Review: Denino's Pizzeria and Tavern, Staten Island NY

For two years, I've been driving through Staten Island en route from PA through NJ with a Brooklyn destination. Mostly, I've regarded Staten Island as a traffic jam, a nuisance on Rt. 278. I'm astonished by the bridge toll on the Verrazano Bridge; who would pay $13 to get into Staten Island? But that's a narrow view. The highways may be miserable, but the neighborhoods are rich.

Over at Slice - Serious Eats (Click for Staten Island Pizza Map), they've reviewed several notable Staten Island pizza joints. Not long ago, we visited Lee's Tavern (Click for our review) and found it to be the best "bar pie" we ever had, better than even the excellent pie at The Ivy Tavern in Trenton NJ. This summer, at a party in a cozy upscale Staten Island neighborhood, I asked several guests (SI natives) where they find the best pizza. Uniformly, there was one answer: "Denino's."

Traveling through SI on a Friday night, I expected they would be busy so I phoned about an hour ahead of when I wanted to pick up the pie. They could have had it ready it 15 minutes, but I asked them to have it for me in an hour. You often get a hurried and brusque response when calling some pizzerias for pie, but the folks at Denino's were very friendly and helpful on the phone.

Denino's is in the Port Richmond section, just off Rt. 440 at the northern edge of the island. They have a tiny parking lot but I found a spot. It's not a tourist destination - it's a neighborhood tavern with lots of locals. I waited near a blaring jukebox by the bar (my pie was not ready on time, but no big deal). I could see a bar section and a fairly large adjacent dining room. I loved the feel of the place - a classic pizza and beer joint. I had ordered a large pie with half sausage, half pepperoni. With tax, it came to $15.80. That is cheap for legendary pizza. Would it live up to its reputation?

They did screw up my order; instead of half-pepperoni and half-sausage, the entire pie was covered in pepperoni. Then, sausage was added to half the pie. I really had no problem with that, but it was either an error that they didn't bother to fix, or a misinterpretation of my order.

About 20 minutes later, we sat down in Brooklyn to eat it (with a bottle of cheap red wine). Famished, my plan was to eat one slice warm, then put the rest into the oven for a quick re-heat. However (spoiler alert), it was so good that I never did. I blasted through three slices, paused, then ate a fourth. It was delicious.

The underside

Right on the box, it says "in crust we trust" so it seems they share my philosophy that the crust is the most important part of quality pie. The crust was bar-pie thin. Remarkably thin, and crisp, but not cracker-like. It was sturdy enough to support the well-proportioned amount of sauce and cheese and the meat toppings.

Like DeLorenzo's in Trenton, like Totonno's, like Lee's Tavern, the wonderful crust had both flavor and the right texture, and the ideal melding/fusion of crust, sauce, cheese, savory meat toppings. The cheese was fine, but it took a back seat to quality meat toppings (especially the sausage) and, most of all, the sauce.

I feel that I have figured out why Denino's is the favorite pizza of so many people. It is bursting with flavor. What is that flavor? Plenty of special things like good bread, tomatoes, cheese, meat. But one thing stood out -- the saltiness. Here, I must confess one bad habit that an older cousin taught me long ago -- I put salt on my pizza. Yes, all of the ingredients (even the crust) already have a lot of salt in them, but I like that added surface salt. I put it on even the very best pizza - DiFara, Forcella, DeLorenzo's, Frank Pepe. I usually add salt before I even taste it. I did take one unsalted bite of this Denino's pie and instantly realized that I did not need to add any. It was perfectly salty. So I think Denino's does for its customers what I do for my own pizza -- make it a little saltier. Works for me!

My trips through Staten Island are about over, and I'm really glad I made it to Denino's. I rate the ambiance a 10 - I sure wish I lived near a place like this, instead of the modern cookie-cutter pizza joints slinging up Sysco ubiquity. The crust gets a 9. The sauce gets a 9. The cheese is a 6; it was a role player, fittingly. The pepperoni gets a 7, the sausage a 9. In the end, Lee's Tavern makes a slightly better pie than Denino's, but both are gems to be treasured. I gave Lee's a 9 overall, so I guess it's 8.9 for Denino's. Bravissimo!

Review: Cambridge 1 Pizza, Cambridge MA

On the same day when I had enjoyed the classic pizza from Frank Pepe's Pizzeria Neapoletana (review HERE) in New Haven CT, FEEP (fellow enthusiast for eating pizza) Jr. and I set out to find some superior pie in the Boston area. In order to get a greater contrast, we leaned toward "pizza noveau" over revered pizza joints like Regina in Boston. We settled on the grilled pizza at Cambridge 1, in Cambridge MA.

