree with some of the other comments here. You cannot write this list without including Father's Office and Apple Pan. Without them, the list is irrelevant.
Dear Slice: 'Heading to NYC, and Pepe's in New Haven'
Damn you, Adam. I had already planned on a New Haven trip, but now I feel helplessly compelled to fly out there much sooner than I had originally planned. Those pies look SO GOOD.
Portland, Oregon: Al Forno Ferruzza
@mrjwain: That's exciting! Next time you're in town, you MUST check out Ken's Artisan Pizza and Apizza Scholls. You'll respect Portland pizza even more.
Seattle: Tutta Bella, a Quick Photo Gallery
@williamwest:
"...Whole Foods downstairs...far superior."
Um, no.
Seattle: Serious Pie's Cherry-Bomb Pepper and Sausage Pizza Is the ...
@Adam Kuban: Yeah, the combination of the sausage and peppers on that pie was dynamite. All the flavor that was missing in my Margherita was more than compensated for by those two additions. So good.
Seattle: Serious Pie's Cherry-Bomb Pepper and Sausage Pizza Is the ...
Adam, the shots you took of your pizzas and the ones I took of mine are like night and day! There was only a single spot of char between the two pies I had (Margherita and Sausage/Cherry Bomb), but yours are brimming with tasty blackened domes. The Margherita I had was also almost completely unseasoned, whereas yours was well-seasoned. The peppers on my sausage pie, while very delicious, weren't hot whatsoever, whereas you say yours were. You also report that your crust was bready and flavorful, while mine was exceedingly bland.
Maybe it was the time of day I went, but I think it's clear the head pizzaiolo didn't make my pies. There's no way anyone with standards would have let that Margherita be served to anyone.
I'm so pissed!
Veterans Day
I wasn't familiar with it, either. That's beyond cool.
In Which I Find Margherita Pizzas Boring
Fascinating, Adam. I love a little honesty in the world of food writing, where I think a lot of people are compelled to hold back their true opinions for fear of upsetting someone else. It's different if someone throws out a wild opinion from left field just to be nonconformist and provocative, but I don't believe that was your intention at all.
So how do I feel about your statement? I can't say I blame you. I have had more than my share of boring, forgettable Margheritas over the years, many which have stuck to the VPN standard and probably even more that didn't. As you said, if the pizzaiolo doesn't nail every single aspect of this simple pie, it's going to disappoint.
I have gradually come to realize that my favorite pizzas typically feature either soppressata or fennel sausage; I just love the flavors they bring to the table. That said, the very best pizza I have ever eaten was the Margherita at Pizzeria Bianco. I really enjoyed the other pizzas on the menu with their variety of toppings (meat and otherwise), but that Margherita was flawless. I mean that literally: it was without flaw. I could not expect anything more from a pizza. As you said, what separates this Margherita from the pack is that, yes, it has a point of view. It's pushing the small list of ingredients to their fullest potential, bringing them to the height of their flavors so that they literally taste different from another pizza made with those exact same ingredients. Very few pizzaioli can do that with their pies.
Most pizzerias try to express a point of view with toppings, and many do succeed, but Bianco's Margherita doesn't need them. So as long as there are Margheritas in the world like that, I'll still eat them.
Usually, though...I'll stick to that fennel sausage.
Portland, Oregon: Al Forno Ferruzza
@extramsg: I've heard those calzones are where it's at here. Actually, I think it was on your site's forums that I heard that! Damn, your pics look scrumptious. It's one in the morning and I'm hungry for a calzone, thanks a lot.
Portland, Oregon: Nostrana
@estramsg: I'll have to try a different pie than the Margherita next time, maybe something with some meat on it. It could have been an off night, but the crust Adam and I had there really didn't have much flavor to it at all, salt or sourdough. The cheese was boring, too. I've heard from friends that the rest of the food on Nostrana's menu is top notch, and I'll definitely be going back soon to try some other dishes.
I will say this: I'd definitely take Nostrana's margherita over Serious Pie's, which I recently tried for the first time (awful).
Portland, Oregon: Nostrana
@L.A. Pizza Maven & foolishpoolish: Nice work, guys! I agree with Adam: I don't care one bit whether a pizzeria is VPN-certified or not. I do find it bizarre that Nostrana has that up in their restaurant when they are most certainly not certified, decoration or not.
Portland, Oregon: Nostrana
@L.A. Pizza Maven: Interesting! There are indeed not listed on the VPN's members list.
