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Lombardis Pizza, a closer look
10/13/11 - As you may have noticed, I tried getting to as many different food types as possible during our short time in Manhattan, New York. We would love to have tried some of the outer burroughs, too, as I hear Queen's and Brooklyn have some really great pizza and Italian foods, but we just didn't have time to explore any further out. One thing I did gather regarding Italian, both from the internet and from walking the streets, is that unlike Chinatown, Little Italy isn't really the place to be for the most authentic Italian - the ever-shrinking Italian quarters has mostly, though not completely, been relegated to a single street, Mulberry, and largely caters to tourists like us! A huge section of the street is actually closed-off and pedestrian-only, with tents and booths lining both sides of the street, largely as extensions of the various stores and restaurants housed there.
Typical booth on Mulberry Street, Little Italy
Mulberry and cross-street, Little Italy
As much as we intended upon a good Italian meal right here in Manhattan, I must confess - we failed miserably (pizza doesn't count, right?)! We were actually scheduled to hit Sergimmo Salumeria on our last day, an Italian spot featuring house-cured meats, house-made cheeses, and house-made pasta, and which garners an astounding 4 and a half stars on Yelp, but we got bumped off our plane from the Niagara Falls region and missed our brief window. Bummers (but not really, since our stand-by tickets through my flight-attendant sister saves us big bucks!)!
We did hit one of the better Italian restaurants in Jersey one night, Amici's, which was allright, but I don't think it would compare to the best in Manhattan. In fact, it didn't even compare to the best in Honolulu! Oh, well - outside of that, the closest we got to Italian was American pizza, and in this particular category, I think we did real good!
That's because Lombardi's Pizza, on the corner of Mott and Spring and still kinda considered part of Little Italy, is, according to them, the oldest pizzeria in America! Not sure if the title is actually valid or not, but since there doesn't seem to be anyone out there refuting it, and since they first got their license all the way back in 1905, you gotta assume there's some truth to the matter, right? This fact alone, along with the high ratings on just about every review out there, both professional and non, convinced us this was indeed the place to be!
As stated in an earlier New York foodie tale, it seems New Yorkers are very much night owls, starting late and ending late. Not a single person was standing outside the restaurant at their opening of 11:30am, but by the time we got out, there were people everywhere waiting to get in!
Inside, it was decently busy, but there were yet many tables open in the maze of separate rooms available.
First dining area upon walking in
Bar area
Lombardi's is pretty much everything you might expect in a good pizza place, coming casual and fit for everyday Joe's like myself. We were taken downstairs to a small, roughly 10-table dining area, where, like the atmosphere, we found the menu surprisingly simple - no more than 4 different appetizers, including a house salad, Ceasar salad, bread sticks, and a tomato, mozzarella, and oven-roasted pepper dish! Outside of that, there's only calzone and pizza, that's it! I guess when you've successfully been in business for over 100 years, there's no reason to change, yes?
But before some real New York-style pizza, we gave the Ceasar's salad ($8.50) a try:
Wow - I mean, the first thing I noticed wasn't the salad but the bowl, which looked like something they'd use at Wailana Coffee House, Likelike Drive-inn, or an outdoor luau at the Polynesian Cultural Center! Cool! The pile of chopped Romaine was simple enough, with a rather light, creamy dressing and toppings of shaved parmesan and house-made croutons which, thank goodness, didn't come overly-seasoned as in those pre-made, boxed varieties so often used out there. Not the best Ceasar I've had before, but not the worst.
