Pizza Review
The original New York slice - of the original four coal oven joints (Lombardi’s, John’s Bleecker, Totonno’s, Patsy’s), this is the only one that sells slices and is the most traditionally “New York” of the four. Only $2 each, no toppings for individual slices. Chewy coal-fired crust. Cheese tangy but not overwhelming, great crust/sauce. My score might have a slight bias because of the location’s rich history, but a must-visit for any pizza fan. Make sure to eat it quickly, as it does not travel particularly well from my experience.
Pizza Review
Founded in 1933 by Pasquale “Patsy” Lanceri, this is the original, historic and iconic location in East Harlem, NY for legendary brick oven, coal fired, classic thin crust pizza. They actually claim to be the first pizzeria to sell pizza by the slice; a fact that can be neither confirmed nor denied. In 1991, Patsy’s widow sold the business to Frank Brija, an Albanian from Kosovo who eventually trademarked the name “Patsy’s” and began franchising in 1995. I’ve tried multiple expanded Patsy’s franchise locations throughout New York; none of them even come close to the dough at this original spot. Light as a feather, delightfully airy and paper thin, the dough has an unbelievable cracker-like crunch to go along with incredible char on the otherworldly undercarriage and a smokey flavor you can only get from old school coal fired ovens. Fantastically firm and uniquely tasty; this is the type of dough legends are made from. The dough alone belongs in the Pizza Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, the remaining ingredients were disappointingly underwhelming. With such a razor thin dough, the cheese and sauce are to scale, even thinner than the thinny thin dough. The layer of shredded mozzarella is so light, it’s practically a sprinkle of cheese. Despite covering more surface than a typical Margherita style pie, the cheese is basically a dusting, barely bonding together, bubbling atop the pie, forming a few flavorful charred cheese bubbles. Equally inadequate is the hardly transparent sauce; an uber light smattering as if it were painted on with one brush stroke. The quality isn’t in question; just the quantity, which is not nearly substantial enough. Most of the flavor emanates from the dough, as the sauce and cheese take a back seat. The crust is also maddeningly inconsistent; soft in some areas, charred in others, crunchy in minimal spots. I’m not sure if this is typical of all their pies lately; but they need to pump up the volume on the cheese and especially the sauce significantly. While this original location is better than the other franchise spots I’ve tried in Brooklyn & Nanuet, it appears this o.g. joint has lost a little off its fastball. This pizza pie should be a first ballot, slam dunk, waive the wait period Hall of Famer. Even though this historic landmark pizzeria may have tailed off over the years, it’s still worth making a pilgrimage to pay respects to the original, legendary & iconic spot that started it all. Not to mention, $16, cash only, ain’t bad for a whole pie by today’s standards. I respect the history and the legacy; but I can’t say I’m not a little disappointed by the final product concerning the lack of quantity of cheese and sauce on my pie. Definitely come and experience the nostalgia of a true New York institution; just temper your overall expectations.
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