What's strange about it is that, in Nostrana, they have their VPN certification proudly displayed.
I think some investigative journalism is in order...
Portland, Oregon: Nostrana
Wow, I was just at Serious Pie, and maybe I should have tried that pizza on the cover of Seattle Monthly instead of the bland Margherita. Looks much more interesting!
Openings: Paulie Gee's, Greenpoint, Brooklyn
That's great news, Paulie. I look forward to tasting your pies when I make it back to the east coast!
Portland, Oregon: Escape from New York Pizza
Finally tried this place last night. Not "good" pizza, but as a NY-style slice? Damn tasty.
Portland, Oregon: Ken's Artisan Pizza
@pizzafreak, L.A. Pizza Maven, & egadman:
Count me in! A vehicle needs four wheels.
Portland, Oregon: Ken's Artisan Pizza
@Adam Kuban: There does seem to be a yellow tinge to the pizza pics. I compared them to the shots I had taken at Ken's, and the difference in color is pretty noticeable, particularly on that bacon pie. It seems like the reds were toned down.
Portland, Oregon: Ken's Artisan Pizza
@tinytime: I can see why you'd think that going off the pic of the bacon pie (it's very close up), but it's actually not that large at all.
Serious Beer: American Brown Ales
I've tried nearly all those beers, and the Rogue Hazelnut is far and away my favorite of the lot. Tell whichever member of your tasting crew who picked this as her favorite that she has impeccable taste!
Portland, Oregon: Ken's Artisan Pizza
That fennel sausage, onion, and Calabrian chile pic has my mouth watering...
Enjoy Them. Oh, Yes, Enjoy Them While They Last
A pity those particular moments weren't more delicious...
Breakfast/Bagel Suggestions in NYC
You guys are awesome. Thank you so much for all the great suggestions! It's good to know we have plenty of options available to us.
More Rave Reviews for Seattle's Delancey
@pauliegee: Yes, flying in all the way from Oregon! Unfortunately, my plane doesn't touch down in NY until later that evening, well after Saturday's event ends.
Dear Slice: 'Heading to NYC, and Pepe's in New Haven'
Adam out of respect for the Wooster St legacy I kept Pepe's at #3 because of the respect issue and because there are other pies Like the Clam which are out of this world. But I observed other people cutting into their pies and everyone was having the same issue and looked upset that it was taking so much work to eat their pies.....
the slice when you would pick it up would stay straight that's how tough the actual crust has been coming out of the oven lately at both locations.
I've eaten Pizza in quite a few cities and I've followed the GQ Pizza Article on a few of the Detroit pizzeria's since I have family on my wife's side who live out that way.
I really enjoyed buddy's pizza and actually found photos on my cell phone that I sent in. Way different pizza squares and such....
But back to New Haven, for the health conscious Pizza eater up the road about 4 miles up on Whitney ave in Hamden there is Olde World Pizza they do lo carb and even wheat pizza. It's not coal oven but it's pretty good stuff as well.
I haven't eaten yet at the new Yonkers location or the Mohegan Sun for Pepe's but once they went to 7 days a week and opening up at 11:30am something has changed, you need more staff, different people making the pizza and it's just different at Pepe's right now...
I should send them an email because I'm asked all the time 6'3 300lbs which of the big 5 is the best and I tell anyone depends on what you like on it. Sausage hands down is Zupps...... Modern is bigger in seating capacity, very thin Apizza...But they have won best pizza in the Advocate for the past 7 years....Ballot stuffing who knows..... But everyone I know loves Modern. The one thing I do love in regards to the peperoni used at Sallys and Pepe's is that it's cut off the stick.....It doesn't get any better than that......
Then you have to go down the block on Wooster for Italian Ice at Libby's.
Libby's has a new location in North Haven right down the street from me.
Homemade just awesomeness is all I can say. You want any Italian Cookie or Angel Wings, expresso , etc.....It doesn't get any better than Libby's after throwing down.....
Anyone ever wants to do a Pizza throwdown with a Former/Transplanted New Yorker.....
Just drop me a line.....
Enjoy the weekend and holidays everyone...
Naples: A Trio of Pizzas at Pizzeria Starita
@ serious pizza
i know ha ha the guy from the voice must be confused by this.
but he need not be cuz it was awesome.
yes you're right, keste makes it to look much different.
it tastes very much the same. of course the ingredients are better in italy cuz they are grown there and brought to your table asap as opposed to being imported. and of course zucchine flowers are not only hard to come by but extremely expensive here in the u.s.
but keste does a great job with it. even if roberto isn't making the pizzas. there's other great pizzaioli there who make fantastic pizza.
