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Fried Calamari Slice at Portobello's in Tribeca
More gloopity cheese and seafood? Bizarre...and, oh yes, wrong. Jim Lahey would probably do seafood on a pie right -- I'm thinking a cheeseless crust slicked with oil and red pepper flakes, some greenery for color, and a lemon squeeze over the top. But putting calamari on a regular pie?!? I guess it's edible and maybe even likeable if each component is high-quality, but it could be so much better!
'Always Hungry' on the Calzone at Nick's in Forest Hills
Nick's calzone is the best I've had in the city. It passes the ultimate test: its best version is the "plain," or ricotta and mozzarella only version, with marinara on the side (as depicted in the photo). The crispychewy shell, smell, flavor, and mouthfeel evoke the fabled mozzarella-in-carozza-envy scene in De Sica's "Bicycle Thief." Another big plus is the shape -- it's pressed virtually flat, in the classic, homey Neapolitan style. Cannot say enough good things about this dish.
Signed, Nick's calzone fan from 1994
Exploring the Roots of Stuffed Pizza with an Easter Calzone from Scudiero's
Chicago Italo-American culture has really gotten away from saying "when."
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Recent Posts
People just pretend to actually love macaroons, right?
Posted by Sandro, October 25, 2007 at 3:45 PM
Flor de Mayo's Peruvian-style roasted chicken: What's the spice?
Posted by Sandro, February 27, 2007 at 11:04 AM
This week's 'New York,' photo of enormous clams, p. 55
Posted by Sandro, February 13, 2007 at 10:02 AM
Recollections re: DDL Foodshow (or Food Show)?
Posted by Sandro, February 6, 2007 at 5:50 PM
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Recent Polls
Sandro answered "Sal and Carmine's" to What's Your Slice of Pizza in New York?
Poll posted by Carey Jones, December 4, 2009 at 12:30 PM
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Home Slice Brings a Slice of NYC to Austin, Texas
I commend the reviewer for managing to keep such a keen focus on the pizza product alone. I was in Austin in December and took note of the crowd (forget about "line") outside Home Slice. It was a sunny, brisk late afternoon and their side of South Congress (east side) was catching some terrific sunlight. That's a great part of town. Magnolia's just down the road, and you could throw a rock and hit Zilker Park. It's not like you're stuck eating by some bus stop outside the Port Authority.
Fried Calamari Slice at Portobello's in Tribeca
More gloopity cheese and seafood? Bizarre...and, oh yes, wrong. Jim Lahey would probably do seafood on a pie right -- I'm thinking a cheeseless crust slicked with oil and red pepper flakes, some greenery for color, and a lemon squeeze over the top. But putting calamari on a regular pie?!? I guess it's edible and maybe even likeable if each component is high-quality, but it could be so much better!
'Always Hungry' on the Calzone at Nick's in Forest Hills
Nick's calzone is the best I've had in the city. It passes the ultimate test: its best version is the "plain," or ricotta and mozzarella only version, with marinara on the side (as depicted in the photo). The crispychewy shell, smell, flavor, and mouthfeel evoke the fabled mozzarella-in-carozza-envy scene in De Sica's "Bicycle Thief." Another big plus is the shape -- it's pressed virtually flat, in the classic, homey Neapolitan style. Cannot say enough good things about this dish.
Signed, Nick's calzone fan from 1994
Exploring the Roots of Stuffed Pizza with an Easter Calzone from Scudiero's
Chicago Italo-American culture has really gotten away from saying "when."
Manzo's Pizzeria & Ristorante: Proof That Great Pizza Does Not Need a Great Crust
We need to get to an harmonious place where we can conclude that this stuff is not in Motorino's or Co.'s class - not by a very long shot - and yet would still be fun to eat on its own terms. If I'm at this place watching a game with the MGD set to "heavy pour," this pizza would more than do the trick. Context, people...context.
Poll: Do You Eat and/or Dip Your Pizza Crusts?
Forgot to add-- would never dip, no matter where the pizza's from. I just love bread, period.
Poll: Do You Eat and/or Dip Your Pizza Crusts?
