Old Italy, Latta Road

I took a drive the other day at lunchtime up to Old Italy Pizzeria on Latta Road.
I posted about Old Italy about two years ago, shortly after it opened. A few things have changed in the meantime, perhaps the most obvious being the introduction of Old Italy's "Mamaluke slices." What you see here is a single Mamaluke slice, cut in half. This measured 13 inches along the sides. Figuring this to be a quarter of a 26" diameter pizza, that comes out to about 132.75 square inches, which is roughly equivalent to the surface area of a 13" diameter pie. So figure about the same as, or even a little bigger than, the average medium pie. For $5.
Now I'll be the first one to say, big and cheap doesn't necessarily mean good. But big, cheap, and good ... well, that's very good. And fortunately, this was good.
The crust was on the thin side, with some screen marks on the bottom, and some surface crackling. Mine came fresh out of the oven, so I didn't ask for it to be rewarmed, nor did it need rewarming, but I imagine a minute or two of reheating would further boost the crispness factor. The crust, which is made using high-gluten flour, was chewy but not tough, with some air pockets visible inside.
The components were well balanced, with nicely melted whole-milk mozzarella, a light layer of sauce, and wide pepperoni slices.
Owner Bradley Cedar, who's spent many years in the pizza business, developed his own recipes for the dough and sauce, which are both prepared in-house. The menu mostly sticks to the basics - pizza, wings, calzones, hot subs and sides - but I've found over the years that there's an inverse relationship between the number of items on a menu and the quality of the pizza. In other words, best to stick to what you know, and that's the impression I came away with here. Good pizza, well prepared by an experienced pizzaiolo.
Bottom line, this was good, not because it was big, or because it was cheap, but because it was good. The big size and the low price were gravy.
Bite for bite, compared to other local pizzerias (and considering that the bar is set pretty high to begin with), I'd give it a B. Good crust and good toppings. All this for five bucks kicks it up a notch or two, but I've never rated pizza based on price or quantity, so I won't start now. But dollar for dollar, you can't do much better than this.

Old Italy Pizzeria, 1250 Latta Rd., Greece
(585) 445-8782

Sun. - Thu. noon - 9 p.m.
Fri. & Sat. noon - 10 p.m.

Pie Time, Lake Ave.

I stopped recently at Pie Time, just off Lake Avenue in Charlotte. The site has been home to several pizzerias over the years.
I got there around lunchtime, and a pie was just coming out of the oven. It was a half-cheese, half-pepperoni pie, and I opted for a slice of the latter.
First impressions. Pizza tends to be at its most aromatic when it's freshly baked, and with this one I caught a whiff of garlic. Overall, not a bad looking slice, at first glance at least.
A check of the underside revealed a couple of things. It was unevenly browned,with some areas dark brown and some pale.
The crust was also uneven in terms of thickness, as shown in the bottom photo. One side of the slice, paper thin, the other rather thick, probably close to an inch. Even on the thick side, though, it did not seem to have risen much; it wasn't dense, in a heavy, leaden kind of way, but it wasn't bubbly either. The interior was what I would describe as cottony.
The edge was formed into a cornicione of uniform thickness. It was browned on top, pale underneath, with a crunchy exterior. There was a smidgen of oven soot along one part of the underside.
On top, the cheese was a little browned and congealed. It was chewy, but not very smooth or stretchy.
There wasn't much sauce to speak of. What there was had a thick consistency, with a generous amount of dried herbs (although I can't say whether the herbs were in the sauce to begin with or were sprinkled on after the sauce was applied).
The cup and char pepperoni slices were well crisped along the edge, tasty and not overly oily.
Pie Time pizzas come in 10-, 12- and 16-inch sizes, as well as sheets. They offer 16 toppings. A cheese slice will set you back $3, not bad for a slice this big.
They also do wings, calzones, stromboli, subs and wraps, fish fry, "plates," a few dinners (chicken parm, spaghetti and meatballs and the like), and the usual sides:  fries, onion rings, etc. Although Pie Time's website still shows them opening at 3 p.m., the menu I picked up has them open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. As I mentioned, I got there around noon and a lunchtime pie was in the oven.
Reading back over what I've written, I get the sense that this review makes this slice sound worse than it was. I started with my first impressions, and I'll close with my overall impression. It wasn't bad, but there were a lot of flaws. No one defect stood out or ruined this slice for me, but put all the little stuff together and you've got a slice that just wasn't too good. I have to give this a D.