The place had a handsome, dark wood interior and buzzed with the excitement you'd expect in a hip foodie joint in a hip college town. After a short wait at the counter near the window, we were seated. The charcoal grilled pizzas are medium sized ovals, and you can order a half or a whole.

We selected a half each of the #4 - portobello, roasted onion, asiago, and the #10 - fresh lobster, roasted shallots, mascarpone. The lobster pie was a bold choice but since we were going off the grid, we went all in.

It was even better than this looks

On a grilled pizza, the only heat is delivered from the bottom. Hence the toppings are not seared in as they might be in a traditional pie; they more or less ride on top, bruschetta-style. Some, I think, need to be cooked beforehand, such as the mushrooms and shallots.

Lobster close-up

The portobello pie was infused with the rich earthy flavors you'd expect. The lobster pie was even better. Luscious with the mascarpone, it had a generous amount of fresh lobster that was not overcooked. The crust on both pies was delectable, with nice grill stripes. At the end of the day, it was delicous, but the crust was not a pizza crust. Was it pita, was it flatbread, was it Armenian lavash?

Earns points just for its looks

I loved this meal and I know we will go back; they also have a nice selection of beers. Was it pizza? Ehhhhhhhhhhh, I dunno. But it was delicous. I award Cambridge 1 8.25 stars, but I can't quite call it pizza.

Review: Foster Boys Pizza, Downingtown PA

A while back, a colleague brought me two leftover slices of a plain pie from Foster Boys, so that I could try this much acclaimed pizza. I gave it a proper re-heat, and found it to be pretty bland and generic. It had a generous amount of cheese, but what stood out was the crust - it had less flavor than Wonder Bread. I hesitated to post a review based on this small reheated sample, so I waited.

Foster Boys slice on the left; some better pie on the right

Now, however, our intrepid correspondent has supplied his review, and he got to eat it fresh out of the oven.  He says:

"Several months ago a Philadelphia magazine wrote an article about pizza shops.  Checking out the article, I noted that Foster Boys was one the spots to visit for good pizza.  Previously, I had eaten very tasty hoagies and sandwiches at Foster Boys, a former WAWA grocery store location in Downingtown.  But, I never tried the pizza.  Foster Boys definitely is a family establishment with Mom hanging around the kitchen and Pop just hanging out.  Interestingly, on one occasion while eating a hoagie, I saw Pop hit the change in tip jar next to the register to buy a newspaper. So recalling that hometown setting and my wife was out of town, I decided to give Foster boys pizza a try.

Foster Boys crust looked better than it tasted

"It was a Saturday night, the place was not too busy, but I waited patiently for four college-age customers who could not decide what to order.  Finally it was my turn; I had taken home a menu from a previous visit, but I knew I wanted pizza. The young lady greeted me with the customary smile and requested my order. I was prepared to order a plain pizza for take-out, but asked about the House Style pizza for the heck of it. That’s the pizza with cheese on the bottom and sauce on top.  I decided to go with my first inclination, a plain pizza."(There is only pizza that I don’t like. That pizza is from a bakery in my home town 100 miles away.  It is undercooked and they apply the cheese AFTER the sheet comes out of the oven. Anyway, back to Foster Boys.)

The Foster Boys plain pie

 "A bite or two into the pizza and I realized that the cheese overwhelmed the sauce.  There was too much of it.  I could not see the sauce.  I really couldn’t taste it so I can’t say much about the sauce.  Maybe the House Style pizza is offered to customers who would like to see the sauce.  The crust on the pizza was crisp and the edges bubbled up to a paper thin consistency. Those bubbles and maybe even a hole in the crust are needed to give the pizza some artistic appeal. The pizza crackled when I bit into the crust, a piece of crust fell into my plate, but there was very little taste. The beautiful looking crust had no distinctive taste.  It lacked character.  "The menu at Foster Boys says, 'Great Pizza and Awesome Sandwiches.'  I have no arguments with the evaluation of their sandwiches.  They are terrific eats, but I would characterize the pizza as good not great.  I would stop for a slice of pizza if I was in Downingtown.  And, I would drive from my home in West Chester for one of their sandwiches.  But for the pizza, I think it would be only drive to give the House Style a try."   

The big picture? Foster Boys is challenging West Chester's New Haven Pizza and Berwyn's Phil's Pizza as the worst I've had in the region. It earns a 2.5. Better than going hungry, but not better than Freschetta. Or even Domino's.

