Established in 1985, this joint has a name that leaves a lot to live up to, setting an extremely high bar. Ballsy & a bit braggadocious, they actually back it up with some damn fine pizza pie. This is classic, quintessential, New York style plain cheese pizza in New Jersey. With an astounding aroma, that was the first indicator this pie would be terrific. Fairly firm with a surprisingly soft texture, the dough has modest crisp & slight crunch, with quality char on the undercarriage & crust. Delightfully light & thin, the crust is the star of the pie, with outstanding taste & texture. Sharing the Hudson River boarder, maybe that water is the secret to making great dough in this area. A rather standard shredded mozzarella blend, the cheese is marvelously melty, with a creamy consistency & fantastic flow. Mostly tasty overall, the mozz is just a smidge salty from the moderately manageable grease. Not overly sweet or terribly tangy, the sauce is light & subdued with classic tomato taste & just enough seasoning to make an impact. Despite the lack of zest & zing, the sauce delivers a truly delicious pizza flavor in a subtle manner. All in all, this is a real pizza’s pizza, with the ingredients working in perfect harmony to great an incredibly solid pie that rivals the NYC slices across the river. If you’re looking to avoid bridges, tunnels, buses & trains going into the big scary city, this pizza is a fantastic substitute without venturing into the Big Apple. Travel-worthy as is, a crispier dough could launch this pie into the upper 8s & flirt with low 9s. Simple pizza, not exactly perfect, but simply great.