Pie Time, 4410 Lake Ave.
434-4766 (phone) 434-5464 (fax)

Open daily 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Old Italy, Latta Road

I recently learned that Old Italy Pizza opened on Latta Road in Greece. This spot in a small strip plaza has seen several pizzerias come and go over the years, including Paulie's, Grande Amore, and apparently one that I missed entirely, Fosterino's. When a certain type of business keeps failing in the same place, I start to wonder if it's just a bad location, but we'll see.
I stopped into Old Italy recently at lunchtime for a couple of slices. It was a good deal - two slices and a can of pop for $4.50.
The slices were decent, if unspectacular. The crust was medium thick, with an underside that was lightly browned and crisscrossed by screen marks. The edge was formed into a thin cornicione, and its texture seemed a bit "tough," suggesting that it was made from high-gluten flour. That's commonly used in pizza, and it has its advantages, but it can yield a somewhat tough, chewy texture.
The slices were well balanced, with a layer of melted, just-browned mozzarella, and some small cheeseless spots. The moderately applied sauce was pretty basic, with some tomatoey sweetness, a bit of salt, and a faint herbal background. The thin, wide slices of pepperoni were average.
To quote from its menu, Old Italy "take[s] pride in [its] daily made fresh dough, house made sauces, hand battered chicken fingers, fresh cut French fries and [its] fresh ingredients." They offer ten specialty pizzas, and all their regular comes in small, medium, large and sheet sizes. They also do wings, available in no less than 15 varieties (!), calzones, hot subs, "plates," salads and sides.
A reader reported that a pizza he got from Old Italy was one of the best he's had in the area. I don't doubt it, although I'm not prepared to put these slices in that category. They were reasonably good, basic, Rochester-style pizza slices, but I wasn't bowled over by them. I remain intrigued enough to go back, but for now I'll hold off on assigning a grade, and leave this post as just a report on what I had at this still-new pizzeria. But please, if you're in the area, check it out for yourself and share your experience with me and other readers, either in the "Comments" section after this post, or on my Facebook page.


Old Italy Pizza, 1250 Latta Road
(585) 445-8782

Mon. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. - midnight
Sun. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Cinelli's, Long Pond Road

Thanks to a reader, I learned recently about a new place, Cinelli's, which opened in January on Long Pond Road. They advertise "NY Style Thin Crust Pizza," which always both catches my attention and makes me skeptical; all too many places seem to think that if a pizza's thin, it's "New York style." Not so, and I've had a lot of bad so-called New York style pizza.
But regardless of how they describe themselves, I try to get to every new pizzeria I hear of, as soon as I practicably can, so I recently stopped in to Cinelli's for a couple of lunchtime slices. I got one cheese slice and one pepperoni slice.
The slices were a bit unevenly cut - the cheese slice was wider than the pepperoni - but aside from that, I had no complaints. In fact, I was rather impressed.
The slices were thin, and the undersides were crackly, with a few small charred spots. The crust was quite good: crisp, with a toasty aroma of fresh bread and a nice balance of crackly and chewy.
The slices were well balanced overall. The cheese was nicely melted and creamy; the sauce was tomatoey and mildly seasoned, and the thin-cut pepperoni was just slightly crisp along the edges.
Cinelli's full name is "Cinelli's Pizza Ristorante," and that's an apt description. It's a full-service restaurant, but with an emphasis on pizza. Entrees include all the Italian basics (chicken or eggplant parm, lasagna, shrimp scampi, and pasta), plus a custom option, which allows you to choose your pasta, sauce, and "protein" (perhaps they could come up with a more appetizing term), which basically means any added toppings, including various veggies, anchovies, chicken, meatballs, etc.
Cinelli's has some daily specials worth checking out, particularly their Tuesday special (in effect at the time of this writing, but make sure before you order), an 18" cheese pizza for only $10.99.
Subsequent to my getting these slices, City Newspaper ran a brief piece about Cinellli's. I refer you to that for further information about Cinelli's background, which includes a genuine Italian grandmother.
Cinelli's is not among the closest places for me to get to, either from work or home, but I plan to go back, for sure. This was an impressive debut.
I've sometimes put off rating a place if it hasn't been open very long, but that's generally been when my pizza wasn't that good, and I wanted to give them a break, to see if they could get their act together. Based on these slices, I'd say Cinelli's has already crossed that hurdle. I plan to return, and I'll judge future slices or pies on their own merits, but I'm giving these slices an A.

Cinelli's Pizza Ristorante, 840 Long Pond Rd.
(585) 287-5458

Tue. - Thu. 11 - 9
Fri. & Sat. 11 - 10
Sun. noon - 8
Closed Mon.

