crob77’s Profile

Recent Comments

From Slice

All You Need to Know About Di Fara, 2009

I do not know anything regarding the technical differences between "flatbread" and "neapolitan style" ... nor do I know anything about proper cooking temperatures of pizza ... what I do know is that I truly love DiFara's Pizza. I am not a pizza lemming -- maybe just crazy?

First time I went to DiFara's was approximately 1 year ago. Having long cemented my favorites as Joe and Pat's (Staten Island) and Patsy's (Harlem), each of which is extremely easy to get into, and each of which makes an amazing pie. With two places like that, I really didn't the trek to, or wait associated with, DiFara's.

One day, however, I decided to go. I picked a weekend day (foolishly). The line was worse than expected, although, I guess, not out of the ordinary. It took 2 hours in line to place an order + 1 hour to get the pie. Beyond the wait, the experience itself was infuriating: I kept getting passed over in line for other people. The whole experience really pissed me off and definitley had me questioning my sanity. Finally, we got the pie -- a square pie. While I really wanted to hate it, I didn't. I didn't love it either. Nonetheless, I left interested in returning to try the round pie that I had seen so many others get.

Two weeks later, a friend and I went again. This time it was a weekday. The place was near empty. The place was empty, so I could watch the rituals associated with getting a pie at DiFara's that have been well documented elsewhere (i.e. slowly and methodically stretching the dough, the application of the sauce and cheese, the scissors cutting the basil). It was captivating, and really added to the overall experience, and likely, the taste of the resultant pizza. Following a 30 minute wait, we received the pie. It was nothing short of astounding. Truly amazing. Yes, it was messy as hell, oil, but wow -- it was definitely one great pizza. I've been back twice since, and have had similar visits to the 2nd visit -- nothing short of amazing.

As a final side note, one weekend I went to Difara's the day before going to my all time favorite, Joe and Pat's. This time, however, when I went to Joe and Pat's, and to my unpleasant surprise, I no longer liked their pizza!!!! Mind you, nothing had changed. The crust was still superb, the sauce still had a sweet, fresh flavor, the cheese judiciously applied. It was just that .... the flavor couldn't compare to DiFara's. Oh well. (6 months later, I returned to Joe and Pat's, discovering, to my delight, that I still enjoyed it . . . I did learn, however, that I can't go to DiFara's before going there -- a comparison between the two simply isn't fair).

From Slice

Interview with Motorino Pizza Chef Mathieu Palombino on Feedbag Blog

This is interesting... In a previous post, I had mentioned that my pizza here (as well as my girlfriend's) was definitely undercooked, overly dense, and doughy. It's possible that the reason for this was that Matthieu himself didn't make the pie. At the time i went (approximately 6:30 pm on a wednesday), there were two other individuals making pies .... and they definitely weren't belgian. Matthieu wasn't even in sight as far as i can tell. If that is the reason, he might want to excercise a little quality control over his employees -- cause it sounds like anything he makes himself is awesome.

From Slice

First Taste: Motorino Pizza Is Awesome

Went to Motorino's last night. When i got there it was empty. Ordered the Margharita DOC (w/ bufala mozzarella). Overall, i thought it was good ... and agree, that the taste is very similar to difara. However, the crust was way too doughy/dense and undercooked. Not sure why. By the time i left, the place was jam packed.

Overall, however, I still enjoy roberta's neopalitan more, for pure simplicity, which I think is more in the line of Joe and Pat's or Patsy's (harlem).

By the time dinner was finished, this place was jam packed.

From Serious Eats

The Hot Truck at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York

Wow. Not sure why I didn't look at the youtube video before writing my comment. That's really interesting.... and I think it kind of captures what I was saying. Whenever in the truck, there was always interesting banter with Bob... he would recounting stories, or what not (such as the Howard Stern story). Incidentally... notice how Bob precisely puts on the pepperoni -- even though that sandwich will ultimately get folded up and topped with a variety of other ingredients. (that's the kind of attention to detail i'm talking about)

Based on the badges people were wearing in the video (saying class of 92 or 97) it appears the video was shot during reunion week in '97... so that would be in June '97 sometime.

Also, just to add a little more depth to the video, notice how the guy taking the orders keeps kind of staring at the people making the video? Based on my experience, this was most likely not due to any interest in the filming or video, but because they were kind of being annoying in discussing sandwich names (pmp, mbc, etc), and therefore he couldn't hear people's orders. Incidentally, that guy's family (the one taking the orders) owned a major distributorship for snapple.... and if i recall, he graduated from Cornell, and stayed in Ithaca, in part, just to work at the hot truck for a couple of years.

See more comments by crob77 »

Recent Posts

crob77 hasn't written a post yet.

Recent Favorites

crob77 hasn't favorited a post yet.

Recent Polls

crob77 hasn't answered any polls yet.

