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The Ten Most Recent Comments By karatemonkey

From Required Eating

I Am Tired of Spreading Cream Cheese on a Bagel for Myself

I have to agree with Sara! I just tried one this morning (part of being an underpaid editor is never turning down free food) from the cart that was set up outside my office, and it actually inspired me to google it, I was so surprised by how good it was.

The thing is, it's weird, it doesn't actually taste like a bagel and cream cheese. I've seen Gothamist and Consumerist flipping out about how it's a sin to eat one of these in NYC, since we have some pretty awesome bagels here. But this isn't something I would eat if I were in the mood for a bagel and cream cheese. I would eat it if I were in the mood for a Bagelful. The cheese inside tastes more like the cheese in a blintz than straight up Philly cream cheese. it's almost sweet -- maybe it's the bagel dough they use? And I'm assuming they used a convection oven or something, because the crunch was amazing, while the inside stayed soft.

So thumbs up to this! Mind you, I'm not a very picky eater, but, being from here, I am a New York food snob (only our pizza and bagels are true Pizza and Bagels, blah blah), and I still thought this was great.

(Okay, maybe great is a little much. But it was definitely not the abomination everyone's making it out to be. And I probably wouldn't actually buy it, but if someone yelled at me "delicious and free!" on my way to work, waving it, I would definitely eat it.)

karatemonkey at 10:47AM on 04/09/08

From Slice

A List of Regional Pizza Styles

I haven't seen anyone else comment, so I'll offer my two cents, being from Massapequa, LI, where Grandma Pizza was king (also, we called it Gramma Pizza).

Grandma pizza actually differs from Sicilian in a few ways (although that's probably the easiest way to describe it). The crust is somehow a little sweeter, maybe for being so thin (or maybe it's actually different -- my Grandma used to use a sweeter dough for her pizza). Also, there's less cheese, used in a thinner capacity -- not heaps of ooey-gooey cheese, more like the way fresh mozzarella is used -- and garlic features much more prominently than in a regular slice of Sicilian.

Oh, god, now I want a slice so badly I can actually taste it!

karatemonkey at 12:48PM on 01/25/08

Responses to Comments by karatemonkey

From Required Eating

I Am Tired of Spreading Cream Cheese on a Bagel for Myself

I am in love with these bagels. I have tried the bagelfuls, cinnamon and strawberry. I am especially addicted to the strawberry flavor. It is a plain bagel with different kinds of cream cheese in the middle. My family and I have gone through 12-15 boxes of the strawberry bagelfuls. I could not find them at one store, so I bought regular bagels and strawberry cream cheese, and even though it was good, it was no where as good as the bagelfuls. They are great, easy, convenient, and delicious. The only problem is eating just 1, and not wanting to eat the whole box. The price is not too bad either, 4 bagels for $2.19.

kass12 at 8:20AM on 06/16/08

From Slice

A List of Regional Pizza Styles

From a native Chicagoan to all the people saying that Chicago style stuffed pizza does not have a layer of crust on the top: look again!

Giordano's and Edwardo's and everywhere else I've gotten stuffed pizza in Chicago has a VERY THIN top crust right on top of the cheese, but under the sauce. It's so thin, you probably don't notice it. It IS there. I can promise you that.

There's another style of pizza that's missing: French Crust Pizza. I've only ever had it at Breadaux in Millstadt, IL, and Pagliai's in Charleston, IL. It's pretty basic, but very good. The crust is thin, but fluffy.

Cavies_98 at 4:55PM on 05/25/08

From Slice

A List of Regional Pizza Styles

I moved away from Pittsburgh the Bay Area (where there is plenty of good pizza) and i STILL crave Aiello's!!!! Pittsburgh pies do have a unique taste- its the sweeter sauce.

Ohio Valley pizza certainly deserves its own category- its pretty unique.

If you want true Ohio Valley Pizza, you have to go to the Firehouse in Ambridge, PA on Merchant street. Only open on the weekends, the business is run by firemen to support the firehouse (we're talking real social capital here). Its not my favorite (really dougy crust) but its certainly an experience.

Another experience would be Tony R's pizza in Sewickley on Nevin Ave. A tiny pizzaria run by Tony (who does all the deliveries himself) and his two sons.

katie123 at 2:03PM on 05/07/08

From Slice

A List of Regional Pizza Styles

When I read "Ohio Valley Pizza" above, I knew immediately what you were talking about but there is only one chain who prepares it in that way these days, DiCarlo's. About 20 years ago there were several copy cats but they have long since closed down.

