The Boynton Beach and Delray Beach areas have a large population of transplants and Snowbirds from the Northeast and Midwest, and I assumed that there would be a lot of great pizza choices. While I have found a few that are noteworthy, some try hard with good intentions, but cannot get the full experience to “delicious.”
After a few people recommended Domenic’s on North Congress in Boynton Beach, FL, it finally got to the top of my go-to list and I ventured for a quick lunch. Upon entering I approached the front counter and ordered a slice of pepperoni and a slice of sausage. I waited in the dining area, only one other table was occupied.
When the plate arrived, all I could do was stare. Neither side looked like they had spent any time in the oven, there was no color, no visible crispiness and the sausage and pepperoni were haphazardly thrown on the slice, care was not a word I would use. To ensure they were actually hot, I touched the tops of the meats, they were heated, but I would not categorize them as “hot.”
I first tasted the pepperoni, and I was impressed, a good level of spice and the pieces that dangled over the edge had a little crispiness, but no cupping of any of the ‘roni. I next tasted one of the sausage slices (which is served in pre-cooked rounds versus chunks) and it had no flavor, no texture, no nuthin’ other than occupying space, and the consistency was more emulsified bologna versus sausage.
The crust had a nice crunch, good flavor, and was nicely prepped. The sauce had a little spiciness, and you could also taste a good amount of oregano. The cheese was pretty basic cheese, with that little tang screaming that it was pre-shredded and processed.
Overall, the pepperoni slice was pretty good, all the spices played well together, and the crunch from the crust added some fun to the eating. The sausage slice on the other hand was pretty bad. After two bites I decided to throw the white flag and just remove the sausage, it was detracting versus adding to the enjoyment. The now-plain slice was better with a little spiciness from the sauce, but I was still not a fan of the cheese.
I will give the pepperoni slice a 7.2 and the sausage slice a 4, and after removing the sausage, the plain slice receives a 6.0. The sauce, dough and pepperoni were very good, but the cheese was pedestrian and the sausage was a complete wash-out.
With the opening of the new Whole Foods on the northeast corner of Hagen Ranch and Boynton Beach, the other storefronts are beginning to open. One of these stores is Mister 01. This location is one of 22 opened or planned Mister 01 pizzerias in Florida, with another two in the Atlanta metro area and five in Texas. The brainchild of Chef Renato Viola, Mister 01 delivers artisanal pizza, made mostly from ingredients that are either locally sourced or imported from Italy. Viola started his pizza apprenticeship at the age of eleven and won numerous awards in Italy and Europe. After settling in Miami Beach (using a 01 Visa category), Viola opened his first pizza restaurant and has been expanding rapidly.
The location in Boynton Beach is furnished with several tables sitting alongside the long counter. The menu includes pizzas, calzones, burrata plates and salads. The pizza can be ordered in one of two sizes, a personal 8” and a larger 13”. As a solo diner, I ordered an 8” with pepperoni and sausage (half-half not an option). In hindsight, I should have ordered the 13”, not thinking that an 8” pizza can fit on a sheet of paper. When it was delivered, I knew it was a snack versus a meal, but hey a great snack is better than a lousy meal.
The crust was super paper thin and crispy, a true cracker crust. It was topped with just a touch of sauce and cheese and topped with a good amount of ‘roni and less than desired sausage. The flavors were great. I really liked the sausage/cheese/sauce combination, but the sausage took a backseat to all these vibrant flavors. The sauce was a good complement to the meats. After eating the entire pizza, I kicked myself again for not ordering a larger version, but this will not be my last trip to Mister 01.
Overall, I give the pizza I ate at Mister 01 a good solid 8.5.
I finally made it to Christos Restaurant & Bar in Wallingford, the third pizzeria of Connecticut’s self-proclaimed Three Kings of Pizza. While the three brother-owners may share common DNA, the pizzas at each show a very different view of what pizza should entail.