Naples: A Trio of Pizzas at Pizzeria Starita
@adam
well i'm not sure but i believe they fry it first then add the stuff and bake.
i'm pretty sure its that order.
Dear Slice: 'Heading to NYC, and Pepe's in New Haven'
Wow. Thanks for the great intel, offthemeter. Interesting that Pepe's still comes in at No. 3 even from what you say above. Before I got to your ranking, I expected it to be somewhere after Bar or Zuppardi's. It's now clear we'll have to go back and do Bar and Zuppardi's (and re-try Pepe's).
Dear Slice: 'Heading to NYC, and Pepe's in New Haven'
I want to chime in since I grew up in New York City and now live 10 minutes from the Big 5 Modern, Sally's Pepe's, Zuppardi's and Bar.
Pepe's the last 3 times in the past 2 months and 1 time at the Spot which is the original Pepe's. Their crust I couldn't even cut it with my knife and it was beyond noticeable. 4 times same Original Location and the same experience it's not a coincidence until I read the other posts on here today.
Sallys sauce when you ask for extra sauce is the sweetest of the bunch. The rudeness factor makes me laugh but my wife refuses to eat there and she's a native and lifer of the area. The issue is they can only squeeze in 10 pies into their oven at a time and they take phone orders if you can get through.
Modern is our favorite out of the Big 5 the Italian Bomb is a hearty pie sausage, pep, bacon, onion, red pepper. I'm a Pepperoni guy that's all I need and sometimes just good old Sauce and Grated does me fine as well.
Bar Pizza is made by someone who used to work at Sally's so that's why it gets high marks as a sleeper pizza. I've only had pepperoni and cheese and it was pretty good.
Zuppardi's in West Haven...Their sausage Pie is really good not Coal Oven though and the decor is very old school.... Gives it Character.
1.Modern
2.Sally's
3.Pepe's
4. Zups
5. Bar
Dear Slice: 'Heading to NYC, and Pepe's in New Haven'
"My experience is also that Pepe's is much more variable than it was when the previous generation was running it and before its expansion, but I have had some remarkably good pizza there recently...."
IMO, I strongly feel that product AND consistency is what makes a great pizzeria. Most pizzerias, either because of lack of ingredient quality, lack of skill sets by the pizzamakers and/or lack of passion are not even capable of making a great pizza to begin with.
A "great" pizzeria is capable of making a great pizza and is driven to get as close to that greatness as often as possible.....which is most of the time.
It sounds like Pepe's is in the process of falling, or has already fallen from greatness, even if it can still crank out a great pizza from time to time. That's really sad to this pizza lover and a situation that hopefully will right itself sooner than later.
Adam, the pic of the Sally's pizzas look delicious BTW. I need to get to New Haven ASAP! --K
Dear Slice: 'Heading to NYC, and Pepe's in New Haven'
@gustoct: Point noted. I'll have to try Pepe's next time I'm in New Haven to see how the crust fares again. Now that I know how easy/quick it is to get to with a Zipcar, that should be soon.
Just called to verify with Zuppardi's Apizza: They use a gas-fired oven. No coal.
Dear Slice: 'Heading to NYC, and Pepe's in New Haven'
As a New Haven whose exposure goes back 47 years and who simply won't put up with the treatment at Sally's, I have mainly frequented Pepe's with occasional detours at Modern (as well as other places not as good and some really great ones, alas no longer with us). My experience is also that Pepe's is much more variable than it was when the previous generation was running it and before its expansion, but I have had some remarkably good pizza there recently and disagree with Ed's verdict (of course, I didn't have the pies he had). You get superb pizza more often than not and I haven't had a BAD one. My experience with the Fairfield location has actually been quite good, but I haven't tried the others.
I'll have to try Zuppardi's in West Havenm. Do they have a coal oven?
Naples: A Trio of Pizzas at Pizzeria Starita
Great post nextgospel ! Can't wait to read more of your trip reviews.
What's with the Pizza a Baccala' on the sandwich board outside?
Funny,but that Pizza del Papa bears zero resemblance to the ones served at Keste IMO? Walnut cream on Pizza?
Where's that guy from the Village Voice .........
Naples: A Trio of Pizzas at Pizzeria Starita
@Luca Sweet? Your cousins? Absolutely. The Slicemeister? NFW.