Field Report: Destination Pizza in Franklin PA

Here is a field report from a trusted pizza expert:

Dear Pizza Quixote,

Although we have found high quality pizza in Pittsburgh (Ardolino's in Upper St. Clair, in particular), pies further north in western Pennsylvania tend to be unremarkable. However, I have recently located an excellent pizza right here in Franklin.

Click any pic to enlarge

There are a few questions about the provenance of this pie, however. It seems that the pizza chef is of Italian extraction and spent all of her life until a few months ago in central New Jersey, a location well known for quality pizza. Further, there is evidence that the pizza was actually homemade. 

Nonetheless, eating this wonderful pie caused this observer to set aside any doubts and simply enjoy the culinary experience. Thin, crispy crust, as specified by the Pizza Quixote blog, fresh tomatoes and basil, high quality imported cheese...sublime!

Should you undertake to travel to the far reaches of the Keystone State, this qualifies as a 'destination pizza.'

Review: Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, New Haven CT

If you know pizza, you know the legends. Brooklyn's DiFara, Trenton's DeLorenzo's, Philly's Tacconelli's, Manhattan's Lombardi's. For some time now, I've been aware that New Haven CT is another hub for heirloom pizza, and most notably Sally's "apizza" and Frank Pepe. So when I had a road trip from Brooklyn to Boston, it was the perfect opportunity to get to New Haven and see how their pies stacks up against the titans of Trenton, Philly, and New York.

Frank Pepe and Sally's are just blocks apart on Wooster Street in New Haven's Little Italy. I wanted to try both, but I was passing through on a Saturday afternoon and Sally's was not open for the lunch crowd. Hence, Frank Pepe was my destination.

I found street parking in the pleasant neighborhood and walked a block to Frank Pepe on a sunny day. To my dismay, I saw a line outside. I joined the back of the line and learned that I was facing a 30 minute wait. To my delight, however, I was inside and seated in the fairly large dining area within 15 minutes.

Neon sign says "Tomato Pies"

There is an open area where you can see pies being made; it's an attractive indoor space. Most of the dining area is spacious booths that would be comfortable for a party of four, a tad snug for any larger group.

I chose a traditional pizza, with mozzarella and sausage. For $1 I got a glass of coke. In this age of SuperSize and The Big Gulp, it was odd to be served an 8 or 10 ounce glass of soda in a cafeteria style glass. I needed one more to wash down the pie later.

The pie was BIG and came out on white paper on a big square tray. The cut reminded me of DeLorenzo's in Trenton -- lots of long narrow slices with blunt ends instead of the typical triangles.

Lovely char on the underside

I did use knife and fork for the first bite or two, but the sturdy crust held the toppings nicely. The crust, rightly so, was the star here. This is not the puffy Neapolitan crust you get at Forcella or Motorino. Instead, it was more like the stiffer crust from Totonno's, DeLorenzo's, or John's. I call this "Trenton style." No matter what you call it, is is delicious and substantial bread on which to base a great pie. It was interesting to note the interior neon sign proclaiming "tomato pies" which in Conshohocken PA means a "square slice with little or no cheese," but in Trenton means "pizza."

The sauce had a great flavor that complemented the wonderful base. The sausage was in thick slices, not rough chunks as found on a DeLorenzo's pie. The cheese and sausage were both quite good, but not standouts. They don't need to be -- they just need to play nice with the crust and sauce. Much like the best Trenton style pies, the ingredients melded perfectly. This was pizza harmony.

I love it when a place lives up to the hype. Frank Pepe gets the love and deserves it. A big friendly place, serving outstanding pizza at fair prices. It does not knock DeLorenzo's and DiFara from my #1 and #2 spots, but it's a contender to be Top Five. Destination pizza? Absolutely. Route 95 is not the ideal path from Brooklyn to Boston, but with New Haven at the half-way point, it's a detour I'd make every time.

Review: Chipp Neapolitan Pizza, 2971 Ocean Avenue, Brooklyn NY

"Grimaldi's is crap. DiFara awful. Totonno's garbage."

Brooklyn Storefront for Chipp Pizza

Larry "The Russian" Veltman, former Apprentice contestant, did not win over the Brooklyn pizza cognoscenti with that quote when he announced the opening of his flagship pizza store that he envisions as the first in a chain that will serve VPN (Naples-certified) pizza. He was also quoted in Sheepsheadbites saying that “We wanted to create a modern lounge much like a Chipotle or Panera Bread store, not another take out pizza joint. Somewhere you’d go on a date, sit back with a beer or a glass of wine while eating the best pizza in the city.”

