Review of Presidential Pizza, NY, NY

Presidential Pizza (**1/2) ($)

357 W. 125th St.
New York, New York
(212) 222-7744


It’s hard for a pizza lover to pass up a store-front pizza joint, especially in New York City, and I can assure you, I don’t pass up a one! Presidential Pizza, in Harlem, is a classic walk-up, mainly carry-out pizza stand. Less than a block from the historic Apollo Theater, Presidential is what every neighborhood should have, a good, to very good, basic Neapolitan pizza place.

I had heard of Presidential Pizza from other pizza devotees, and one critic, back in the Winter of 2008, rated it as the “best slice” in NYC. I’ll have to say that critic’s assessment was a bit generous. For instance, a much better basic slice can be had at Vinnie’s on Amsterdam.

On my visit to the crowded little space on 125th Street, I ordered a basic slice. This was a slight variance from my “control slice/pie”, not having the Italian sausage topping; however, the basics were there, and sometimes when you walk up to these tiny stands, you just want the basic slice…something they can serve up quickly and you can eat as you continue explore the neighborhood!

The sauce at Presidential is very good. I found it to be well balanced, not acidic or too salty. It was a smooth blend of tomato flavor and traditional spices. It blended with the other flavors and wouldn’t have stood out at all, other than the fact that the cheese was a bit skimpy. Also, the baker didn’t use too much sauce. A saucy slice can be problematic if you want to eat it while you’re walking. You should be able to double the slice over longitudinally without sauce dripping out on your hands and clothes!

The cheese on the Presidential slice was a very good quality mozzarella with a good full-bodied cheese flavor without any sour edge or excessive salty flavor. The cheese maintained a good consistency as the slice cooled, not assuming any waxy texture. There could have been more cheese on the slice; not a comment you hear from me very often, but the cheese was a bit skimpy.

The crust on this slice was a delight. A wood oven is probably the only touch that could have improved it. This crust was very thin, like we like, crispy without breaking apart in chucks and nicely browned and slightly charred in the pizzeria’s gas oven. Presidential has achieved a crust that is pliable, remember we like to fold that slice over, and crispy at the same time…a good balance.

The service was very fast and colorful in a big city sort of way, the place being staffed mainly by a seasoned crowd. The space is very tiny, with a few closely crammed tables. I don’t recommend trying to sit; just get you slice and go!
The napkins were of adequate quality and the utensils, if you need them, are sturdy plastic, all making for a pleasant experience.

If you are a lover traditional pizza stands, you should definitely seek out Presidential if you’re in the neighborhood in NYC. I wouldn’t make the trip all the way uptown just to get their slice, but if you find yourself there touring this very historic and vibrant area of Harlem, stop in for a very good, traditional carry-out experience.


Enjoy!

Review of SLICE Pizzeria, New Orleans, LA,

SLICE Pizzeria (****) ($ 1/2)
1513 Saint Charles Ave.
New Orleans, Louisiana
(504) 525-7437

Every now and then, as a pizza lover, you might pass a place that has such curb appeal that you make a u-turn, park semi-illegally and dash right in! Well, that’s exactly the response SLICE Pizzeria elicited from me, as I drove down St. Charles Avenue on a balmy Gulf Coast afternoon.

SLICE Pizzeria is nothing less than excellent. At least one local event paper has recently listed it as one of the top three pizzerias in New Orleans. Well, I eaten at all three of those ranked, and I’ll have to say SLICE certainly deserves that ranking. In fact, their only real competition, at this time, is New York Pizza (not ranked) and Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza (ranked among the three), both on Magazine Street.

When I visited SLICE, I ordered my standard “control pie or slice” for Neapolitan pizza, the basic, thin crust, Italian sausage and mozzarella cheese pie/slice, and the Mesclun salad. I won’t discuss the salad except to say that this light, extremely fresh salad, made with delicate organic greens is phenomenal.

The sauce at SLICE is best described as delicate with a hint of fresh tomato and subtle spices. I noticed that the sauce was neither too salty nor acidic, both common pizza sauce pitfalls. Virtually every basic pizza ingredient contains some salt, therefore there’s a fine line, not to be crossed, when adding salt to a basic sauce. I don’t have to tell you how an overly salty sauce can mask all the other flavors of a pie.

