Cousin Vinny’s (*1/2) ($ $)
1709 Main St.
Daphne, AL 36526
251-626-6082
In an area dominated by pizza franchises and chains, I am always encouraged to see small, unique pizzerias striving to hold up the New York style pizza traditions. Cousin Vinny’s in the quaint, old section of Daphne, Alabama hits the mark in a lot of areas, but with only “fair” quality, the pizza is not one of them.
Cousin Vinny’s located in an historic mercantile building in downtown Daphne. The space is a bit cramped, but charming and inviting. The narrow room, which contains a bar and seating area, successfully combines a classic pizzeria look with a hint of contemporary décor, making for a warm and cozy space to enjoy a meal or just a drink with friends.
The quality of the pizza at Cousin Vinny’s does not live up to the quality of the atmosphere. My repeated visits to Vinny’s, to include a very recent Italian sausage pie in December, have always left me disappointed in the pizza. Their pie is consistently flimsy due to being weighted down under too much cheese, masking the flavor of the other components (too much cheese, particularly processed cheese, being a common downfall of many otherwise decent New York style pies).
Breaking down the Cousin Vinny’s pie, I do find the crust and the sauce to be potentially strong aspects of the pizza. The crust, although not brick oven cooked, has a nice subtle flavor; approaches nicely charred on the bottom and, although not really displaying any slight crispness, certainly has potential. Unfortunately, the heavy-handed addition of toppings, particularly the cheese, seems to keep the center of the crust rather flimsy, and doesn’t allow the crust to cook to its potential.. The edges of the crust are a bit think in places, sometimes giving your slice a bready finish.
The sauce is a positive aspect of the pizza with a delicate flavor, visibly containing crushed tomatoes. The sauce is pleasingly light and not at all salty or over-seasoned; although a bit more basil and oregano would be nice. Again, as with the crust, the heavy application of cheese defeats the sauce…the taste never gets a chance to come through.
As pointed out, the cheese on the Vinny’s pie is applied much too heavily. It pretty much cancels out the other flavors of the pizza to the point of even dominating the aroma of the pie. The cheese used does not appear to be a natural mozzarella, and is a bit too pungent and salty for a well-balanced pizza.
The balance of the toppings, although a bit sparse, on the pizza was fresh and flavorful when picked off and sampled alone, and the well-seasoned Italian sausage was quite good. Unfortunately, as pointed out above, the cheese defeated any flavor these ingredients might have contributed to the whole pie.
The efficient and friendly service at Cousin Vinny’s is complimented by heavy utensils, high quality napkins, and a good selection of beers on tap and in the bottle. Making it a great spot for a drink and conversation; however, if you’re going for the pizza, you’ll very likely be disappointed.
Enjoy!
1709 Main St.
Daphne, AL 36526
251-626-6082
In an area dominated by pizza franchises and chains, I am always encouraged to see small, unique pizzerias striving to hold up the New York style pizza traditions. Cousin Vinny’s in the quaint, old section of Daphne, Alabama hits the mark in a lot of areas, but with only “fair” quality, the pizza is not one of them.
Cousin Vinny’s located in an historic mercantile building in downtown Daphne. The space is a bit cramped, but charming and inviting. The narrow room, which contains a bar and seating area, successfully combines a classic pizzeria look with a hint of contemporary décor, making for a warm and cozy space to enjoy a meal or just a drink with friends.
The quality of the pizza at Cousin Vinny’s does not live up to the quality of the atmosphere. My repeated visits to Vinny’s, to include a very recent Italian sausage pie in December, have always left me disappointed in the pizza. Their pie is consistently flimsy due to being weighted down under too much cheese, masking the flavor of the other components (too much cheese, particularly processed cheese, being a common downfall of many otherwise decent New York style pies).Breaking down the Cousin Vinny’s pie, I do find the crust and the sauce to be potentially strong aspects of the pizza. The crust, although not brick oven cooked, has a nice subtle flavor; approaches nicely charred on the bottom and, although not really displaying any slight crispness, certainly has potential. Unfortunately, the heavy-handed addition of toppings, particularly the cheese, seems to keep the center of the crust rather flimsy, and doesn’t allow the crust to cook to its potential.. The edges of the crust are a bit think in places, sometimes giving your slice a bready finish.
The sauce is a positive aspect of the pizza with a delicate flavor, visibly containing crushed tomatoes. The sauce is pleasingly light and not at all salty or over-seasoned; although a bit more basil and oregano would be nice. Again, as with the crust, the heavy application of cheese defeats the sauce…the taste never gets a chance to come through.
As pointed out, the cheese on the Vinny’s pie is applied much too heavily. It pretty much cancels out the other flavors of the pizza to the point of even dominating the aroma of the pie. The cheese used does not appear to be a natural mozzarella, and is a bit too pungent and salty for a well-balanced pizza.
The balance of the toppings, although a bit sparse, on the pizza was fresh and flavorful when picked off and sampled alone, and the well-seasoned Italian sausage was quite good. Unfortunately, as pointed out above, the cheese defeated any flavor these ingredients might have contributed to the whole pie.
The efficient and friendly service at Cousin Vinny’s is complimented by heavy utensils, high quality napkins, and a good selection of beers on tap and in the bottle. Making it a great spot for a drink and conversation; however, if you’re going for the pizza, you’ll very likely be disappointed.
Enjoy!