Recent Quizzes

crob77 hasn't taken any quizzes yet.

Recent Comments | Response to Comments

From Slice

All You Need to Know About Di Fara, 2009

I do not know anything regarding the technical differences between "flatbread" and "neapolitan style" ... nor do I know anything about proper cooking temperatures of pizza ... what I do know is that I truly love DiFara's Pizza. I am not a pizza lemming -- maybe just crazy?

First time I went to DiFara's was approximately 1 year ago. Having long cemented my favorites as Joe and Pat's (Staten Island) and Patsy's (Harlem), each of which is extremely easy to get into, and each of which makes an amazing pie. With two places like that, I really didn't the trek to, or wait associated with, DiFara's.

One day, however, I decided to go. I picked a weekend day (foolishly). The line was worse than expected, although, I guess, not out of the ordinary. It took 2 hours in line to place an order + 1 hour to get the pie. Beyond the wait, the experience itself was infuriating: I kept getting passed over in line for other people. The whole experience really pissed me off and definitley had me questioning my sanity. Finally, we got the pie -- a square pie. While I really wanted to hate it, I didn't. I didn't love it either. Nonetheless, I left interested in returning to try the round pie that I had seen so many others get.

Two weeks later, a friend and I went again. This time it was a weekday. The place was near empty. The place was empty, so I could watch the rituals associated with getting a pie at DiFara's that have been well documented elsewhere (i.e. slowly and methodically stretching the dough, the application of the sauce and cheese, the scissors cutting the basil). It was captivating, and really added to the overall experience, and likely, the taste of the resultant pizza. Following a 30 minute wait, we received the pie. It was nothing short of astounding. Truly amazing. Yes, it was messy as hell, oil, but wow -- it was definitely one great pizza. I've been back twice since, and have had similar visits to the 2nd visit -- nothing short of amazing.

As a final side note, one weekend I went to Difara's the day before going to my all time favorite, Joe and Pat's. This time, however, when I went to Joe and Pat's, and to my unpleasant surprise, I no longer liked their pizza!!!! Mind you, nothing had changed. The crust was still superb, the sauce still had a sweet, fresh flavor, the cheese judiciously applied. It was just that .... the flavor couldn't compare to DiFara's. Oh well. (6 months later, I returned to Joe and Pat's, discovering, to my delight, that I still enjoyed it . . . I did learn, however, that I can't go to DiFara's before going there -- a comparison between the two simply isn't fair).

From Slice

Interview with Motorino Pizza Chef Mathieu Palombino on Feedbag Blog

This is interesting... In a previous post, I had mentioned that my pizza here (as well as my girlfriend's) was definitely undercooked, overly dense, and doughy. It's possible that the reason for this was that Matthieu himself didn't make the pie. At the time i went (approximately 6:30 pm on a wednesday), there were two other individuals making pies .... and they definitely weren't belgian. Matthieu wasn't even in sight as far as i can tell. If that is the reason, he might want to excercise a little quality control over his employees -- cause it sounds like anything he makes himself is awesome.

From Slice

First Taste: Motorino Pizza Is Awesome

Went to Motorino's last night. When i got there it was empty. Ordered the Margharita DOC (w/ bufala mozzarella). Overall, i thought it was good ... and agree, that the taste is very similar to difara. However, the crust was way too doughy/dense and undercooked. Not sure why. By the time i left, the place was jam packed.

Overall, however, I still enjoy roberta's neopalitan more, for pure simplicity, which I think is more in the line of Joe and Pat's or Patsy's (harlem).

By the time dinner was finished, this place was jam packed.

From Serious Eats

The Hot Truck at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York

Wow. Not sure why I didn't look at the youtube video before writing my comment. That's really interesting.... and I think it kind of captures what I was saying. Whenever in the truck, there was always interesting banter with Bob... he would recounting stories, or what not (such as the Howard Stern story). Incidentally... notice how Bob precisely puts on the pepperoni -- even though that sandwich will ultimately get folded up and topped with a variety of other ingredients. (that's the kind of attention to detail i'm talking about)

Based on the badges people were wearing in the video (saying class of 92 or 97) it appears the video was shot during reunion week in '97... so that would be in June '97 sometime.

Also, just to add a little more depth to the video, notice how the guy taking the orders keeps kind of staring at the people making the video? Based on my experience, this was most likely not due to any interest in the filming or video, but because they were kind of being annoying in discussing sandwich names (pmp, mbc, etc), and therefore he couldn't hear people's orders. Incidentally, that guy's family (the one taking the orders) owned a major distributorship for snapple.... and if i recall, he graduated from Cornell, and stayed in Ithaca, in part, just to work at the hot truck for a couple of years.