Now, at the risk of raising the eyebrows of you cheese lovers, cheese can be over-present on a pizza, and depending on the type of mozzarella used, can add a variety of undesirable characteristics ranging from textural problems to an overpowering cheese flavor often found in pies from “scientific kitchens” (your local pizza franchises and some chains) that tend to use more highly processed and stabilized cheeses. Even pizza joints that use natural or near-natural mozzarella can over apply the cheese and negatively affect the balance and texture of the pie. The cheese at SLICE was of excellent quality. Although not a truly natural mozzarella, best made with water buffalo milk, the cheese had a delicate flavor, consistency and was adequately interspersed among the ingredients, contributing to the balanced flavor.

The sausage on my slice was a mild, link Italian sausage. The sausage was thinly sliced, but not so thin as to dry out, and added just the right amount of sausage flavor to the slice without any grease residue taste or standout spices.

I did find one ever so slight flaw with the slice, at SLICE…the very back edge of the crust. Now, this could have been a procedural error or oversight on the park of the baker, but the back edge was just slightly thick and wide, adding just a hint of that bready taste as opposed to the crispy and lightly charred taste a Neapolitan crust should have. This could have been easily fixed by simply removing some dough and throwing that edge out thinner. The crust, in every other aspect was as good as it could have been, having baked in a commercial gas oven. It was thin, slightly crisp and charred, and a platform, not an overly-present flavor. We know that a coal or wood fire oven will put a crust over the top.

The service was very professional and easy going, the place being staffed mainly by a younger, hip crowd. Once you are seated, drink service is immediate and the staff is very patient and willing to answer questions about the day’s offerings and, of course, the pizza! The napkins were of good quality and the utensils sturdy, all making for a very pleasant experience.

If you are a true pizza lover, you should definitely seek out SLICE when in New Orleans. Here, you will enjoy one of the best pizza experiences the Crescent City has to offer.


Enjoy!

Review of Matthew's Pizza, Baltimore, MD

 

Matthew’s Pizza (***) ($)
3131 Eastern Ave.
Baltimore, Maryland
(410) 276-8755

Classic pizzeria atmosphere with a neighborhood bar in the basement! This can be found at Baltimore’s first pizzeria, Matthew’s, established in 1943. For decades, this local’s favorite has served a unique pie at its virtually unchanged location on Eastern Avenue.

I found Matthew’s to be very good, and many consider it to be the best in the City. Although serving up a unique pie, considering pizza basics, it doesn’t stand up to locations such as Pub Dog in Baltimore.

On my initial visit to Matthew’s, I ordered my standard “control pie” for Neapolitan, non-Chicago style pizza, the basic, thin crust, Italian sausage and mozzarella cheese pie. I use this pie as the standard of judgment for all pizza establishment reviews. I believe this pie offers a good overall representation of the quality of the basic ingredients of a pie (sauce, crust, cheese, herbs/seasonings and sausage). A deficiency in any of these basic elements can negatively impact the quality of the pizza.

The sauce at Matthew’s rich and not too pasty, but lacked basic blend of seasonings and was a bit on the salty side. It had, almost, a bitter edge. Although the source of the tomatoes can sometimes make a difference, I think this sauce could have benefited from more balance preparation. Herbs should be added slowly until the right balance is reached, and a bit of sugar should be slowly added in small increments until an acceptable acidity is achieved. Salt, of course, if needed at all, should be last and added cautiously. The cheese was of good quality, although it did not seem to be natural mozzarella judging by the ever so slightly stiff consistency. The sausage was the winner on this pie. It was a locally made Italian sausage that was light with just the right amount of herbs and spice. It really made the pie!

My most significant complaint with Matthew’s is not a quality deficiency, as such, but more a matter of preference. The crust, although flavorful and nicely charred on the bottom, was a bit thick and bready, thus distracting from the other ingredients by throwing off the balance of the pie. An almost biscuit-like flavor was also present. This was the case even after requesting the crust be made as thin as possible. At Matthew’s, you basically end up with good quality toppings resting on an over-powering crust.

The service at Matthew’s is very friendly, accommodating and easy going. Everyone is, quite literally, treated like family. The service was prompt; the utensils were sturdy and the napkins of good quality.

Matthew’s has a unique twist to how their pies are served. The pies are served on a heavy stock, paper plate resting on an inverted plate of the same material. The bottom plate can be used as a cover for an “instant” to-go box. The server just brings out a roll of tape and butcher paper, and wraps it up!

Although not my top choice in Baltimore, Matthew’s is very good! The atmosphere and friendly service are worth a visit! I would recommend this pizzeria anytime, especially for thick crust fans!