As for the real rock star here at Lombardi's, there are only two pies using toppings pre-selected by the house, the first being a white pizza using mozzarella, ricotta, and romano cheeses, oregano, basil, black pepper, and garlic-infused oil (no sauce), while the second is an original pizza utilizing mozzarella, San Marzan tomato sauce, Romano cheese, and fresh basil. Everything else is considered an add-on, of which there are a few:
| citteria pancetta, rosa grande pepperoni, sweet Italian sausage, home-made meatballs, ricotta impastata, imported anchovies, sauteed garlic spinach, roaste red peppers, wild fresh mushrooms, sliced tomatoes, extra mozzarella, extra pecorino romano, calamata olives, red onions, extra San Marzan tomato sauce |
The only thing that concerns me a bit is the cost. Using the two pre-made pizza's above, you'll be starting with either the white, at $18.50 for a 14-inch and $22.50 for an 18-inch, or the red, at $16.50 for a 14-inch and $20.50 for an 18-inch. Not too far overpriced, I guess, but if you want pepperoni or mushrooms or any other extra topping, that'll be either $3 each or $2 each for a split-topping pie. That means we paid for a split 14-inch pizza at $18.50 as well as two toppings on one side and two toppings on the other for an extra $8, all combining for a grand total of $26.50, not to mention the crazy sales tax nearing 10 percent here in NYC! Oooh, kinda steep for a 14-inch thin-crust! We didn't really think about it much at first, but when we got the check, we were glad not have have ordered the 18-incher!
As you can see, the pizza was presented on a cool elevated platter. Kumi's side was of course of a healthier variety, with mushrooms and a garlic-infused spinach:
You could easily tell the artisinal qualities of the pie, with all the ingredients fresh, the dough chewy-soft and lightly salty, the sauce undeniably home-made with a touch of sweetness and tang, and the cheese of a very high caliber. In fact, a topping of cheese and sauce alone would have still been delicious for me! And did you notice how thin the crust is? It's kinda not good for take-out, as it becomes soggy from its toppings after a while, but eaten fresh, while still crisp and airy, I see how New Yorkers are so proud of their pies!
As good as it was, there's no denying that my side of the pizza was better! God never meant for spinach and mushrooms to compete with pepperoni and pancetta!
Placing the cheese in whole sheets in sporadic sections, as opposed to being evenly spread across the entire pie, is something I've seen in lots of modern pizza's. Considering Lombardi's is way old-school, have they gone modern or have the modernists returned to traditional? Hmmm....
And I know you're asking how it all compares to Hawaii, yes? Well, sorry, but it's hard to say, actually.
I mean, first of all, you can't really compare thin-crust pizza with medium or thick-crust versions, and there aren't too many purely thin-crust pizza spots on the island. They are around, however, and, if not having New York style pizza per se, they do feature a thin-crust version, most notably V-Lounge. Truthfully speaking, the use of fresh, top-quality ingredients, house-made dough, and ovens utilizing coals or wood are found at top spots in both Hawaii and New York, so it really is tough separating one from another. I know that may be a horrifying thing to say from such a proud pizza state like New York, but let me qualify my opinion by saying that this is the only pie I've had in the State, and there are probably legion that can recommend a place they consider better. From everything I've found on the net, however, from pro and non-pro sites alike, Lombardi's does garner a great deal of respect, so I can only surmise that if not at the top, they are certainly pretty darn good, even for Manhattan. Big Apple dwellers, please write me if I'm wrong!
There is a difference, however, in which Hawaii truly does not stand a chance when it comes to good pizza. I think the biggest difference isn't really found in going head to head with the best of the best from each State, but in the sheer number of excellent, top-knotch pizza places actually available, and in this regard, Hawaii obviously doesn't compare. In Hawaii, you have to know exactly where to go to find a quality pizza pie, but in New York, they are simply everywhere, at least according to trusted friends and countless hours searching on the net!
Next time, one of the most popular burger joints in New York City!
Take care, and Aloha till next time!
Lombardi's Pizza
32 Spring St.
212-941-7994
Mon-Fri 11:30am-11pm; Sat-Sun 11:30am-12am
Here's a NY pizza suggestion from Ken Williamson:
For Pizza I would have headed for Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, 1955 Central Avenue, Yonkers, NY. I drove from RI to New Haven, CT to try his famous white clam pizza and thought I died and went to heaven: http://www.pepespizzeria.com/. Original Frank Pepe's is on Wooster St., New Haven, CT. Of course up the street is Sally's Apizza which lays claim to Frank Sinatra when in New York City would order pizzas from Sally's in New Haven, CT and send his driver for pickup. Sally's makes tomato pies: http://sallysapizza.com/. Patsy's located at 236 West 56th Street for Italian would have been a good choice as Frank Sinatra dinned there often: http://www.patsys.com/
