For those in the know or who are old school New Haveners, it's not just Sally's, Pepe's, Modern, Zuppardi's and Grand Apizza were also in that conversation.
As a New Yorker, I feel Grand is the most relatable to what we already eat. I also think Modern gets close. The main difference is the thinness from heel to tip of the slice and the heavier hand on the grated cheese pre-bake.
Man, what a strong cheese flavor on Grand. Love the heavier hand on sauce too compared to the Big 3. Grand's crust has more of a rise to the cornicione than the norm in New Haven but isn't thick by any means.
The crust was straight down the line crispy without being chewy, dry, and crunchy. That's my favorite, especially if it's fermented well and aerated. This isn't an artisan pie though, so it does lack the later, though it's not expected.
My main criticism is the sauce was plainly seasoned when I like mine more flavorful. It definitely had that tartness and brightness without being acidic. But I like an herbaceous sauce. Cheese to sauce is near spot on for me.
They don't go too crazy on the char, which is fine. Char can add flavor but it's best IMO with the right dough. But what's important here is the crispiness of the crust and they get that right.
I feel like the average baseline of pizza is a 7.5 to 8 in New Haven in my book. And I'd love to have a reliable spot by me bakng up no fuss pizza like this on the daily.