When I arrived, I was pleased to see that Christos offers a fair amount of parking in its own parking lot. To avoid the usual snaking lines out the door, I timed my visit to coincide with the less crowded lunchtime. The interior is divided into three rooms, the pick-up / waiting area, the dining room and the bar. In total, there are 60-65 table seats for guests plus another ten chairs at the bar. The décor consists of natural woods and colors, and it is a very relaxing environment, whether seated at a table or in one of the booths.
The menu offers more than its legendary pizzas, including shareables, burgers, burritos, sandwiches, rice bowls and pastas, quite an eclectic array of options. But I was laser-focused on the pizza.
I ordered a small pie, half with sausage and the other half with pepperoni.
When the pizza arrived, the first thing I noticed was the high level of char. Not only was the crust overly charred in places, more than half of the cupped pepperoni circles were significantly darkened by the hot, wood-fired oven. The other item I noticed was the abundance of toppings, a lot of sauce and cheese, plus decent portions of pepperoni and sausage.
Pizzerias have several choices for the type of sausage they use, from crumbled to sliced to chunks, and I was pleased that Christo chose larger chunks; in my opinion, chunks give the best flavor and texture. I first removed and tried a piece of the sausage, and it was delicious, with noticeable fennel back notes. I next tasted one of the pepperoni slices and it delivered a nice level of spiciness. Both these meats were excellent, and I highly recommend. I next pulled a little smidgen of crust from the pie, and while several areas were heavily charred, the crust was really tasty.
After the pie cooled a bit (a big thank you to the server), I pulled a sausage slice away from the pie to check the underside, expecting more char to mimic the upper crust. I was surprised that it was dark tan color with minimal char marks. As I looked further towards the interior tip, I saw the unfortunate result of too much sauce and cheese, the crispness disappeared; there was no way it was going to withstand a lift and eat.
As much as I tried, it was impossible to lift (even by flopping the tip over), so it was onto plan B, cutting with my knife and fork. While the crust in the center was a little soggy, it still delivered great flavor, but there was a little too much sauce for my taste. With bite #2, I could now carefully lift the slice. While the sausage was able to handle the level of sauciness, the cheese took a serious back seat to the other two toppings. But my Bite #3 litmus test awaited, and by this time the slice had properly cooled. Result…the flavors melded much better and since we moved towards the outer crust the overall balance of the toppings was in better unison. It was a pretty good sausage slice. If I were to allocate the ingredients, I would say the sauce was sauce (50%), sausage (25%), cheese (15%) and the crust (10%), much too sauce-leaning.
Onto the other half. I was impressed with the cupping of the pepperoni (other than those that were burnt) and there was just a smidgen of oil in each. Even with the lighter weight of the pepperoni, it was impossible to lift the slice, and again I resorted to the fork and knife for bite #1. I liked the flavor balance with the spiciness of the pepperoni. The pepperoni side was better since the thin slices of pepperoni were bolder than the sausage. While the distribution of ingredients was similar to the sausage side, the pepperoni’s spiciness definitely created a more balanced taste; sauce (40%), sausage (35%), cheese (15%) and the crust (10%), better but still a little too sauce focused.
Overall, the basic tenets of the pizza at Christos were amazing, the crust, sauce, toppings were all delicious. While the kitchen tried to balance the crispiness of the crust and the charred edges with the level of toppings, they got a little ahead of themselves with too much sauce in the center of the pie. They also might have placed the pizza on the wrong spot in the oven (where a pizza was recently removed), which did not allow the crust to crisp properly in the center.
With the first visits to Connecticut’s self-proclaimed Three Kings of Pizza in the record book, I would rank them Luna (a 9.3), Christos (an 8.4), and Fuoco (a 7.5).
I love discovering places that get very little fanfare, are the heart and soul of the owner(s), and absolutely kill it. Papa’s Pizza in Milford is one of those places and is the epitome of a hole in the wall on the side of the road that deserves recognition for some killer pizza.
The original Papa’s Pizza is located closer to Walnut Beach versus downtown Milford (where Papa’s Pizza II is located), and I was getting a little nervous as the soccer ball at the end of the purple line on Waze was quickly approaching, and there was no sign of Papa’s. On my right there was a bakery, a breakfast joint and a parking lot. As I slowed to a crawl and stared into the lot (my apologies again to the people in the car behind me), the far section of the white building had two red words above a small window, “Papa’s Pizza.” Success. I pulled into a parking spot and slowly walked to the window. Was I in the right place…this was literally a hole in the wall on the side of a nondescript white building at the end of a small parking lot. When I peered through the open window, I saw no one on the other side. Fortunately, there was a bell on the counter and immediately after I rang, someone came from the back room to take my order.
“Can I have a small pie, half pepperoni, half sausage?” The reply, “Give me fifteen.” Game on.
Locals know there are two Papa’s Pizzas in Milford. The original on Naugatuck Avenue (which I visited) opened in 1986, and Papa’s Pizza II, on Bridgeport Ave. opened twenty-two years later in 2008. Papa’s Pizza is overseen by Russ Pietrini, Dylan Bruno, Jamie Cavallo and named after Russ’ grandfather, Peter Lasse (a.k.a. Papa). If the name Lasse sounds familiar, it should. Papa Lasse and his wife Mabel opened The Maples, a restaurant on Naugatuck Avenue, in the 1940s (sold in 1959 and renamed). In addition to the two Papa Pizzas, the third generation oversees Lasse’s restaurant, which has been a landmark since 1964.
While Papa’s focuses on pizza, there are a few other options. The menu is taped to another closed window and offers pasta options (Naugatuck location only), one garden salad and five “cone” grinders, whatever they are. They specialize in New Haven Pizza, with more than a dozen different toppings, or you can choose from one of twenty-five pre-determined combinations. (Disclaimer – The newest addition is A ‘Pizza Di Jeff, and I had absolutely nothing to do with it, although it sounds pretty good.)
As I waited in my car (there are no tables outside other than a waiting bench for 3-4 people), and no nuthin’ on the inside), several regulars pulled into the lot and owner yelled “Hey Johnnie, here’s your order,” followed by a “thank you” and a hand-off, this was definitely a place where people are loyal and return on a regular basis. Almost to the second, my pie was ready in fifteen minutes, nestled in a to-go box and, like the others, handed through the window with a warm “thank you.” With no place to sit, I was left to my own devices to photo and eat…it was not the first time the hood of my car doubled as a dining table.
I opened the box, and my lips started to extend into a smile, this pie looked really good. The balance of ingredients looked perfect, the charring along the edge was just the right level and there were bubbles in the dough-edges; it should have a nice, soft feel. Checking the underside, the kitchen cooked it to perfection, just a few light char-spots. I grabbed a bit of sausage and tasted; it was a 10, still moist, fennel-accented with a little spice (I later discovered it was Lamberti’s Italian sweet sausage from New Haven). Next, a quick taste of the pepperoni and like the sausage, it was delicious, a medium level of spiciness and just a tad of crispiness. It was still too hot to try a full bite, so I waited…and it was almost excruciating.
I finally took a deep breath, and I lifted a slice of the pepperoni side…the crust held, no flop. And then a little bite from the tip to save the roof of my mouth. Wow!!! The flavors were unbelievable. Now a full bite and the cheese stretched, the sauce and the ‘ronis held pat and it was delicious. Everything worked together, the crispy crust, the rich tomatoes, the creaminess of the cheese and the spiciness of the pepperoni. It was close to perfection. My smile grew wider. Could the sausage side compete? The really good news was that it was even better since the sausage was some of the best around. This slice was in Zuppardi’s league as one of the best sausage slices in CT. My smile was in competition with the Cheshire Cat, ear to ear. This is what Connecticut pizza is all about…sheer perfection.