My 4-year-old leaves the crust. He's too into the bread-and-sauce synergy of the rest of the slice. From Sal & Carmine's, though, it's probably more a lack of jaw strength issue. I love crust and will go to lengths. He recently threw down a week-old slice from S & C's, leaving the crust, which I then enjoyed. Even after a week, the crust had wonderful taste, crispness, and chewiness. It was like a fresh bialy minus the onion.
Paulie Gee's Opening Tonight in Greenpoint
Thanks, Adam. What was on your namesake pizza, by the way?
Paulie Gee's Opening Tonight in Greenpoint
What train can I take from Manhattan?
Dear Slice: 'Visiting NYC Again; Where Should I Go for Pizza This Time?'
Had lunch at Motorino Manhattan last Saturday. Very, very impressed. First off, they take your cell # so you can roam the neighborhood while you wait for your table. There's an excellent vintage emporium on 1st Ave between E 12 and E 13 that's a heckuvalot more interesting than standing around. We ordered the two available salads then, a mixed greens (nothing special, underportioned, greens were fresh though but not much there there) and a beet/ricotta salata that was delicious (but again, not really for sharing size-wise). Three pies: margherita, sausage/mushroon, and brussel sprout leaves/pancetta. All delicious, like really good. Must clarify that they're not brussel sprouts, they're the leaves only, and while pretty to look at with appealling mouth-feel, any flavor they might have is overwhelmed by the pancetta. I love pancetta, so I'm simply noting this point of fact. Noticed that much of the female clientele gravitate to the bs + p pizza, maybe because of the shrubbery or maybe not, but if so, Co.'s Popeye spinach version is better balanced. During the week, the lunch special at Motorino is a flat $12 for any one of several 'zas plus either a savory dish or a dessert - great deal.
The Bronx: Louie & Ernie's Pizza for a Sausage/Onion Pie to Haunt Your Dreams
FINALLY a place that knows how to "ball" sausage chunks for pizza. Pizza looks terrific, beautiful shots, will go. As much as I love Sal & Carmine's (for ex.), and S & C does use a very fine tasting fennely sausage product, their 1/4 inch thick salami style slicing technique often leaves me with too much of an inadvertently swiney big-bite.
In Which I Finally Get My Ass to Pizzeria Bianco, Have Amazing Pizza, and Finally Write About It
Loved the post, Adam - nice storytelling. The pizzas look amazing. You'd have to agree that if there's one place where you wouldn't mind waiting outside for 2+ hours until opening time, it's probably somewheres in the Valley of the Sun.
What's Your Favorite New York Slice?
L&B for Sicilian - Sal & Carmine's (B'way @ W.101 St.) for a classic "triangolo."
AHT Poll: Has a Burger Ever Given You Food Poisoning?
Too tough to tell. There's an interesting passage in "Fast Food Nation" about a person who attributed their food poisoning to some greasy, sloppy enchiladas they had had. It was later determined to have been caused by some ground meat, and not the enchiladas. Point is, without testing, a layperson cannot self-diagnose what caused what.
Angelina Pizzabar: Pizza Concept or Seriously Delicious?
Sorry to hear you had a mediocre dining experience. I dropped a note to Adam about the place coming from the perspective of someone who, if looking for a nearby "little more than a slice joint" (agreed that Sal & Carmine's is superb), we'd have to truck down to Dean's on West 85th - Angelina's was just a couple blocks north and that proximity for me is worth some points. Yes, it's soulness and opportunistic, but I can walk there. (There's a Woody Allen line in there somewhere.) Anyway, last weekend we discovered the M116 bus which gets us from West 106th to East 116th and 1st Ave. - 20 minutes later, hello, original Patsy's!!!!
Alton FINALLY Sold Out!
No issue with doing an endorsement, but for this garbage? Grape juice has 50% more sugar than Coke. It's the worst of the fruit juices in that respect, which is saying something. Please people, juice is not "healthful."
Initial Report: Five Napkin Burger, Hell's Kitchen
Looks terrible. Is all that lettuce meant to suggest "plentiful bounty?" That slick of cheese looks like it was ladled on. Adam, you're soo right that something - anything - should have been done with the napkin settings to reference the restaurant's name - how do you put down just one napkin here, like every other place?
At least they've gotten rid of Nice Matin's once-topping for this, bitter and toothsome grilled radicchio. Uh, no.