@Wiki Thanks for the visuals.
Ciao,
Paulie Gee
Top 5: Damon Gambuto's Favorite Burgers in Los Angeles
One more quick note... I mentioned in my response to @sinosoul city boundaries... To be fair, I was unfair. Pie N Burger is in Pasadena, which is, like the other cities in question, technically outside of the LA city boundary.
Top 5: Damon Gambuto's Favorite Burgers in Los Angeles
Thanks to everyone for commenting. Of course, "best of's" or "favorite" lists are bound to spark some controversy, but we've all fallen victim to those search terms when seeking out a a meal.
@jimmyjojo - you are welcome. I too don't find Father's Office a revelation as many others have, but more than that I find my colleague Nick summed it up best in his review of the place. It doesn't really qualify as a burger for this kind of a list.
@ChefJeffSD - Certainly Apple Pan is a classic eatery, but it's just not the kind of quality to warrant a mention here in the top five.
@Paula Maack - So glad that you enjoyed the list. Comme Ça is certainly a treat. Make sure your visit is a lunchtime one. Last I checked there's no burger available at dinner.
@simonmarkley - I understand your sentiment, but see above for my take on it.
@WikiAdam - You did recant, but you shouldn't have. I'd certainly hold these five up to FO and Applepan any day. No need to apologize for being passionate about burgers. I certainly am.
@Nebagakid - You are not alone in your love of Umami. I'm not on the bandwagon with it being the definitive new Los Angeles burger, but it's certainly part of the conversation about the best.
@sinosoul - Well, first off. So sorry to have lost you. A few quick things about your comment:
Comme Ça uses iceberg on its burger and while I don't find that it enhances it (I prefer mine sans lettuce) certainly that isn't a limp weed. Also - I think you put some stock in Jonathan Gold, his opinion, and a mention he made of you... I think he might agree with me on this one.
Umami is certainly full of schtick, but the grind is superior and I simply disagree about the meat to bun ratio.
As for my taste for Pie N Burger and what it has to say of my travels and where I get "grilled" burgers... Two things about that: First off, Pie N Burger is griddled so it would never be classified as a "real grilled burger."
Secondly, I have indeed made it south of 105... I reviewed a burger in Redondo Beach just a couple of weeks ago. It was really good, and like Mom's in Compton, is south of the 105. Another thing a burger in Redondo has in common with burger Compton? Neither is actually in Los Angeles so they wouldn't qualify for this list.
As for the other three you mentioned. All are good, but, would occupy the bottom half of my top ten. Again, sorry to have lost you.
@iheartcheese - Thanks for having my back. I appreciate it to be sure. That said, I know I am tapped to have an opinion and that means folks are gonna get riled up when they disagree. I guess I would say: I see my role here as not simply some arbiter, but rather, someone with a practiced and thought through method for forming his opinion and (hopefully) the skills to communicate it in a way that entertains and helps folks determine if they'd like to try a particular burger.
@mangabanga - Thanks so much for the support. I know not everyone will agree with me, but I did labor over my determinations.
Top 5: Damon Gambuto's Favorite Burgers in Los Angeles
Great list, Damon. Los Angeles thanks you for your tireless work on our behalf.
Top 5: Damon Gambuto's Favorite Burgers in Los Angeles
Um yeah, guys who take this a little too seriously:
I think the whole point of this is that he gets to write the list however he wants. Did you read the opening?
SinoSoul must have gotten passed up for this job.
Top 5: Damon Gambuto's Favorite Burgers in Los Angeles
Just lost a LA reader. Comme Ca has limp weeds for greens, Umami's a lousy shtick with too much bun and aholes for servesr. A person who enjoys Pie N Burger has never traversed south of the 105 for a real grilled burger (Mom's, The Burger Stand, Master's, etc.) That leaves Rustic Canyon. Hey, that's great, but it doesn't rectify leaving out Bar Marmont, 25 Degrees, or Beacon, etc.
Top 5: Damon Gambuto's Favorite Burgers in Los Angeles
UMAMI UMAMI UMAMI
Father's Office pales in comparison to the SUPERAWESOME taste of Umami.
I must try Comme Ça, though, as the pictures do look amazing.