Finding that off-the-beaten-path perfection has become an obsession. These unheralded chefs know how to cook, know how to satisfy loyal and new customers and do so for the sheer pleasure of their love of the food adventure. When I find a place like Papa’s Pizza, enjoy some of the best pizza in CT, read about the three generations of food people, I must tell everyone who would never stop if they drove by Papa’s…YOU MUST STOP!!!
One of my favorite shows growing up was The Twilight Zone. Most episodes included Rod Serling’s famous, “Imagine, if you will…” and his describing a “fifth dimension” between reality and imagination. I sometimes think of those days, a simpler time when life moved more slowly, where information was absorbed from the three-dimensional surroundings versus the two-dimensional computer screen, where families viewed eating out as a bonus, not as a Plan B because everyone was too tired to cook and when every meal was not measured by its TikTok and Instagram potential. Sometimes a restaurant is a place to bring family, outside the Internet measurements, outside the stars, likes and looks, and just serve simple fare at reasonable prices.
When I find a restaurant that brings that sense of peace, it deserves a call-out, not for its Michelin quality preparation and plating, but for its giving back to a different subset of America, the people that do not care if there is WIFI in the dining area, look forward to seeing what the blackboard specials for the night might bring to their table, and not looking for the computer-generated bill with three high-percentage tip recommendations.
Such a place is Charcoal Chef in Woodbury.
Imagine if you will…driving on a country road in central Connecticut, several miles north of a small town, which is several miles north of another small town that happens to be near an exit off I-84. You see a big sign (I almost feel that Huckleberry Finn had something to do with it) announcing CHARCOAL BROILED HOT DOGS HAMBURGERS SEA FOOD. Then you see the building, a simple side-of-the-road single-story building reminiscent of the 1950s, but with solar panels adorning the roof. You pull into the parking lot. They know their clientele, every parking spot immediately adjacent to the front doors is reserved for Blue Placard vehicles. There is plenty of parking surrounding the front entrances for others.
The real throwback occurs once you enter. The interior is large, seating almost 100 people on copy-paste chairs decorated in 1950s Mad Men décor, numerous shelves filled with items purchased from other side-of-the-road shops, plus a counter overlooking the kitchen that seats an additional nine guests on round swivel black vinyl NJ dine-style stools.
What also separates Charcoal Chef from other restaurants is its namesake charcoal-fired grill. While the rest of the open kitchen is standard, the chef can utilize a three-foot-by-three-foot brick base grill, which is filled with charcoal and topped with grates. This unusual addition allows the kitchen to give the food a little backyard smokey goodness.
I chose a small table where I could view the surroundings. My waitress (she would probably be upset if I used any other description than what she has heard for the last umpteen years) brought the advertisement-laden paper placemat, a well-used menu and asked for my drink order. Once I requested a hot dog, a BBQ burger (medium-rare) and French fries, she brought the water, fork and steak knife, plus an assortment of condiments, which have been used by a lot of other guests. I first noticed the Red Gold ketchup, never heard of. It was reminiscent of the Heinz squeeze bottle, with one difference, the words “For every bottle purchased, Red Gold donates to Folds of Honor, to educate, and support the families of our fallen heroes.” Love the thought and, BTW, it was just as good as Heinz.
Onto the food.
The BBQ burger was a bacon-cheeseburger (BBQ on the side for me) and was freshly ground meat and formed on site, it still had that freshly compacted texture. The cheese was basic American, with a few rashers of bacon, and two concentric onion rings, all in a decent bun. While I was asked for a requested doneness, I guess they all come out the same, cooked. Add a little salt and ketchup and you feel like you were eating at a Sunday church BBQ, as I said earlier, a simpler place.