From Serious Eats

The Hot Truck at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York

Yeah. Whatcha gonna do? In the end i'm happy it's still there... It's interesting to note that the prices have almost doubled in the past 6 years... meaning that it is much more financially burdensome to go there multiple times per week.

From Serious Eats

The Hot Truck at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York

I went to Cornell from '95 to '00 – back in the days when Bob still owned and operated the truck. For the next several years following my time at Cornell, I continued to make visits to the hot truck – averaging 6 or 7 visits a years, during which time the truck was no longer owned or operated by Bob. I visited again about 2 years ago, and finally this past year. In total, I have eaten at the Hot Truck over 400 times (which included a stretch of 65 straight evenings).

I tell you that not to brag… but just to lend some credence to my perspective on the Hot Truck. Needless to say, I am a big Hot Truck fan. Rather, I was a big hot truck fan. Although I still enjoy a hot truck sandwich, in my opinion, it is a shell of its former self when Bob was still there running and operating the joint.

The reason is simple. Bob built his life around the Hot Truck, striving to put out a very, very high quality product. He was a permanent fixture in the truck, rarely missing a day, and making sandwiches from the time the truck arrived at it’s spot – around 10pm… till the truck closed and drove away for the evening – ranged from 2:30 till around 5am. In spite of the late hours, he and his wife would make may of the ad-on ingredients in their home during the course of the day – which included amazing home made meatballs and sausages.

On probably half of my hot truck visits, I entered the truck to talk to bob and watch my sandwich being prepared. At the time I was at Cornell, many students would do this. Bob knew most of the regulars’ names, would ask how you were doing, and then would recount stories of his past 40+ years. He would also make fun of the drunk idiots outside (I was often drunk myself… but it was still funny to watch). There are really too many stories to recount, but anyone who experienced the banter or enjoyment of watching Bob make your sandwich on a late evening understands what I am talking about.

In many ways, the Hot Truck and Bob were inseparably linked. To have one without the other really doesn’t make much sense. I won’t really disparage the current Hot Truck or it’s owners – I am kind of happy it didn’t close and that there is some bit left of the old truck… but, anyone who’s had a sandwich recently, who ate there regularly during Bob’s tenure, understands that the love, devotion, consistency, and high quality that he provided is simply no longer there.

Rob

P.S. For those NYC pizza lovers out there – the experience was very similar to that at DiFara’s pizza…in terms of the ambience, and the intangibles that made the hot truck such a special place while Bob was working there. It’s kind of difficult to imagine DiFara’s operating at the same level, with the same passion, and with the same character, without the presence of Mr. Demarco, isn’t it?

From Slice

All You Need to Know About Di Fara, 2009

I lived in Midwood for 30 years and started going to his shop in the 1980s. Back then he served up a mundane greasy slice to say the least and the interior was exactly the same minus the green paint, of course. If you grew up in the neighborhod like me you would never have imagined that he would become a pizza connoisseur's dream.

I had a Di Fara "experience" yesterday. I must admit his technique has evolved into an art form. I only wish I had the pizza when it was hot as I had to rush my wife and baby home as they had been sitting there for an eternity.

I am more in awe of the respect this man gets. Where else can you find a crowd of 30 people wait two hours for a pizza pie?

If you want great pizza, imho, go to Nino's pizza on 3rd Avenue ant 92nd Street in Bay Ridge. My favorite there is the Sofia Lauren which has whole slices of tomato with a sprinkling of garlic.

From Slice

First Taste: Motorino Pizza Is Awesome

Wow! For a first post on here you really slammed them ( I'ld be pissed if I was a hostess / Server here ) Is it maybe that you just don't like that style?
I've never been to either location and visually I like the look,but have heard from others that the dough was bland and that they had issues with balanced cooking. Reviews of the service in Brooklyn seem to have been less than favorable also.Maybe peoples expectations of pizzerias are equal to that of all restaurants these days? Time will tell. Did you return your food? Were you offered anything else?

From Slice

First Taste: Motorino Pizza Is Awesome

Motorino in the East Village opened this week. I had never been to the original outpost in Brooklyn but read many good reviews so we were looking forward to the opportunity to experience Motorino pizza in the City. It was hands down the worst pizza experience we have every had. You can get a better pizza in any slice shop in the City. The restaurant is small, loud and has no atmosphere. The chairs are so close together that the slightly overweight hostesses and servers have to constantly interrupt you and ask you to move your chair so they can move about the room. The service was horrible and the pizzas were worse - it took over 45 minutes for the pizzas to arrive at the table and when we questioned why our order was taking so long we were told that the computer went down. There are only about 15 tables in the shop - not sure what the computer has to do with the long wait for the pizza. The sauce on the sopressato pizza was so salty and bitter that I could not even eat it. The crust wasn't thoroughly cooked and the whole thing was watery and soggy. The yellow squash pizza with pancetta was flavorless - tasted like a mound of melted cheese and had 3 small sage leaves. Don't believe the hype and do yourself a favor - pick up a slice and save yourself the time and the money.