Honestly I'm not sure that the Ohio Valley deserves it's own pizza style category, but if it's all we've got we'd better hold on to it I suppose.

Ellavemia at 10:57AM on 04/12/08

From Slice

A List of Regional Pizza Styles

I'm a New Yorker born and raised. I make pizzas at home in a variation of the "grandma" style. After reading about Old Forge-style pizza, I tried mixing in a little sharp cheddar with my mozz. Ya know what? It's really good! It adds a nice "tang."

It pays to be open-minded :)

NewYorkDave at 5:49PM on 04/06/08

From Slice

A List of Regional Pizza Styles

I must also comment on the RI Pizza Strips - aka bakery pizza or party pizza. It was always served at birthday parties as a kid. It's simply pizza baked with sauce (no cheese - maybe a sprinkling of romano) and then sliced into rectangular pieces and served room temperature or cold. Heavenly. No one outside of RI has ever heard of this fantastic pizza. Such a shame. You'll find it in every Italian bakery in RI and in the grocery stores as well.

Caserta's, as someone mentioned, is another great pizza place in RI. We get ours well done. The pizza is a little on the thicker side (if you get a medium or large). The small tends to have a thinner crust. also not to be missed at Caserta's is the "wimpy skippy" (or spinach pie). Every single person that walks in to eat at Caserta's orders the wimpy skippy, in addition to their pizza. Twin's Pizza in Pawtucket is also great. Man, all this pizza talk makes me want to fly up to RI and eat!!!

The wonderful thing about growing up in New England/Northeast is that there are an abundance of pizza places and you really have the ability to get a variety of styles.


AS1979 at 5:24PM on 02/22/08

From Slice

A List of Regional Pizza Styles

New York style pizza in NE ohio starts at Pisanellos in Alliance Ohio. One of the best I've had around the country. This place still has the woman who founded the pizza shop 53 years ago making pizzas every day.It's a thin crust and you can tell that the dough is made fresh every day. This 80 year old woman still hand tosses the dough, about 100 pies a day. She came to this country from Rome 58 yrs ago and has been making pizzas ever since.
Many people in Ohio have heard of Pisanellos in Bowling Green, but the one in Alliance was and is the original.. I stop and get one or two every time I'm in the area.

barney at 7:10PM on 01/31/08

From Slice

A List of Regional Pizza Styles

To the Houston poster, Chicago stuffed pizza does not have two crusts. It has one fairly thin pie shaped crust. It is not filled with sauce and toppings then topped with cheese, it is done like this: A thin layer of crust with plenty of fresh cheese and topping, almost two inches, then sauce on top. The sauce on top is to keep the cheese from drying out as the pie is so thick. This isn't a eat and go pizza, this is a sit down meal. Many can only eat one slice as it is so thick and filling.
This is the same if you have Lou Malnatis, Gino's East or Giordano's. I don't know how you claim to be a native Chicagoan and post that. I also don't know how a place called serious eats can print misinformation. I just had Giordanos three nights ago and eat at Malnatis, my favorite, at least monthly.

ChicagoRay at 12:16PM on 01/31/08

From Slice

A List of Regional Pizza Styles

Oh Boy! Is K2kid right. That's New England pizza alright, but please don't take that as a recommendation. It is the slimiest, grossest pizza on the planet.

I live in Western Mass. and it's nearly impossible to find pizza which doesn't saturate the box and leave its toppings anywhere but on the dough. I have no idea why this is such a regional “specialty”, but it's beyond prevalent. I would only add that it's more common to find puddles of oil on the cheese topping than not. It tends to be really salty too. And the oregano laced tomato sauce is really good for heartburn.

Verdict: Avoid if possible.

SeamusAndrewMurphy at 10:14PM on 01/30/08

From Slice

A List of Regional Pizza Styles

Here's another vote for Binghamton, New York's "sheet pizza"- I moved away from the area last year, and what I wouldn't give right now for a couple of slices from Nirchi's. As regards Old Forge pizza, all I can say from having lived in the area at one time is- yuck.

Captainfirst at 8:49PM on 01/29/08