2 Ton Tony's Spencerport (CLOSED)

NOTE: this establishment is now closed (the original in Irondequoit remains very much open).
I mentioned the other day on my Facebook page that I had stopped by 2 Ton Tony's new place in Spencerport. It's in the former location of Lecesse's, which made pretty good pizza, but which went out of business within the past year.
I got one of the "2 Ton" slices, a bargain at just $3 for a slice (cut in two, down the middle) that I'd say represented about one eighth of a 26-inch pie.
The underside bore some screen marks, which I'm generally not thrilled to see, but the flaw that I often find with screen-baked pizzas - a soft crust - wasn't present here. This thin to medium-thick crust was well charred, but not burnt, with some crackling on the surface of the underside. It showed that good, crisp pizza can be achieved even with a screen.
Part of that may be due to the ovens here. Tony has made a lot of changes to the interior of the place, giving it a cleaner, brighter look than before, but the ovens are the same Bakers Pride y600 units that were there earlier. These are not necessarily better, but they are different, from the Blodgett 1048 ovens at 2TT's Irondequoit shop. Tony described the Spencerport ovens as very efficient, and they result in a pizza with a crisp underside, without overcooking the toppings. The cup 'n' char pepperoni was nicely done, with crisp edges and small pools of grease in each one, which is as they should be. (If you don't care for the grease, it's easier to mop it up from the cup 'n' char pepperoni than to have it spread all over the surface of the pizza, as it tends to do with "regular," thin-sliced pepperoni.)
While this oversized slice groaned under the weight of the toppings, it was not a case study in excess, and was surprisingly well balanced. I'm not talking about it's center of gravity, but to the proportion among the components. The toppings were generous but not overdone, and the crust, sauce, cheese and pepperoni were all in equilibrium. The sauce had a slow-cooked tomato flavor, with a hint of "Italian" herbs, and the mozzarella was nicely melted, with just the faintest touch of browning. The thin cornicione was nice and crunchy.
Tony told me that the response from the local community has been very good so far. I know that any new establishment can expect a relative boom early on, due to the novelty and curiosity factors, but I think 2 Ton Tony's will continue to do well here. They've got plenty of nearby competition, including Cam's and Pontillo's, but then again 2 Ton Tony's has already proven itself in the pizza hotspot in the vicinity of Hudson and Titus Avenues in Irondequoit.
In addition to its wide variety of pizzas, 2 Ton Tony's offers hot subs (no cold subs), wings, salads, and various sides. Then there's what is perhaps the most daunting gastronomic feat in Rochester, the 2 Ton Challenge, which dares two people to eat 10 pounds of pizza in under 45 minutes. If you succeed, you and your teammate will each get your picture on the wall, and receive a t-shirt and a certificate good for a free large pizza. That's one gauntlet I will not be picking up, though you have my admiration, or at least astonishment, if you meet the challenge.
I have long liked 2 Ton Tony's pizza, which fits well within the "Rochester style" genre, which to me means with a little more of everything, compared to a classic thin-crust pie, but well balanced at the same time. This slice met that standard, with some extra crispness underneath, and toppings that hit the mark too - crisp-edged pepperoni, good-quality, nicely melted mozzarella, and enough sauce to add flavor and moisture. While this 2-Ton slice was a virtual meal in itself, I'm looking forward to going back for a full pie. But on the strength of this visit, I'm giving it an A rating.
2 Ton Tony's, 42 Nichols St., Spencerport, 349-2222
Mon. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Sun. noon - 9 p.m.