Dear Slice: 'Heading to NYC, and Pepe's in New Haven'
@jwardell: Went to the Pepe's on Wooster. The big one, not The Spot. We ordered a clam pie and a sausage/mozzarella pie. My main complaint was with the ABSOLUTE TOUGHNESS of the crust. OMG. Jawache after trying a slice of each. Even if it had the most flavorful plain sauce/grated cheese, I'd still have an issue with the crust. Tell me how ordering a plain pie is going to change the crust situation and I may reconsider my assessment on further review.
Dear Slice: 'Heading to NYC, and Pepe's in New Haven'
How can you diss Pepes when you didn't order a plainchees pie to compare it to the others?
I also wonder if you wen to one of its satellite locations which of course are nowhere near the original.
Also head into Reginas in boston (again, the original north end location), get a plain cheese well done.
Dear Slice: 'Heading to NYC, and Pepe's in New Haven'
We're pretty much with you, Adam. I like Sally's best overall, Lil digs Modern's tomato pie, but Sally's mozz. We agree that Pepe's is third. Still, we'd be happy with any of the three on any given day.
Dear Slice: 'Heading to NYC, and Pepe's in New Haven'
A few weeks ago, I stopped at Sally's while driving back from Boston to NYC, around 8pm on a Wednesday night. It was about half-full. The service was friendly, and not unpleasant. But the pizza... was superb. For two of us, we got a medium pie with mozzarella, and a medium eggplant parmesan pie (it was a special). Both were exceptionally delicious--if they have the eggplant pie, definitely get it--it's the best eggplant pizza you'll ever eat.
Dear Slice: 'Heading to NYC, and Pepe's in New Haven'
I'm astounded by the undeserved dis of Pepe's clam pie. It was only a few weeks ago that my food writer friend and I drove up to NH with the specific intention of eating that very pizza. We even called ahead to make sure Pepe's had a clam pie that day since we were disappointed last time around when no clams were to be had. We arrived about 3pm. Not much of a wait at that time of day. We were seated almost as soon as we walked through the door. We ordered our prey. It came to the table large, hot, redolent of garlic and chopped fresh salty succulent clams. A little sprinkling of cheese (not a no-no in this instance) The crust was perfect. Chewy, crisp and light. Not a bit doughy or tough. The pie was, in a word, perfection and I will defend it to the death. To paraphrase a well-respected, former contender for the vice presidency of the United States-- I have had Pepe's clam pie and Lombardy's you are no Pepe's.
Dear Slice: 'Heading to NYC, and Pepe's in New Haven'
Man, I really dont like sliced tomatoes on my pizza...but the "plain" and sausage look gooood! Used to go to Ricky's Clam House often back in the daze of yore..so funny its a Frank Pepe's now. Hope its good.
Dear Slice: 'Heading to NYC, and Pepe's in New Haven'
With 20/20 hindsight, we should have hit Bar instead of Pepe's. Even then, we would have been cutting it close. We were told by a New Havenite who joined us at Modern that Bar would likely have a long wait but that we could probably do a Pepe's take-out pie in between Modern and Sally's. And so that's what we did.
Dear Slice: 'Heading to NYC, and Pepe's in New Haven'
Another vote for Bar Pizza in New Haven!
Dear Slice: 'Heading to NYC, and Pepe's in New Haven'
I haven't been to Sallys but think that Modern is better than Pepes. If the line is too long at Modern, they have a take out area around the corner (entrance is in the parking lot). Last time there I got a pie and ate it outside to avoid the crowd waiting for a table.
Non-pizza wise, excellent choices with Ess-a-bagel (21st and 1st location only - get whatever is hot), Katz's (pastrami on rye with mustard, sour pickles on the side and a hot dog or knoblewurst to eat while waiting for your cutter to finish preparing the pastrami sandwich), White Manna (a few sliders w/ cheese and onion) and Rutt's Hut (2 rippers and an order of onion rings).
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About WikiAdam
Website: http://thisispizza.blogspot.com
Location: Portland, OR
About:
Favorite foods: Pizza, cheeseburgers, fried chicken, pulled pork, enchiladas, good microbrewed beer
Last bite on earth: Hot soppressata & basil pie at Ken's Artisan Pizza, Portland, OR, pint of Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar Ale.
I'm extremely jealous, nextgospel. I would LOVE to try a fried & baked pizza; it just sounds all kinds of right.
I have to admit, both the Il Corno di Maradona and the angioletti look absolutely repugnant (the first resembles a deep fried giraffe's penis and the second diarrhea on egg rolls), but I'm sure they would have tasted awesome. I've yet to find the dessert that wasn't improved by Nutella.
Thanks for the write-up!