8-Year-Old Forced to Eat Organic Macaroni and Cheese
I can almost hear the chorus of dads murmur, "I'll eat it if [name] doesn't want it... ." Annie's tastes good, people. The pasta has a nutty earthy flavor, and the cheese isn't all gloopity.
A Revisit to Stand: Burger Backslider No More
Livetotravel, have to compliment your use of the terms "young gut" and "salt lick" - that could have been ripped from William Goldman's superb "Harper" screenplay, but wasn't. Are you Larry McMurtry?
Openings: Five Guys, Seventh Avenue Park Slope
I've tried the Five Guys more than a couple times at the Montague St. branch, and I've yet to have an "It" moment. What diff. does fresh meat make if it's cooked to death? A great test of a burger is to eat it plain, just the bun and maybe a little mustard (Ketchup? - grow up.). Shake Shack and Corner Bistro, to name two, have delicious plain burgers. Five Guys' plain burger literally reminded me of a Yankee Stadium concession, inferior to McDonald's.
Chipotle Calorie Math Makes Absolutely No Sense
Try an asada steak, guac, and pico do gallo burrito (holding the rice, beans, peppers, onions, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, and anything else I might have missed). Have it with a Negra Modelo. Grab a couple lemon wedges from the fixins bar, and sprinkle some lemon juice as you go.
Cook the Book: Caramelized Garlic and Shallot Pasta
Dee, you'd make a tough boss. This is a simple recipe, maybe one difficulty level removed from garlic, oil, and red pepper flakes. It's probably most valuable for simply giving one the idea to marry these flavors as a pasta preparation - once you have the idea, actually making this dish is male-sophomore-in-college-type stuff. "Sauce" can refer to one thing only here: the reduced stock with pan scrapings, shallots, and garlic. You cook the pasta, you add the pasta to the pan with the reduced stock, shallots, and garlic. Then, you eat.
This cookbook is pretty Herculean is scope and size. Editing it required alot of people-hours, I'm sure, not only for content, but also to correspond to a Martha style. Don't let's poo-poo it.
'It's Got What Plants Crave'
I love Brawndo. It's better than stupid water.
Win Your Thanksgiving Turkey!
Very much looking forward to this: we're going to break up the bird before it's cooked, then cook the various parts in different ways. We're going to stuff the breasts with prosciutto and herbs; braise the legs with tomatoes, olives, and capers; and, saute then roast the wings, thighs, and neck, filing the pan with small onions, small white potatoes, and yam segments. Basically, turkey three ways.
Does Anyone Really Love Pumpkin Pie?
Nobody loves pumpkin pie. Otherwise, we'd eat it more than once a year.
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Recent Posts
People just pretend to actually love macaroons, right?
Posted by Sandro, October 25, 2007 at 3:45 PM
Flor de Mayo's Peruvian-style roasted chicken: What's the spice?
Posted by Sandro, February 27, 2007 at 11:04 AM
This week's 'New York,' photo of enormous clams, p. 55
Posted by Sandro, February 13, 2007 at 10:02 AM
Recollections re: DDL Foodshow (or Food Show)?
Posted by Sandro, February 6, 2007 at 5:50 PM
Experiences with Lodge pre-seasoned cast iron?
Posted by Sandro, January 3, 2007 at 5:14 PM
Ideas for building around leftover Indian?
Posted by Sandro, December 19, 2006 at 11:02 AM
Uh, Starbucks breakfast sandwiches actually taste ... good?!
Posted by Sandro, December 15, 2006 at 11:11 AM
Why is Lonesome Dove Western Bistro getting killed?
Posted by Sandro, December 2, 2006 at 7:11 PM
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Polls
Sandro answered "Sal and Carmine's" to What's Your Slice of Pizza in New York?
Poll posted by Carey Jones, December 4, 2009 at 12:30 PM
I commend the reviewer for managing to keep such a keen focus on the pizza product alone. I was in Austin in December and took note of the crowd (forget about "line") outside Home Slice. It was a sunny, brisk late afternoon and their side of South Congress (east side) was catching some terrific sunlight. That's a great part of town. Magnolia's just down the road, and you could throw a rock and hit Zilker Park. It's not like you're stuck eating by some bus stop outside the Port Authority.