Tantalo's

A reader advised me last October to check out Tantalo's, which opened last year in the former site of a Pontillo's pizzeria in Greece.
I went there at lunchtime shortly after it opened, and the only slices they had available were Buffalo chicken slices. I got one (pictured in the bottom photo), which was OK, but not great. The crust was rather soft, and while the toppings were tasty enough, the chicken seemed a bit overcooked and the toppings just didn't come together that well.
But as I said, this was not long after they opened, so I figured I'd wait a while and go back.
Which I did, recently. And to judge by the two slices I got on this occasion, things had indeed improved.
This time, there were four selections, from which I chose a pepperoni slice and a white slice with broccoli, ricotta and tomatoes (the other choices were plain cheese and another white pizza with banana peppers and black olives).
These were a definite improvement over the time before, in my opinion. The crusts were on the thick side of medium, and after a brief rewarming, they were crisp and crackly underneath, yet still pliable and not brittle. I should point out that I don't think my earlier Buffalo chicken slice had been rewarmed, which
The undersides were browned,in a mottled pattern, with a light dusting of corn meal. The interior of the crust was chewy, well risen and well baked.
As for the toppings, the pepperoni slice was topped with nicely crisped cup & char pepperoni. The cheese was a bit overly browned, but it's always going to be a challenge to strike the balance between the cheese and pepperoni (might I suggest par-cooking the pepperoni before it's added to the pizza?). The sauce was a basic tomato sauce, with a good balance of sweet and salty. 
The white slice was flavorful, with a light coating of olive oil, topped with small chunks of broccoli and sliced tomatoes, overlaid by mozzarella and a few bits of ricotta cheese. The veggies were added before the cheese, which was a smart move, as it kept them moist. Pepperoni, I like crisp; veggies should retain most of their moisture.
Tantalo's offers 17 pizza toppings, and 13 specialty pizzas. Among the most interesting of the latter are the "Mama Mary's Greens & Beans Pizza," with sauteed greens, cannelini beans, sausage, mozzarella and Parmesan.
Beyond pizza, Tantalo's offers wings, which can be ordered with any one of some 13 sauces, and mac & cheese - which seems to be a trendy dish of late, although even as a kid I was never crazy about it - in a variety of combinations.
Tantalo's also offers an interesting lineup of hot and cold subs, and salads that go beyond the usual "chef's salad." For example, there's a beet salad with blue cheese, candied walnuts and balsamic vinaigrette. I've never been able to decide if I like beets or not, but that's intriguing. I'm waiting for someone to put them on pizza. I may even try that at home, much, I'm sure, to the dismay of my wife and daughter, who are decidedly in the anti-beet camp. And Tantalo's menu is the first I've seen since I don't know when to offer Waldorf salad, which immediately brings to mind an episode of the funniest sitcom ever made, Fawlty Towers.
If you've got room left after your pizza, sub or salad, Tantalo's has also got some decadent sweets, like deep-fried Twinkies or Oreos, or simple, freshly baked cookies.
My primary focus, of course, is the pizza. And this was good. Not so head-and-shoulders above other area pizzerias that I'd give it an A rating, but better than average. Nice crust, good toppings. So I'll give it a B.

Tantalo's Pizzeria, 3366 Latta Rd.
(585) 227-0080

Mon. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Sun. noon - 6 p.m.

Delivery available (min. order $12)

Sylvio's, Charlotte

Back in 2009, not that long after I started this blog, I posted a review of Sylvio's, a pizzeria on Scottsville Road. I gave their "monster" slice a B-, which in retrospect seems perhaps a bit generous, but that's what I thought they deserved at the time.
Sylvio's has a second location, on Alpha Street in Charlotte, and I stopped in there recently to pick up a slice.
All they had at the time were pepperoni slices, which I was told had just come out of the oven, so I got one of those. They weren't piping hot, but they did seem reasonably fresh.
This was not as "monstrous" as the slice I got at the Scottsville Road location. But it was also cheaper, at 2 bucks a slice.
The crust was thin, with a bottom that was crosshatched with screen marks. It was medium brown in hue, and reasonably crisp.  The narrow but thicker edge was pleasantly crackly on the outside, with some interior breadiness.
The slice was topped with a fairly sweet tomato sauce, and a uniform layer of melted, slightly browned mozzarella. The thin-sliced pepperoni was all right but unremarkable. I also noticed, and could just taste, a smattering of dried herbs.
You can see Sylvio's menu here, so I won't go into detail about their offerings, but it's well summed up by one line on the menu:   "burgers, plates, fish fry, slices, pizza, wings, subs, salad, wraps."  In other words, it's a pretty basic, but well rounded pizza/wing joint menu. Pizzawise, they offer sixteen toppings, and eight specialty pizzas, in four sizes, from small to sheets.
This slice wasn't bad. I have to go back to the word "basic," because that's what it was. It was a basic mozzarella and pepperoni slice.  No complaints, but I'd say it was about average for this area, so it rates a C from me.
Sylvio's Pizzeria, 1 Alpha St., Rochester (Charlotte) 581-1222
Other location at 1761 Scottsville Rd. 436-6390

Mon. & Tue. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Wed. - Sat. 11 a.m. - midnight, Sun. noon - 10 p.m.

Grande Amore, Latta Rd.