The hot dog arrived on a toasted NE-style bun. It jutted out of both sides of the bun, approaching a true foot-long. It had a few good grill marks. I could see it was not all beef, but when I bit into it, it had a good “snap,” and the porky-spiciness was actually pretty good. It was one of the better dogs I have eaten in a while. I added a little mustard and relish, and I really enjoyed this simple dog.
After each bite I looked at the other patrons, nobody, and I mean nobody, was on their phone, none were googling, no children with headsets watching videos, only people chatting, people reading a newspaper (yes, the one in print), people giggling. My server was standing at her station working on a paper Sudoku while resting between taking orders and bringing food.
When I asked for the check, I sorta knew what to expect. It was hand-written, my hot dog, BBQ burger and French fries earned, in total, eight letters, 3 each for the hot dog and burger, with the French fries garnering a two-spot. The total for my meal did not reach $20, barely the same price as some appetizers and salads at other places.
As I left, I took notice of the whiteboard specials, the Bronzino dinner was $28 with some Street Corn Chowder (I just paid double that in FL). But what really caught my eye were the ice cream flavors, they started with a traditional Butter Pecan but swerved immediately to the left with Extra Large Cookies, Hot Honey (go figure), Bourbon Oatmeal, and Tony’s Cakes. Huh? These flavors were like the solar panels on the roof, between reality and imagination.
While Charcoal Chef will not make my go-to rotation for its cuisine, my time there was memorable, the staff was incredibly friendly, the food was pretty OK, but the enjoyable part was the peace and feeling of a different time, when a restaurant was there for a family gathering to enjoy the meal. For that…“thanks for the memories.”
Denmo’s Snack and Dairy is located on south Main Street in Southbury and has been serving the area for over forty years. I heard mixed feedback about the food, but I kept reading a few positive anecdotes on their hot dogs, and given its proximity and my build-up of internal curiosity I decided to drive to check out the burgers, dogs and fries. While it was an not extraordinary experience, it was a decent visit. There was nothing wrong with the food, per se, but there was nothing good about it either. It was basic burgers and dogs with a couple of bright spots.
When I arrived, I saw the chalk board menu with lots of additional items from the on-line menu. I first noticed a significant difference. While the website still touts the “foot long” dog, the chalk board eliminated any reference to a quantifiable dimension, but now stated “long.” I ordered with relish, mustard and sauerkraut (this is “the works” less the raw onion). I also ordered a single cheeseburger with fried onions and a side of fries.
The dog – The chalkboard is correct, the foot-long is gone. The dog juts a bit from both ends of the roll, so my guess would be a 10”. The roll is a New England meets Texas toast that has been nicely griddled on the exterior. The mustard, relish and mustard were nicely applied. The dog, itself was split and there was a bit of a char. On first bit I was non-impressed. There was nothing to speak of on the flavor from. No smokiness, no saltiness, no pop, no nothing. It was a mildly bland dog. The mustard was not Gulden’s but some run of the mill variety and I would guess the somewhat tasteless relish and kraut were as well. There was nothing bad, just nothing good.
The burger – I have to commend Denmo’s on the preparation. The meat was loosely formed into the patty and even given it’s 4-ounce pre-cooked weight, they were able to have a tinge of pink in the center. Likewise, the cheese was nicely melted. The taste was, or should I say tasteless, aspect, of the burger was its downfall. Again, nothing bad, just nothing to really like. Now here is my one “I liked” and it was the grilled onions. They were very flavorful, soft and the highlight of the visit.
The fries – if you want to talk about zero love, think these out of the freezer, into the oil, fries. No seasoning, no nothing. My guess is some middle schoolers were assigned to the frier and they were tik-tok’ing. And Denmo’s did not help by offering the cheapest ketchup packets their purveyor could sell them.
Overall, I checked the box, went to Denmo’s, tried their burger, dog and fries and can move on. While others may enjoy the treats, I will probably not place on my return list.
