Originally established in 1947 in Harlem, but they’ve been at the current location in the Bronx since 1959. This is an old school, cash only, neighborhood pizzeria with lots of nostalgic charm that the locals swear is the best in the borough. Even before I opened the box, there was a distinct smell emanating from the cheese that gave me high hopes for this pie. Starting with the dough, it’s thinnish, fairly floppy but not soggy thanks to the semolina crumbs underneath to prevent moisture buildup, not a particularly crispy pie, except for the crust that has solid crunch. Maybe I expected more flavor from a Bronx pie but it doesn’t have that “made with NYC water” taste that usually separates dough made in the tri-state area from the rest of the country. To go along with the distinct smell, the cheese has a specific flavor that distinguishes it from average pizza cheese. The sharp and biting taste actually overpowers the dough & sauce, making it the prevailing flavor of the pie, which I don’t love, but definitely don’t hate. As you can see from the orange tint, the cheese is harboring quite a bit of grease, not an unmanageable amount, but enough to detract from the flavor of the sauce. Along with a fair amount of oregano, the sweetness and tanginess of the sauce is a little lost and overmatched by the excess oil and pungent taste of the cheese. Overall, this very good pizza, a bit of an acquired taste but a quality pie nonetheless. I wasn’t blown away and even though it didn’t exactly meet my expectations, I’m not completely disappointed either.