I keep a to-do list of pizza places to visit, either to try for the first time or to get back to after a long hiatus. One such place that was on my list for a long time was Paulie's, a Latta Road pizzeria that I liked back in 2009.
Alas, Paulie's is no longer with us. But another pizzeria, Grande Amore, has taken its place. A reader informed me of this (thank you), and so I got up there recently to check it out.
On my lunchtime visit, a single cheese pie was available for slices. I could've asked for toppings to be added, but went with two cheese slices (in my opinion, adding toppings to a baked slice and reheating it in the oven simply doesn't compare to having the toppings baked on from the start).
My slices were medium thick, with a pale underside that was lightly dusted with corn meal. The crust was rather soft, and a little gummy. Things were a little better along the edge, which was more browned and crisper.
On top, a basic, lightly seasoned tomato sauce was topped with a scattered layer of congealed mozzarella cheese. The overall balance of crust to sauce to cheese was pretty good, if a little light on the cheese.
Grande Amore offers 16 pizza toppings (18 on the menu, but I don't count extra sauce or cheese as separate toppings), and nine specialty pizzas. They also do wings, plates, hot sandwiches, and several dinners, from pasta to steak. A few desserts are also available, including the "Madd Monkey," described as "vanilla/chocolate cream pudding, banana slices, walnuts and thundered with chocolate chunks."
I can't say I was thrilled by these slices, but I'm going to hold off giving them a letter grade. I often decline to rate a pizzeria until after it's been open for a while, and I think that's appropriate here. While it's no excuse, I also wonder if these slices suffered from the first-pancake syndrome; you know, the first pancake never comes out that well, and this was apparently the first pizza of the day. I'd like to make a return visit later in the day, when I know the oven will be up to full temperature and several pizzas have gone in and out of the oven. There's promise here, but time will tell whether it's fulfilled.
Grande Amore Pizza, 1250 Latta Road
(585) 663-9150
Sun., Mon., Wed., Thu. 11 a.m. - midnight, Tue. 4 p.m. - 11 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.

The Retreat, Long Pond Rd.

Certain places are on my radar screen for a long time before I get around to trying them. One such is The Retreat on Long Pond Road in Greece. It's primarily a bar, but it serves pizza, and I don't just mean microwave pizza, French bread pizza, or pizza on premade shells. This is house-made pizza, and so it deserved a visit.
Pizzas here come in "personal," medium (12 inches across) and large (half sheet) sizes. The menu lists a modest eight toppings. I picked up a medium pepperoni pizza.
The crust was about a half inch thick. The underside showed it to have been pan baked, in other words, allowed to rise on a pan and baked in the same pan. You can tell from the bubbly areas underneath. The golden brown color also indicates a pan-baked pizza.
Pan baking typically results in a softer bottom than a pizza baked directly on the oven deck, and that was true here. It was also just slightly oily to the touch. None of those attributes are defects, mind you - this comes down to a matter of individual taste - though I still generally like my pizza more crisp on the bottom.
It seemed to me that the crust also had a slightly sweet flavor. It could just be that it was made with relatively little salt, allowing the natural sweetness of the risen dough to come through more. It was slightly crumbly, which suggests a relatively high proportion of oil or other shortening in the dough.
The most outstanding feature of this pizza was its sauce. That's a little unusual, because in my experience the sauce is typically the least prominent of the three fundamental components of a pizza (the other two being the crust and the cheese). This sauce was thick but not dried out, rich and flavorful. Good sauce, and in good proportion to the thickness of the crust.
The cheese was slightly browned, and texturally was at a cross between smoothly melted and congealed. I'm guessing it was part-skim cheese, as it did not have a particularly rich texture. The pepperoni had a nice, meaty, spicy flavor.
The Retreat offers a full range of food, from standard bar fare like wings and quesadillas to barbequed ribs, NY strip steaks, and pasta dishes. The centerpiece of the interior is a large, rectangular bar, similar to the one on Cheers, which The Retreat openly compares itself to.
Situated right next door to Pizzeria Americana, and just a few doors down from Russo's Clubhouse Pizza, The Retreat is unlikely ever to become a pizza destination in its own right. But this wasn't bad, particularly for bar pizza, which all too often is nothing but a dry, frozen crust with a few toppings slapped on. This was average pizza, nothing wrong with it, but nothing special, and I'll give it a C.
The Retreat, 512 Long Pond Road, Greece. 227-9100
Mon. - Sat. 4 p.m. - 2 a.m., Sun. noon - midnight

Russo's Clubhouse Pizza, Revisited

It's been some two and a half years since my last visit to Russo's Clubhouse Pizza on Long Pond Road. It's way up by the Parkway and I don't get up that way too often.
But it was past time to go back, so I took advantage of having to run an errand up that way and stopped in for a slice.
This was as fresh a slice as you could get, having literally just come out of the oven. So as is often the case with hot, fresh slices, it was a little sloppy looking, since the cheese hadn't had much time to set.
This slice had a thin to medium crust, which had clearly spent some time on a screen, but unlike a lot of screen-baked crusts, this one was reasonably crisp (it's always seemed odd to me that the ostensible purpose of a pizza screen is to produce a crisp crust, and yet screen-baked crusts are usually anything but crisp). There were a few small spots where the bottom had charred or blackened just a bit. The interior of the crust also showed a nice rise, with an airy texture or "crumb," in breadspeak.
There was a good amount of sauce on this slice. Again, because the slice had just come out of the oven, it may have seemed more "wet" than usual, but it was on the saucy side. The sauce had a cooked-tomato flavor that was more sweet than salty, but not overly sweet.
The cheese seemed to be straight low-moisture, or processed mozzarella (which is not a bad thing - if you're unfamiliar with the different kinds of mozzarella, go here). It was a little gooey, but good. And the slice as a whole was pretty well balanced between the crust, sauce and cheese. And the pepperoni, which was crisp along the edges but not dried out.
I liked this slice. It was pretty similar to the one I had before (which I gave a B-minus), but - maybe because it was so fresh - I do think it deserves to get bumped up one notch. It was well balanced, tasty and reasonably crisp underneath, so I'm giving it a B.
Russo's Clubhouse Pizza, 496 Long Pond Road, Greece, NY 14612
Tel.: 225-3570
Hours (call ahead to confirm): Sun. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 10:30 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. - midnight

Mama's Pizza Kitchen, Revisited

After I gave a C-minus to Mama's Pizza Kitchen on Lake Avenue back in 2010, some readers urged me to go back there and give them another try. It's taken me a while, but I did.
I would've liked to try a full pie, but I just didn't need or want that much pizza to deal with, so I got two cheese slices, which had just emerged from the oven, so I figured they'd be pretty representative of a fresh pie. And Mama's does seem to be kind of a slice joint, with big, floppy slices that are made for walk-in traffic around Charlotte.
These were big, thin slices, with a medium-brown, screen-baked underside. They were just a bit oily to the touch, and had a faint aroma of cooking oil. The crust was quite pliable, making the slices easy to fold, but they were not crisp at all.
The toppings were added in pretty good proportion to the crust, but the cheese was more prominent than the sauce. It was on the salty side and just a little browned. It had congealed into a solid blanket, and was more chewy than smooth or stringy.
Between the cheese and crust was a thin layer of tomatoey, slightly tangy sauce. A sprinkling of dried herbs on top rounded out the flavor profile.
I thought this pizza was OK. I didn't mind it. And it had some things going for it. Any big, floppy, cheesy slice of pizza will usually be sort of good, at some level.
But it was only marginally better than last time. There was a little more sauce, and the cheese had a better texture than last time, when it was overcooked. And though this doesn't affect the grade, the service was good, friendly, and accommodating. So I guess it does deserve to get bumped up a notch, but that's all, I'm afraid. This one comes in at a C.

Mama's Pizza Kitchen, 4410 Lake Ave., Rochester 14612

Tel.: 581-0222

Tue. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m. - 2 a.m., Sat. noon - 2 a.m., Sun. noon - 10 p.m. Closed Mon.

Mama's Pizza Kitchen, Lake Ave.

Mama's Pizza Kitchen recently opened in the space formerly occupied by Little D's, on Lake Ave. in Charlotte, and Charlotte Pizzeria before that. It's always seemed particularly risky to me to open a business in a location where several others have tried the same thing and failed, but maybe Mama's will be the one that breaks the pattern.
I stopped in for a slice around lunchtime. There were a few cheese and some pepperoni slices available. The pie from which they had been cut had been unevenly sliced, so that some slices were noticeably bigger than others. I got one of the larger cheese slices.
It had a thin crust, with a golden brown, screen-baked underside. The exterior of the crust was firm but not crisp, and easily foldable. The interior was soft and a little chewy, and the outer edge was formed into a thin, narrow lip with a crunchy texture.
The slice was topped with a thin, uniform layer of well-browned cheese, which had exuded some of its fat, creating a somewhat oily surface. Dried herbs were visible atop the cheese, and added some flavor and aroma.
The sauce, on the other hand, was hardly to be seen. Peeling away the cheese, I could see a bit of sauce here and there, but not much, nor was it very evident on the palate. Flavorwise, this was almost like eating a white pizza, with the crust, cheese and herbs all sharing the spotlight, while the sauce remained very much behind the scenes.
Mama's has quite an extensive menu, with 28 pizza toppings, five specialty pizzas, calzones, wings, a long list of "bomber" sandwiches, wraps, melts, subs, salads and sides. There's a little room to eat in if you choose, but it's mostly a takeout place.

So will Mama's Pizza Kitchen succeed where others have failed? Time will tell. Based on this one slice, though, I think the pizza needs a little work. More balance, for one thing. This really needed some of the acidity and sweetness of tomato sauce to balance out the oily, congealed cheese. And the crust was passable, but a bit lifeless, without the crackly crispness or bready aroma and texture of a great pizza crust. So while this wasn't all that bad, it was a notch below average, and I'll give it a C-, with a mental note to go back sometime and see how things are coming along.

Mama's Pizza Kitchen, 4410 Lake Ave., Rochester 14612, 581-0222

Tue. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m. - 2 a.m., Sat. noon - 2 a.m., Sun. noon - 10 p.m. Closed Mon.

Pizzeria Americana, Long Pond Road - Grandma's Pizza

Having recently done a post on Pizzeria Americana Ohana on Monroe Avenue, I decided that it was time to make a return visit to its erstwhile sister pizzeria on Long Pond Road in Greece. I say "erstwhile" because it's a word I don't get to use that often, but also because according to RocWiki, the two locations have been under separate ownership since 2007.
So, nearly a year and a half after my previous post on Kip's Pizzeria Americana, I returned there recently, primarily to try their version of "Grandma's" pizza. Prior to this, my only previous experience with this particular style of pizza was the Grandma's that I got from Joe's Brooklyn Pizza (although the Pizza Stop's meatball parm pizza is very similar, except for the addition of meatballs).
Kip's menu describes its Grandma's as consisting of "a thick crust with red sauce" and Romano cheese, topped with sausage, broccoli, and black olives." Contrary to that description, the crust on my pizza was not particularly thick, not that I'm complaining. The underside was crisp and nicely charred but not burnt, and the interior was bready.
Naturally, the sauce took center stage here. Yes, there is cheese, but since Romano has such a sharper flavor than mozzarella - and doesn't melt very well - it doesn't blanket the pizza, but is just added as more of a flavor accent.
The sauce on this was very tomatoey, with a slightly sweet, cooked-tomato flavor.
Next up, flavorwise, was the sausage, which was mild, with a pleasant, meaty flavor.
Despite its sharpness, the Romano stayed mostly in the background, as did the broccoli and olives. They were obviously visible, and I could taste them, but they came close to being overwhelmed by the sauce.
I also picked up a Margherita, which was pretty similar to the one I got at the Brighton location, except that Kip's used sliced rather than diced tomatoes, and the basil was not shredded as finely, nor was it as wilted from the heat of the oven as the Ohana Margherita. Again, this was not, as far as I know, a "classic" Margherita, which typically are topped with crushed tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil, but the flavors of the components here blended well together, with a prominent garlic flavor and the tangy low-moisture mozzarella forming a base for the fresh tomatoes and basil. The crust was crisp and bready.

As evidence of their common heritage, Kip's and Ohana share a lot of similar menu items, and there are still more specialty pizzas I'd like to try here, such as the "Rosemary," with olive oil, garlic, oregano, mozzarella, potato and rosemary, or the Mediterranean, with basil pesto, pine nuts, spinach, fresh tomato, mozzarella dn feta cheese.
Speaking of the menu, though, for whatever reason, the menu I picked up at Kip's last year lists 29 specialty pizzas, while the one I got this last time only has 19. The Grandma's doesn't appear on the newer menu, nor does the Mediterranean, although it does show up on the online menu.
I hope that doesn't mean that they're trying to phase out the Grandma's, because it was good pizza. Not an everyday pizza, or for everybody, but if you're a lover of red sauce, and don't mind a (nearly) cheeseless pizza now and then, you should enjoy this. With that nicely baked, crisp crust as a base, this was good enough to rate an A- from me.
Kip's Pizzeria Americana, 516 Long Pond Rd. (Carriage Stop Plaza) 227-9913
Mon. - Wed. 3 p.m. - 10 p.m., Thu. 2 p.m. - 10 p.m., Fri. 2:30 p.m. - midnight, Sat. noon - midnight, Sun. noon - 10 p.m.

Tony Pepperoni, Greece - CLOSED

Back in April 2009, I did a post on Tony Pepperoni in Henrietta, giving it a B for its pretty decent thin-crust pizza. Not long ago I decided to check out its sister location, on Latta Road in Greece.
Somewhat oddly, this Tony P. is located right next to a gas station, although I wouldn't call it gas-station pizza, thank god. By that I mean it's not the usual frozen/microwaved/premade crap you see sitting there under a heat lamp at convenience stores everywhere. This is a genuine pizzeria that simply happens to adjoin a gas station.
My very fresh pepperoni slice bore little resemblance to the one I got at Henrietta, which was roughly similar to a NY-style slice. This one had a thin to medium crust, with a big, puffy edge. The underside, which bore no screen or pan marks, was medium to dark brown. It was a bit crisp on the outside, but very pliable, with a softness that made it necessary to fold the slice (this slice was still pretty hot out of the oven, which I'm sure had some effect on the texture). The crust in general had a toasty, bready aroma and flavor, which again probably had something to do with its being so fresh.
That freshness also would account somewhat for the gooiness of the cheese, but even aside from its having just come out of the oven, the cheese on this one was cooked just enough to melt completely, with no browning. The pie from which this was cut appeared to be considerably less well done (as in the degree of doneness, not how well it was made) than a cheese pie that was also available. Perhaps the employee took it out of the oven a little sooner rather than later because another customer and I were both waiting for pepperoni slices.
The sauce, which had pooled a bit toward the tip, was slightly sweet, and moderately applied. A lot of sprinkled dried herbs were visible, and there was a noticeable aroma and flavor of oregano. The pepperoni was OK, though not cooked enough to get crisp along the edges.