I have been a fan of John Nealon for years. As one of the original co-founders of Fortina, he brought one of my all-time pizzas to the forefront, the Luigi Bianco, now The LB. Fast forward ten years and several stops in between, John and his wife, Morgan, embarked on creating a newly devised structure to the mega-century old pizza. While Nutmeggers are blessed with tons of options to enjoy perfect styles of pizza, on my visit to Crust Issues on Connecticut Ave in Norwalk, I was introduced to a slightly different version, one that grabs elements from Neelon’s past, as well as non-apizza styles.
If you blink you will miss the parking area for Crust Issues on Connecticut Avenue in Norwalk, CT. On a cloudy afternoon I found myself with a little time and was able to venture to Crust Issues to see and taste for myself John’s vision. The interior is somewhat unique, there is a self-service mini-bar with cocktails, sodas and water and a counter to order. The menu includes a few smaller dishes, from meatballs, garlic knots, sandwiches and salads, a couple of entrees, and sandwiches and then the main event…the pizza.
On my visit I ordered a half-pepperoni and half sausage, grabbed a bottle of water and sat at a table watching one of two extra-large TVs.
The pizza arrived nestled in a rectangular rimmed sheet pan. The construction was sorta a combination of pan, Detroit, and thin, and it stretched completely to the edges of the pan. The first noticeable visual were the edges, they had significant charring, not from charred crust but charred cheese. I was not sure how this was going to play with the other flavors. Sitting atop the crust was the sauce, cheese and then my toppings. The next item I noticed was the shapes of both the sausage and pepperoni. The were quarter-circles, I have never seen this ever. The last item I noticed was the thickness of the crust. It was about ¼” thick and extremely rigid, more a crunchy toast versus a pizza crust.
The first order of business was the meats. I tasted a piece of the sausage, and it was great, next, a piece of the pepperoni and again, great. As I lifted one of the corner pieces to check the bottom, I saw another surprise; some of the cheese had seeped under the crust and melted along the bottom edge and the cheese-charring was very present along the bottom edge. But the real test is in the eating. I grabbed a slice from the pepperoni side, and it was fantastic. The flavors were in perfect balance, a little spiciness in the sauce, creaminess in the cheese and then a little more kick from the pepperoni. Could the sausage side compare? Yes it could; the sausage slice was equal in every aspect of the flavor, spiciness and balance. The toppings were perfect in every way.
Now my take on the crust, and I agree with the name of the restaurant. I had crust issues. I was not a fan of this attempt to create a new type of crust, it was too hard for my taste and definitely detracted from the greatness on top. Others may really like the extra-crispiness, but not for me as much.
Overall, I loved Crust Issues, the flavors and balance were perfect, just not a fan of the over-crunchiness of the crust. I give the toppings a 10, but the harshness of the crust brings the overall score to a 9.0, still pretty freakin’ great.
This simple rendition of mix, rise, boil, bake has numerous interpretations and toppings and has captured the imagination of breakfast lovers for over 400 years. It has been ages since a bagel shop appeared in Oxford, CT, and, after seeing the “Coming Soon” sign for months, purchasing fresh bagels in Oxford is now a reality with the opening of Bagel Bros & Company second location in the David K mall at 144 Oxford Rd.
Bagel Bros has numerous options to satisfy both the traditionalists and those looking for more funky options, whether plain, sesame, salt, onion, poppy, blueberry, cinnamon raisin, cinnamon sugar, egg, jalapeno cheddar, whole wheat, everything, egg everything, whole wheat everything, garlic, and French toast. There are quite few combinations to choose from, and Bagel Bros. does not skimp on the toppings of either the sesame or poppy seeds, they were loaded.
Now the tricky part, what type of bagel was Bagel Bros going to serve? I will break the two buckets into two categories, crispy versus soft exterior and poofy versus doughy interior. The website states “FRESH, DOUGHY NY-STYLE BAGELS,” so the latter was already decided.
Onto the taste tests…
I first ordered a sesame seed with butter, which carried a $2.75 price tag. My bagel arrived quickly, and the first bite definitely confirmed the doughy interior. The exterior also fell squarely into the soft versus crunchy option. The flavor was pretty good, not overwhelming, a little salty, and it would have benefitted from a little more butter, maybe cream cheese would also be a good choice. On opening day, they did a really good job.
On my second visit, I chose a variety of options to bring home and try. Toasting each helped release more goodliness and crisped the exterior. The saltiness in the plain bagel was still a little too much for my taste, but when I switched to the egg, it seemed a little less salty, as well as more flavorful. The only non-traditional that I tried was the cinnamon-raisin, and it was very good with a little dollop of cream cheese.
After a few days, they still have to iron out some of the kinks, but if my neighbors in the Oxford area are looking for soft, chewy bagels, Bagel Bros has arrived.
All pizza enthusiasts in this part of Connecticut know the Three Kings of Pizza, three brothers who each own one of the most highly-regarded pizzerias stretching from Wallingford to Cheshire to Naugatuck. A couple of months ago I visited Fuoco in Cheshire and scheduling a visit to one of the other places has been on my to-do list. I finally made it to Luna in Naugatuck, and I am extremely glad I did.
Like many of its pizza-brethren in this part of CT, Luna is situated in a residential neighborhood, just off northbound exit 28 (Prospect Street) of Interstate 8. While there are numerous Luna Pizzas in CT, the others have no association with this location nor the three brothers. When you enter the non-descript building you immediately understand that Luna caters to the takeaway crowd, the teeny dining area offers only four small tables, two high-tops that each seat four and another two regular height tables for another two guests each. Most of the space is dedicated to the pre-made 250 pizza boxes and the 20-foot-long pile of split wood ready to enter the wood-fired oven. There is also one refrigerator that carries an array of 1-liter bottles of Foxon Park sodas, and a few bottles of Poland Springs hidden on the bottom, next to a couple of pre-cut slices of dessert.
While the menu includes salads, burgers, pasta, a calzone, wings and a few head-scratching options, I was there for the pizza.
I ordered a 12” pie, half sausage and half pepperoni, and wandered to an empty table to wait. The server brought the pizza, and I was immediately impressed. The edges had a minor level of char, not too much, not too little. There was minimal, if any, poofiness to the edges, just a few bubbles, indicating a crispy dough. There was a good amount of toppings (more condensed on the pepperoni side) and the balance among cheese, sauce and meats looked pretty good, and I was grateful that the sausage was chunks, my favorite. I next pulled a slice from the pie to check the underside. There were dots of char intermingled in a nicely tanned bottom. The was just a little flop at the point of the slice, maybe just a tad too much. So far I was very impressed.
Onto the taste test.
Per my tradition, I started with a slice from the sausage half. I first peeled a little dollop of sausage from the pie, always looking for the fennel backnotes that I love. Excellent sausage, the sausage had the right amount of fennel and the time in the oven maintained a good juiciness without drying out the meat. The first slice-bite was very good, and the balance and flavors were excellent. I waited for it to cool slightly for bite #2. Bite #2 was even better, and we finally approached my real litmus test…bite #3, when the pie has cooled just enough, and the flavors are fully melded. And it was pretty close to perfect. The three major components combined nicely and there was just a hint of flavor from the dough.
Now onto the pepperoni side. Again, first a taste of pepperoni by itself. There was a good crunchiness and then the spice kicked in and grew. There was a bit of a time lag before it peaked. I would call it a 4 out of 10 level of spiciness and there was a very long tail. A bite of the entire slice, which was already at the right temperature, confirmed my foreshadowing that this would also be a great slice, and it was. The balance of the sauce, cheese and pepperoni was even better than the sausage side with the added kick from the pepperoni.
After I savored a few more slices, it was time to stop and reflect. If there was one slight negative to the pie, it would be the dough, I would have liked a little more flavor. Other than that, Luna is a solid 9.2.