From Slice

All You Need to Know About Di Fara, 2009

@foodismylife. I'm glad to hear A. Mano in Ridgewood is still putting out a good Napoletana pie. I didn't see it mentioned yet. When will that area be written up?

Ciao,

Paulie Gee

From Slice

All You Need to Know About Di Fara, 2009

loved all the comments, i am among the group that difara's is a miracle here on earth
dom is a master to be cherished
i am spending my summer on the pizza patrol for the newark star ledger
our conceit is that we will taste pizza in all 21 counties of the state.
let me tell you someone said it best 90 per cent of anything is crap, i am a little more generous i say 15%.
so far i say mr nino's in harrison nj, semolina in milburn and a mano same consultant as keste ,in ridgewood are to die for
if you don't like di fara's it's you.
usually i say to each her own, but not here
good pizza hunting all

From Slice

All You Need to Know About Di Fara, 2009

I hope he raises the price of the slice to $10. Will still be the best damn pizza in the world and might keep out some of the riff raff.

From Slice

All You Need to Know About Di Fara, 2009

"Think about it, dumbasses. How could he possibly grow that much basil in the window?" LOL, nice!

From Slice

Interview with Motorino Pizza Chef Mathieu Palombino on Feedbag Blog

Very well, Keith! The Truth Hammer has been put back in its velvet bag. (I'm just havin' a little fun, you know, right?)

From Slice

Interview with Motorino Pizza Chef Mathieu Palombino on Feedbag Blog

I would like to clarify that I indeed tasted the pizza the week before the interview, and it was delicious. I will not be Truth Hammered!

From Slice

Interview with Motorino Pizza Chef Mathieu Palombino on Feedbag Blog

@crob77 That is a very good observation. Although I didn't notice which pies of the three we had were personally made by Mathieu, once you see my photos it will be apparent that he was orchestrating their creation. His style is not to be the only one to personally make the pies alla Anthony Mangieri, Mark Iacono or Chris Bianco. However, it was clear to me that he is constantly concerned and involved with the quality of his product. In terms of his crust, the pies I had were not as light and airy as the ones I've had at UPN, but then again who's is? They still were lighter and airier than any others I've had. Except perhaps with the exception of my own.

Ciao,

Paulie Gee

From Slice

First Taste: Motorino Pizza Is Awesome

************IMPORTANT NEWS FLASH******************

Roberta's is not BYOB anymore, they changed the policy about 3 weeks ago. They're not popping corks or letting you open bottles/cans. It lost a lot of charm for me.

From Slice

First Taste: Motorino Pizza Is Awesome

@crob77: Just to be clear, because I don't even want to start the whole "How is it compared to Di Fara" thing here, I don't think it tasted like Di Fara. I think the molten gooiness of the sauce and cheese were Di Fara–like, but the overall flavor profile was different. For one, Motorino is not using the same cheese roundup, so you won't get that sharp-salty-tangy flavor Dom achieves.

Sorry to hear your crust was undercooked. That's not good! I hope I haven't now doomed Motorino to the "Slice Curse."

From Serious Eats

The Hot Truck at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York

As I lived on North Campus for my four years on The Hill, I usually ate at Louie's. When compared to Hot Truck, one isn't better than the other, just different. Louie's offers a wide range of sandwiches and other items. If you ever make it back, you must try (in this order of priority) a Maven (a chicken sub with Buffalo wings sauce, blue cheese dressing, BBQ sauce, lettuce, and tomato). Other great items include the Natewich (bagel, ham, cheese, tomato, egg, pepper), German Fries (french fries, chopped sausage links, and kraut), and Chicken Cordon Bleu subs (chicken, ham, swiss, blue cheese dressing, tomato, lettuce).

Still, I loved Hot Truck equally. Despite living on North, I often schlepped down in the middle of winter, down the slope to wait 30 minutes in a blizzard for a Little Sicillian: third loaf of garlic bread with meatballs, cheese, sausage and BBQ potato chips. *drools*

From Serious Eats

The Hot Truck at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York

I was at Cornell from 85-89 and I can relate totally to crob77. Still, just the sight of the thing makes me giggly happy.

From Serious Eats

The Hot Truck at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York

Makes sense crob77. As I was reading, I began making the Di Fara analogy, and then i got to your PS. Understandable. I wish I could have had the Hot Truck when Mr. Petrillose was operating it.

Recent Posts

crob77 hasn't written a post yet.

Recent Favorites

crob77 hasn't favorited a post yet.

Polls

crob77 hasn't answered any polls yet.

Quizzes

crob77 hasn't taken any quizzes yet.

About crob77

Website:

Location:

About:

Favorite foods:

Last bite on earth: