grimaldi's • 12 comments • After an overwhelming number of emails/facebook messages/comments etc... saying we HAD to go to Grimaldi's if we were looking for the best pizza in NYC, we figured that the collective opinion of so many people had to hold some merit - so we saved it for last. Some people did tell us to skip it because it was just a tourist spot, but we went anyway because, after all, we are tourists. When we arrived, there was quite the queue. This photo of the boy at the end of the line pretty much sums up how we were feeling about it: Grimaldi's doesn't take reservations, so there's no way around waiting. We don't think you can even call in your pick-up order in advance. The host/owner is known to be a bit of a curmudgeon and was shooing people off the sidewalk who weren't standing within the rope (including a woman with a stroller while we were having a conversation with her and her husband). He was really friendly to us though, and we chatted a bit about our travels. By a stroke of luck, a table for two became available and everyone in front of us was in a bigger group so we got to avoid the line! Any place with photos of Frank Sinatra all over the walls has to be good, right? We shared an 18" pie for about $15. It was definitely delicious and probably the best we had out of the handful of pizzerias we visited. This is our last restaurant post from NYC - so sad! We have a few more things from our time in New York this past summer to share with you, and then we'll finally be moving on next week!
otto • 9 comments • Admittedly, I became a bit tired of our hunt for the perfect pizza in NYC because I can only handle so much tomato sauce and cheese. Alex, on the other hand, probably could have eaten pizza every day. I really don't know how he doesn't get sick of it. When we went into Otto, we were determined not to order pizza. We failed. Pea and Pancetta Bruschetta It started off well, the pea and pancetta "bruschetta" made us feel like we were making a healthy choice. The fresh peas were tossed in mint and olive oil! Unusual, but very good. Artichoke Alla Romana Before we left for our trip, I steamed artichokes for dinner one day. It was the first time we tried them and we said that we should make them more often. Of course, after we left, this just wasn't feasible so we did the next best thing and ordered it at a restaurant. Fennel & Bottarga Pizza Although they have the standard pepperoni, there were a bunch of different pizzas to try like "Vongole" (clams, garlic) and "Quattro Stagioni" (swiss chard, mushrooms, cotto). These were definitely not the toppings we were used to (not as strange as that time we had banana on a pizza though). So, we gave in to the alluring ingredients. We shared the "Fennel & Bottarga" pizza - tomato, raw fennel, bottarga, pecorino, and mozzarella. Apparently, bottarga is considered the poor man's caviar. In reviews online, people have complained that Otto doesn't put enough of it on the pizza and have said that they sent it back. We didn't, but definitely couldn't taste it because the fennel was overpowering. I'm definitely going to consider fennel when making pizza at home because I loved it! Compared to other NYC restaurants, Otto was really affordable considering the quality of the meal... but we have yet to find the best slice.
famous famiglia • 2 comments • The next stop on our tour of NYC pizzerias was Famous Famiglia. With locations all over New York, the restaurants in the Famiglia's chain have a distinctly less classic feel than Lombardi's. They do, however, hit the spot when hunger sneaks up on you and waiting half an hour for a seat is not an option.Plastered all over the walls are letters from children and tourists comforting you in your decision to dine at Famiglia. The Brennemans proudly ate here during their entire visit to NYC, so you know it's good:
i ate at lombardi's • 11 comments • You can't go to NYC without trying some 'New York style' pizza - and that we did, on several occasions. We're not pizza snobs and we definitely don't discriminate when it comes to styles of pizza, but we were curious to find out what all the fuss was about. When we solicited you guys for recommendations of NYC pizza places, we got some great suggestions (thank you)! Someone recommended Lombardi's, we took note of it, and went to check out "the birth place of New York style pizza". Apparently, they don't even have a freezer, so all of their ingredients are really fresh. We got in after a 30 minute wait (not bad for New York, we're told) and sat at a table for two with a red and white checked table cloth. We drank Italian soda and shared a pretty decent pie.Thank you for the emails you've sent us with tips for your hometown or letting us know what you enjoyed on your vacations. We're so grateful that you guys stumbled on our blog and help us out from time to time.
primi piatti • 19 comments • A menu item that kept standing out at several of the restaurants in Cape Town was the Mimosa pizza. Since we equate Mimosas with champagne and orange juice on Christmas morning, we thought it would have slices of orange on it. It was actually made of three normal ingredients (mozzarella cheese, bacon, tomato) and one unorthodox one (banana!). We were very hesitant to try it. We took the plunge at Primi Piatti, a relaxed restaurant/bar on this beach. Apparently, banana is quite a popular pizza topping in South Africa. We totally get the appeal. The bananas weren't too sweet and were balanced by the saltiness of the bacon. We'd absolutely order this again if we get the chance. {P.S. We're going to NYC and heard that you can find a good pie there -where should we grab a slice?}
things we'll miss - home cooked meals • 24 comments • While traveling, we'll likely be eating out a lot. Not only because we'd like to try different restaurants, but also because it can be more cost effective at times as well as convenient when we don't have the necessary appliances/utensils. We decided to attempt making pizza at home the other night... We both like a saucy pizza. When we make it at home we don't skimp. We've heard the pizza in Naples is amazing and are looking forward to having a slice or two (or ten) in Italy. Do you guys have any good pizza pie recommendations?