I have been pretty lucky finding some great New Haven-style pies in Waterbury and its surrounding suburbs, and Luna is definitely in the elite class of New Haven style in this neck of the woods.
In my continued search for worthy off-the-beaten-path haunts in “the Valley” I kept seeing a few great reviews of yet another pizza place just southeast of Waterbury, Fuoco in Cheshire. Between the enormous billboard on the interstate touted by a pizza app and other recommendations on my social media feeds, it quickly moved up my gotta-try list. As the summer months began to wane, I decided to head to Fuoco and see if the hype was justified.
Located three-and-a-half miles south of I84 from exit 26, Fuoco invites patrons into its white-faced, single-story building with a sign emblazoned with “Fuoco Coal Fired Apizza.” The sign beckons the palate with “coal fired” and “apizza.”
The single dining area consists of a long banquette along the entire right wall, with seating for twenty-five guests. The ordering and cooking areas are behind the walls to the left. Parking and a rear entrance make for an easy visit, whether dining in or for a take-away. In the warmer months, there are four tables on the front patio.
The menu is primarily pizza, with a few wings, salads, sharables and a calzone mixed in. On my visit, I was completely focused on the pizzas, which can be ordered in pre-determined combinations, with or without red sauce, plus you can “design it yourself” with almost two dozen toppings. I ordered a small (12”) red pie with pepperoni on one half and sausage and peppers on the other. She asked me if I wanted green or red roasted peppers, and I chose the latter.
When the pie was delivered, it showed a nicely charred finish, a few blackened bubbles indicated good heat in the ovens. When I lifted to see the undercarriage, I was also impressed with the amount of char. The one item that made me a little nervous was the level of toppings, this was a much more heavily laden pie than a traditional New Haven style.
Onto the real test.
Let’s start with the good news, the half with the pepperoni. There was a medium to high level of cheese and when I pulled the first slice, a few cheese strands needed a little more coaxing to leave the pie. I first tasted the crust. It was good, not as great as some of the others I have eaten over the last few months, but very much above average. The pepperoni rings were slightly cupped, but instead of the traditional oil in the cups, there was some melted mozzarella. I pulled a few pepperonis to taste. The edges were slightly crisped, and there was a medium to medium-high level of spiciness, they were delicious. The amount of sauce and cheese could have been somewhat less, but the bite of the pepperoni side brought a smile to my face. It was a great combination, with the pepperoni carrying the entire slice to the finish line. The balance was pepperoni (40%), sauce (30%), cheese (25%), and crust (5%). This was definitely a great slice of pepperoni pizza.
I was hoping for the same from the sausage half. The sausage chunks (my favorite way to serve sausage pizza) were in various sizes, and the weight caused a bit of a flop at the point, but overall, the crust held pretty well. I first tried a large chunk of the sausage. It had a decent fennel flavor, but could definitely use additional seasoning. My guess was the roasted red peppers were not roasted on-premises (too bad with a coal oven) as they gave that vinegary jar flavor. Now for the first bite. There was a lot of delicious, sweet-flavored tomato sauce and a little too much cheese and they sorta overpowered the sausage and peppers. The balance definitely went to the sauce (40%), cheese (30%), peppers (15%), sausage (10%), crust (5%). Unfortunately, it was not as great as the pepperoni slices.
Overall, it was a tale of two sides. I really liked the pepperoni slices; the pepperoni had great flavor and spiciness, and both could handle the abundance of the sweet sauce and the amount of cheese Fuoco placed on the pie. The sausage and pepper side was not in the same category. I was hoping for more flavor in the sausage and a deeper sweetness from the red peppers. Likewise, with a coal-fired oven, I expected a more flavorful crust. In Connecticut, when you use the words “coal fired apizza,” you are competing at an Olympic-like level, and each ingredient needs to be fantastic. While I would definitely recommend Fuoco, it could be even better with a few adjustments.
Jfood Eats 