Tony Pepperoni has a fairly extensive list of pizza toppings and specialty pizzas, nothing especially exotic, although the "Italian Assorted" is a little unusual, with ham, cappicola, and salami among its toppings (I've put salami on homemade pizza before, and it's actually quite good, provided you use good salami). Pizzas come in 12", 16", and 18" pies, and sheets. Other offerings include jumbo wings, hot and cold subs, and sides, plus a few dinners, including pasta, fish fry and chicken parm. It's a takeout and delivery place only.
This was kind of a messy slice of pizza, but kind of good too. Granted, it was pretty hot out of the oven, and hadn't really had time to set, but that big, bubbly edge pretty much guaranteed that the cheese and sauce would migrate toward the tip, and with that thin, pliable crust, this definitely required that a couple of napkins be on hand. Still, the crust was pleasantly bready and a little crisp, and the overall flavors were good. I'm going to shave a point off for the sloppiness of it, but I'll give it a B-.
Tony Pepperoni, 2044 Latta Rd. 621-0230
Sun. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Little D's, Lake Ave.- CLOSED

Note: this space is now occupied by Mama's Pizza.
In March of this year I did a post about Charlotte Pizzeria on Lake Avenue.  I didn't care much for their pizza, which had a a soft, spongy, oily crust, and gave it a C-.
Apparently not many other people cared for it either, because Charlotte Pizzeria has since gone out of business, and its former location is now the home of Little D's House of Pizza, where I stopped recently.
The slices here are quite a bit different from what I got in March. For one, they're bigger; Little D's "monster" slices are cut from a 28-inch pie.
The crust is medium thick, perhaps a tad thinner than Charlotte's, but the underside is where I noticed another big difference. Where Charlotte's pizza had the telltale look and scent of cooking oil, the crust here is screen baked and dry. Now I'm not a huge fan of screen-baked pizza - in my experience, it tends to result in a crust with less crispness than I'd like - I'll take it any day over a crust that's oily underneath. The underside here was fairly soft, but it had some faint charring, and it was not at all greasy, with just a touch of exterior crispness that was more noticeable along the edge. The interior was decent too, with some visible air holes, and a pretty good, bready texture, despite just a bit gumminess on top.
The cheese, which I took to be 100% mozzarella, was slightly browned, with a faintly tangy flavor. It was moderately, and somewhat unevenly applied, with some bare spots here and there, where the sauce was exposed, and where there was cheese, it was a little thicker in some areas than others.Unless it's done to excess, which it wasn't here, I don't consider that a flaw, as it lends some variety to the eating experience.
This was not a particularly saucy slice, with just enough sauce for some added flavor and a little moisture. It had a mild flavor that was neither noticeably sweet nor herbal, just a middle-of-the-road tomatoey flavor. Overall, the components were in good balance with each other. The thin-to-medium crust formed a solid base, and was pretty evenly matched by the cheese, except near the edge, where the crust got thicker and became more dominant. The sauce, by comparison, stayed more in the background, but was not overwhelmed by the other components, or missing in action, as it is on some pizza. The cup 'n' char pepperoni was pretty evenly applied as well, with just about one slice per bite.

Little D's pizzas come in five sizes, from 10 to 28 inches in diameter, and they have a long list of specialty pizzas, which run the gamut from carnivores' delights like shredded pork or grilled steak to vegetarian options such as a spinach pie with pesto, or a veggie parm pizza with eggplant or artichoke hearts. They also serve wings, hot and cold subs, burgers, hots, plates, calzones, salads, sides, and fish fry (every day, not just Friday).
All in all, this was not bad, particularly for a big slice. All too often, the quantity you get at these "mega" slice joints tends to come at the expense of quality, but even at four dollars a slice, this was a pretty good deal. Though far better than its predecessor's, Little D's crust didn't quite thrill me, but this was good enough to rate a B from me.
Little D's House of Pizza, 4410 Lake Ave. 287-6040
Sun. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. - 3 a.m.