Listen, I don't mind a sangawitch at Panera, but I don't think of Panera or ANY chain when I'm thinking I want the best and I want authentic. So when this guy comes out with some brash insults of legendary pizzamen and then sets out to be the Panera Bread of pizzas, and wants to sell it in Brooklyn, he's given himself some substantial hurdles.

Why the name "Chipp" for his pizza chain? Apparently, it is short for cippolini onions, which are used on one of the pizzas on the menu.

Quite recently, Chipp offered a great deal on one of those Groupon-type sites (I forget which one) with an offer of any two pizzas on the menu (personal size), a big salad for two, and any two beverages (including beer or wine) for $25. That would be a decent deal even at Pizza Hut, so we jumped at the chance to try this Neapolitan pie on the cheap.

I guess it's no shock that Larry "the Russian"Veltman chose to open his first Chipp in a Russian section of Brooklyn. Big mistake, in my view. Most people, and presumably Russian immigrants, choose pizza by price. It is cheap convenience food. This block of Ocean Ave. may have been the right spot for a flagship borscht store, but not so much for authentic Neapolitan pizza which cannot be churned out cheaply like Papa John's. If you want to sell artisan pie, sell it where you have hipster foodies (Manhattan, Williamsburg) or where you have knowing pizza eaters (Staten Island, Bay Ridge, Trenton).

Arugula Salad

Tellingly, the place was nearly empty when we arrived on a Saturday evening. The young Russian girl working the counter was polite to a fault, but spoke in a heavily accented whisper that made communication difficult. She seemed to know almost nothing about the food on the menu. After a few miscommunications, we managed to place our order. We began with an arugula salad that was quite tasty. I can imagine eating it at a Cosi or Panera shop! We also chose to have wine with our meals. We got some very decent reds that came in single-serve bottles. A good start!

The "Sicilian" Pie

For our pies, we chose the Sicilian  (regularly $13.50) which features prosciutto, artichoke, kalamata olives, and basil and the Borgata  ($13.95) which had eggplant, sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, olives, and basil.

A slice of the Sicilian pie

The Neapolitan crust was very authentic. Puffy, chewy, with a lovely char. Like most Neapolitan pizza, it was distressingly wet in the center, but that affected only the first bite of each slice. Here is one weird factor: on site, I found the crust to be kinda bland. Great texture (except the wet center) but lacking flavor. However, the next day when I heated a few leftover slices on my pizza stone, I found terrific flavor in the crust. I really can't explain why.

The Borgata Pie

The toppings were quite good overall. The Borgata was the better of the two pies, mostly because the kalamata olives on the Sicilian reminded me of the cheap ones you get on a Greek salad at a low-end diner. Too soft, and they did not benefit from being heated. Blasphemy, I know, but I would have preferred canned black California olives. The sauce on both was OK was not distinctive.

Nice char on the crust. Bravo!

Overall, this was very good pie. Larry has figured out how to reproduce the real thing. It's not magical Neapolitan like Forcella or Motorino or Zero Otto Nove, but it's well-rendered and it would be hands-down the best pizza in West Chester PA or anywhere on Philly's Main Line.

The menu - click to enlarge!

But if I ever thought an eatery was doomed to fail, it's Chipp. First, his arrogant quotes may have been designed to create a buzz, but I'm sure he angered a lot of pizza loyalists, bloggers, and scribes who won't give him a chance now. Second, the decor in his Panera-inspired store is pleasant, but odd. Lots of turn-of-the-last-century kitsch-y wall hangings such as early horseless carriages and big-wheel bicycles perhaps intended to evoke a "circa 1910" feel. Lastly, and most importantly, he went horribly wrong with this location. The place has to be bleeding money, so unless he has really deep pockets, it's hard to imagine a second location, or this one surviving. I can't see it lasting another six months.

I'm not going to rate the service or ambience on a numerical scale. Let's just say both were pleasant and/or earnest, but not what you expect with artisan pizza joints. The pies were very good. Short of great, but they earned a solid 8 rating. If you want to try it, I suggest you go soon.

UPDATE 5/13/12: We went there in September, 2011. One month later, as we predicted, it closed. Link to full story. From the Sheepshead Bites blog:

 "Chipp Neapolitan Pizzeria, which was co-owned by Lenny “The Russian” Veltman of Donald Trump’s The Apprentice, closed in October after only seven months. We spotted the for sale announcement on Craigslist in June. At that time, co-owner Rus Gor told us that a dispute between the partners led to the sale."