Grimaldi's Pizza: Any Comments

[bushlyed]

I understand that Patsy Grimalidi has opened a pizzeria in Dallas.

That is interesting because before I moved to New York from Austin I
was eating in his place in Brooklyn (under the Brooklyn Bridge) and
asked him why he didn't open a place in Austin. He said the water is
the problem.

Now I heard that they either fly in water from New York or somehow
filter the water here to make it similar.

How is this restaurant? Usually I am way too busy eating Mexican food
whenever I cross the Texas border to worry about pizza but when I
visit again.

Grimaldis, by the way, makes the list of my top five pizzas in New
York.

By far the best, and incidentially the cheapest, is Patsy's in Harlem,
on First Avenue between 117th and 118th street. Take the first avenue
limited and you are there in no time. Walk over to Second Avenue to
get back downtown.

Other great pizza in New York in no particular order:

Totonno, original near Coney Island impossible to get to or one on
Second Ave. Very good, Chuck Shumer's favorite.

La Pizza Fresca. On 20th street. This is not New York pizza but
rather made the old-fashioned Naples Italy way. Very good. If you
go, stop by Moore Brother's Wine shop a couple of doors down, you may
be able to sample some wine then go.

Grimaldis. Way out in Brooklyn on Front street. Takes time to get
there but there is a beautiful way. Take the train to Clark street,
then walk down to Fulton. You will have a wonderful view of New York
from Brooklyn Heights then an awesome view from the end of Old
Fulton. Excercise will work off the massive amounts of pizza you will
eat.

[Albert]

Post by bushlyed
La Pizza Fresca. On 20th street. This is not New York pizza but
rather made the old-fashioned Naples Italy way.

Yeah they are certified by the Italian bad pizza society. Anyone that insists
that you fly in mozzarella cheese from a particular region in Italy to make
your pizza does not understand the meaning of the word "fresh" and how 24
hours changes the cheese.

JJ

[bushlyed]

Post by Albert

La Pizza Fresca.  On 20th street.  This is not New York pizza but
rather made the old-fashioned Naples Italy way.

Yeah they are certified by the Italian bad pizza society. Anyone that insists
that you fly in mozzarella cheese from a particular region in Italy to make
your pizza does not understand the meaning of the word "fresh" and how 24
hours changes the cheese.
JJ

You are right on that. I am not sure where they get their cheese.

In Naples, Italy some of the pizza is made with buffalo milk mozarella
while some others, like Da Michele, are not. They use what they call
fior d'latte and it is very good, creamy and it is my favorite
pizzeria there.

As I understand it, what drives the authenticity is using tomatoes
from San Marzano (volcanic soil from Vesuvio) and Italian pizza flour
which is softer than ours.

I actually found the rules online:

Basic Requirements

1. A wood-burning oven: The pizza must be cooked by wood. Gas, coal or
electric ovens, while they may produce delicious pizza, do not conform
to the tradition.

2. Proper ingredients: 00 flour, San Marzano (plum) tomatoes, all
natural fior-di-latte or bufala mozzarella, fresh basil, salt and
yeast. Only fresh, all-natural, non-processed ingredients are
acceptable.

3. Proper technique: Hand-worked or low speed mixed dough, proper work
surface (usually a marble slab), oven temp (800° F), pizza
preparation, etc.

4. Review by the designated representative of the association assuring
that the ingredients, technique and final product conform to the
tradition.

5. Each individual restaurant is bound to uphold the standards of the
association. Moreover, each individual restaurant is bound to pay a
membership and membership renewal fee. Hence, membership fees do not
apply to any new units opened subsequent to joining VPN, nor is
membership transferable from one location to another. Rather, each
individual location is evaluated and billed separately. In the event
of non-compliance by one or more of my restaurants, the VPN
association maintains the right to suspend or rescind membership on an
individual or collective basis.

Grimaldis would not meet this criteria but they make an awesome pizza.

The real secret is the oven's heat, 800 degree or higher so the pizza
cooks fast and the dough.

[Mark Shaw]

Post by bushlyed
The real secret is the oven's heat, 800 degree or higher so the pizza
cooks fast and the dough.

Here's a guy who jiggered an ordinary home electric oven so he could
use the cleaning cycle to bake a proper pizza. Sounds crazy, but
the pics look pretty good:

http://www.varasanos.com/PizzaRecipe.htm

[Albert]

bushlyed wrote:
Snip good stuff

Post by bushlyed
The real secret is the oven's heat, 800 degree or higher so the pizza
cooks fast and the dough.

I find 700 more than enough.

BTW, the NY pizza place has quotes on their website of where everything comes
from and even the flour is Italian and they fully meet the criteria for the
bad pizza society of Italy :-)

JJ

[Mark Shaw]

Post by bushlyed
I understand that Patsy Grimalidi has opened a pizzeria in Dallas.
That is interesting because before I moved to New York from Austin I
was eating in his place in Brooklyn (under the Brooklyn Bridge) and
asked him why he didn't open a place in Austin. He said the water is
the problem.
Now I heard that they either fly in water from New York or somehow
filter the water here to make it similar.

He might be adjusting it by adding various salts - something home-
brewers do quite frequently. I filter my brewing water and then
add epsom salts, potassium chloride, and gypsum to mimic Burton
water for pale ales. Works quite well.

Post by bushlyed
How is this restaurant? Usually I am way too busy eating Mexican food
whenever I cross the Texas border to worry about pizza but when I
visit again.

I'll check it out and post a review when I can. Turns out they're
very close to me in the new Watters Creek retail development in
Allen.

The best pizza I've had in the US is at Casanova, in - of all
places - Boise, Idaho. Amazing stuff.

http://www.casanovapizzeria.com/ (website currently broken)

[Mark Shaw]

Post by Mark Shaw

Post by bushlyed
How is this restaurant? Usually I am way too busy eating Mexican food
whenever I cross the Texas border to worry about pizza but when I
visit again.

I'll check it out and post a review when I can. Turns out they're
very close to me in the new Watters Creek retail development in
Allen.

Okay, I just chomped one down. One-word review: WOW.

I'll definitely be going back.