Real Pizza

When I described for my friend Brett my favorite pizza in the US, if not the world (fresh sweet corn, crumbled feta, cilantro, lemon zest), served by my favorite place in Berkeley, CA (The Cheeseboard), he rolled his eyes. And snorted. Yes, snorted.

'That's not a pizza!' he spat-snorted. 'Come to Brooklyn. I'll show you a real pizza.'

So I did. Go to Brooklyn, that is, while I was in the US last month. And he did. Show me a real pizza. He let me eat some of it too. (Dave and his camera missed out, unfortunately. Sorry Dave!)

If Brett's a representative sample I think I can safely assert that New Yorkers are pretty obsessive about their pizza. They believe they live in one of the world's pizza capitals. I'm not saying that they don't - I'm just saying they believe that they do. In his quest to demonstrate that years of residence in the San Francisco Bay Area had so warped my food consciousness that I no longer knew a frou-frou Sunshine State (CA is the Sunshine State, isn't it?) sorry excuse for a pizza from a real pizza, Brett took me to Di Fara's. It's a New York institution. I have to say, I loved it the minute I walked in.

Stacked ovens (two of which require a step ladder to reach), a counter, a refrigerated drinks case, and about seven tables - Di Fara's is not much to look at. But the smell of that pizza shop could get even a food poisoning victim salivating. Garlic and tomatoes and sizzling Italian cured meats and wheaty dough, that what Di Fara's smells like.  The aromas wafting about in there are intoxicating, and maddening too, because if you order a pie special, rather than just taking a slice or two from what's on offer for the coupla-slices customers, you'll be waiting a good while. Even if you phone your order in ahead, as we did.

Dom Di Fara makes the pizzas. And he's been doing it for eons. Di Fara is the sort of long-standing family-owned food business that I take for granted in KL and don't too often stumble across in the US. It was a delight to watch Dom work. He's slow and methodical, lavishing care and - dare I say it - love on every single pie. Dom keeps a steady pace no matter how many customers are lined up waiting for their pie or a slice. He won't be rushed and he won't be distracted. He treats every pizza as if it's the most important pizza he'll make all week. He's a true craftsman.

Buffalo mozzarella, sauce house made with imported Italian tomatoes, a healthy sprinkle of honest-to-goodness parmesan, substantial dough base randomly blistered on its rim and bottom. Fresh basil and oregano leaves and a sprinkle of dried oregano, not sprinkled from a canister but pulled from fragrant dried whole branches, a nice touch. We went with a few different toppings on one pie. What Dom called 'wild mushrooms' - obscenely huge, meaty chunks of porcini from a jar - were my choice and they were a standout, but in the end I have to admit that in the case of a pizza this good less is more. When it comes to savoring the honest flavor of Dom's crispy and chewy dough, and his tartly piquant tomato sauce softened by that milky buffalo mozzarella, the fewer distractions the better.

Yes, Dom Di Fara makes a real pizza. I'm a convert.

Di Fara Pizza, 1424 Avenue J, Brooklyn. Tel (718) 258-1367

Update: A comment below led me to this ode to Di Fara's, Dom, and his pies. It's a pretty wonderful read.

Comments

[gobsmackd]

Di Fara sounds very good indeed. However, for what its worth, if ever in Sydney be sure to head to Hugo's BarPizza (Kings Cross). John Lanzafame took his mastery to a worldwide competition held in NYC and took out the title with his pork belly and caramelised onion pizza. And it IS addictive!

[Robyn]

gobsmackd - we hit Hugo's when we were in Sydney 2.5 years. Arrived very hungry and ready for a couple killer cocktails and ... it was undergoing renovations! Next time. However, Im not sure that, in the eyes of a born-and-raised New Yorker, a pork belly and caramelised onion pizza would qualify as 'real'. Luckily I'm a philistine when it comes to pizza so I would happily dig in.

[JC]

I first heard about DiFara's a couple of years ago from a funny and wonderfully descriptive tribute to Dom on the blog of musician Mike Doughty.

A fun story for those interested:

http://www.mikedoughty.com/blog/archives/000595.html

[Jennifer]

Mmmm. That looks fab, and is now on my list for the next time I visit my sister. I did have Cheeseboard last week though, and it was just as amazing as I remembered it. :) (I'm currently in Indiana, and just had the worst Chinese food of my life.)

Btw, the Sunshine State is officially Florida. Although CA uses it too, it's more often known as the Golden State.

[Bell]

mmMmMmm!!~~~Pizza... I love authentic pizzas. I live in Switzerland, which is pretty close to Italy, so we get pretty good pizzas around here! But I reckon Swiss pizzas have an extra edge... Pizzerias here offer up chili oil with your pizza. Drizzle a generous amount on top and chomp!! I'll never have pizzas any other way anymore!

[luckyfatluke]

Wow. This is real pizza. Why people like those deep dish plastic cheese, hotdog crust things I'll never understand!

[Robyn]

JC - thanks for the link! I've, um, linked it.

Jennifer - I would never turn my nose up at any pie that came out of the Cheeseboard ovens. But why don't they make the caramelized red cabbage+onions, walnuts, and gorgonzola pie anymore? :-(

BTW, I guess it's a pretty sad day when a Singaporean has to tell this formerly CA-resident American what the state nickname is.

Hi Bell - interesting. Actually one of our favorite pizzamakers here in KL serves chili oil on the side ... he makes it himself, from roasted fresh red chilies, garlic, olive oil, honey, and a few other ingredients he wouldn't name. It's delicious.

luckyfatluke - I am so with you. Just spent a weekend eating nothing but pizza (research for an article) and I came across some really vile pies.

[shikin]

Oh man! I am so dying for a good slice of the pie. I didn't get to go to DiFara's when in NY but went to Grimaldi's instead. The tangy slightly sweet fresh tomato sauce, slathered on thin crispy base, fresh mushrooms, basil and anchovies... yummmm

[a]

I'm a bit late on this one but this is interesting and amusing. I find that friends and acquaintances from New York are pretty high and mighty about all things New York, while I tend to be pretty gushing about my home in the Northwest. Articles in the new York times can't believe that baristas from both Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon have something to teach baristas in New York. And they are tattooed and pierced. Gasp!

I've had similar arguments with European friends. People from Western Europe have laughed at me when I try to convince them that the microbrews here are really world class.

As far as pizza goes, I would probably cede the point to your friend. That pizza does look and sound amazing. But if you're ever in Portland Oregon, can I suggest Apizza Scholls? I like their philosophy on pizza. It's the best pizza I have ever eaten.
http://www.apizzascholls.com/

[Robyn]

shikin - that sounds pretty good. Perhaps I'll check it out next time I'm in New York. If my DiFara's-loving friend will let me.

a - I find the same thing. We lived in New York for a couple years then moved to CA, so we heard disparagements about both coasts on both coasts.
That pizza place you recommend looks pretty awesome. I love this from their website:

'to make it our life long quest to the perfection of pizza'

Awkward grammar aside it's a worthy goal, I think.

[Beth]

Now that is a freakin pizza! Looks darn good.

[offspring]

i took a trip from dc to new york after reading this post. you are right - dom makes real pies. more at http://my.opera.com/offspring/blog/

[Robyn]

Beth - revisiting this post (to reply to comments) makes me hungry.

offspring - yikes, did you go to NYC *bec* of this pizza post? At any rate, I'm glad it lived up to its reputation. Yep, Dom's pies are right up there.

[offspring]

of cos. i was hooked on after reading the post. i will also be visiting several other of your mentioned places once i return to asia.