Hose 22, Charlotte

Hose 22 Firehouse Grill opened about a year ago in Charlotte, inside a handsome brick building erected in 1916 to serve as a firehouse. I love going to restaurants in converted spaces like this. Old firehouses, railroad stations, factories - they have a charm and an appeal that can't be duplicated by a shiny new structure, no matter how well appointed and built.
The catch is that sometimes, a place that leans too heavily on its physical space - whether it's the building itself, the view, or simply its location - may not have the food to match. So on seeing that Hose 22 served pizzas, I was eager to visit, but guardedly optimistic.
There are five pizzas on the menu:  an alfredo-based white, a Florentine (spinach), Buffalo chicken, barbeque, and a Margherita. As I usually do, I opted for the Margherita, which was described as topped with fresh basil, oven roasted tomatoes, and mozzarella, and finished with a balsamic drizzle.
My pie was served to me on a pizza screen, though the underside bore no screen marks. The crust was very thin, and the slices were floppy at the tips, but crunchy and firm along the outer edges. The underside was baked to a mostly dark brown color, but in several areas, there were folds in the dough, creating lighter-hued crevices on the bottom.
Topside, an even layer of melted, browned mozzarella covered the surface.The oven roasted tomatoes were out of the ordinary, with some of the flavor intensity of sun dried tomatoes, but without the prune-like chewiness that you sometimes get with the sun dried variety. The wilted basil was perhaps the least prominent of the toppings.
What was probably most unusual about this pizza was the use of balsamic vinegar. Like the tomatoes, it seemed to be somewhat concentrated, suggesting that it may have been reduced prior to going on the pizza. It tended to collect into small pools among the cheese and tomatoes, and while its flavor was unmistakable, it was judiciously applied. A little balsamic can go a long way, and this stayed in the background, providing an added dimension of flavor without overwhelming everything else.
Hose 22's menu is on the eclectic side, and ranges from upscale pub grub to ribs, steaks, and lobster tail (the more substantial entrees are available only on the dinner menu). Physically, it's an attractive space, with a small bar facing the patio in front, and booths and tables in the back. Particularly in warm weather, when the big firehouse doors are open, the high ceilings give it an open, airy feel. The walls are decorated with local firefighters' gear, but the effect is not overdone. There's also a downstairs pub, but I didn't check that out. The service was good, attentive without being intrusive.
This was a very unusual take on a Margherita. It had the tomatoes, the cheese and the basil, but the crust was not quite like any I've had before, and the overall flavor was a wild mix of tomatoes, crust, balsamic vinegar, basil, and mozzarella, with a whiff of smokiness to the whole thing. It certainly didn't fit the profile of a classic Margherita, but it was pretty easy to put away this 12" pie singlehandedly. I'll give it a B+.
Hose 22 Firehouse Grill, 56 Stutson St. 621-2200
Tue. - Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m., Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Carlton Express, Long Pond Road

As I've mentioned before, ordinarily I would not bother reporting on pizza from a convenience store, since the pizza at these places usually looks like it was made from a preformed crust or frozen pizza. But if a convenience store advertises itself as a full-fledged pizzeria, I'll check it out.
Such is the case with Carlton Express, way up at the intersection of Long Pond Road and Edgemere Drive, near the lake. They have a full pizza menu that also includes wings, as well as subs that are served on Carlton Express's fresh-baked bread.
I picked up a pepperoni slice. It had a fairly thin crust that had been screen baked. The underside was dry, not greasy, with a soft texture and pale hue. As you can see in the bottom photo, the crust seemed to have adhered to the screen because a part of it was torn away. The edge was formed into a thick lip, which had a chewy interior.
The sauce was moderately applied, in good balance with the crust, and distinctly, though not overly sweet flavor. The cheese was well browned, though not burnt. The pepperoni - what little there was of it - was crisp and had a smoky, almost baconlike flavor and aroma.
As I mentioned, Carlton Express has a pretty full menu for a convenience store operation. Although the pizza toppings list is relatively modest, at 13 toppings, their six specialty pizzas include a Grandma's pizza, something I don't recall seeing elsewhere around here outside of Joe's. (I have it on good authority that Guida's also offers a Grandma's pizza, but I haven't tried it.) Carlton's version comes with "light sauce, mozzarella, salt, black pepper, parsley, basil, oregano, chopped garlic, Romano and olive oil.
Other than pizza, Carlton Express offers wings, hot and cold subs, wraps, calzones, salads, a few sides, and (in what I assume is not a typo), a "Garage Plate." And of course, there are the basic grocery items available as well.
As far as the pizza's concerned, this may be a case of, difficult to judge based on one slice. This was not great pizza, though it had some things going for it. The components were well balanced, the sauce tasted good (if you like your sauce on the sweet side), the pepperoni was nice and crisp, and the edge wasn't bad. But the topside seemed more cooked than the underside, and the crust, apart from the edge, was rather soft and lifeless.
So while I'm intrigued enough that I might go back sometime to try that Grandma's pizza, based on this slice, Carlton Express rates a C from me.
Carlton Express, 16 Long Pond Rd. at Edgemere Dr. 225-5095