From Park Slope to Pamplona (And Some Tacos In Between)

As I have previously professed in my Pilgrimage for Pizza entry a while back, my constant need to find the next best pie in this city is always eating at me. Though up to now, I have made some progress, the wealth of circular goodness yet to be eaten is dizzying, if not completely overwhelming. I'm beginning to wonder if the honor in this quest is earned not at the finish line, but rather along the way. Like Indiana Jones in search of the Cup of Christ, I must "choose wisely"...We all know what happens when you choose poorly.

In terms of eating (are there others?) this past weekend may have been one of my most fructuous, seeing me gorge on an array of fine foods over a 24 hour period spanning from Saturday to Sunday. As much as I love anticipating a premeditated pig-out session, impromptu ingurgitation can lead to some unforgettable meals as well, and these two days saw me reap the benefits of both.

This past Saturday night afforded me the opportunity to head out to the Park Slope section of Brooklyn for some much needed pizza pie. As it turns out, the art of pizza making is alive and well in these parts, making me realize Grimaldi's isn't the only game in town. Because I was out there for a birthday gathering on 5th avenue, I made the executive decision to sample my first Brooklyn-based pie at La Villa Pizzeria. Meghan and my good friend Eric had the pleasure of joining me. (I think they were doing me a favor really).

5th Avenue in Park Slope is busy busy busy, but La Villa Pizzeria is busier. Standing room is scarce in the narrow front area of this neighborhood cash-cow, where eat-in and take-out customers compete for a comfortable place to wait along the far-reaching wrap-around counter that separates the kitchen commotion from the jam-packed dining room. As pizza-boys bark orders at one another, servers juggle multiple tables, and the manager tends to the constant take-out business across the long granite counter-top, I can't help but smile...this was a pizzeria...La Villa Pizzeria! As a Jersey boy, pizzerias and everything they represent, hold a special place in my heart. They are the institutions of our youth that test our morals and prod our self-discipline. They are the social arenas that shape our lives. They also serve great pizza...well the good ones do anyway, and La Villa is one of them.

From the traditional "Margherita", to the harder-to-find "Sottosopra", which is a square sicilian-style pie made with the red gravy on top of the cheese, La Villa's menu covers all the bases. After too much deliberation, we opted for the Affumicata (bottom left), a round pie topped with roasted peppers, sundried tomatoes, and smoked mozzarella, as well as the more recognizable Siciliana(bottom right).

Cut into 6 giant slices, the Affumicata was how it should be: easily foldable, a tad doughy, and slightly charred on the edges. Though I'm very partial to yeasty, sour doughs, this pie was airy, and easy to digest thanks to the quick heat of the brick-oven. Equal amounts of tart red gravy (made with san marzano tomatoes) and mild smoked mozzarella, together lent themselves quite well to the generous serving of roasted peppers and sun-dried tomatoes that made this pie fun to eat.

Sporting twice as much cheese as red gravy, the rectangular Siciliana was thick and hearty, framed by a 1-inch wide semi-burnt outside crust. More of a square-shaped regular pie than a traditional Sicilian pizza (gravy on top, semi-wet dough), this sheet-borne creation was not much heavier than the round Affumicata. Though palatable and easy to eat (we ate it all), in retrospect, I should've ordered the Sottosopra which is essentially the sicilian-style pie I've come to know and love. Nevertheless, both pizzas were tasty, clearly fresh, and quickly gone before we knew it.

Though the pizza came out rather quickly, our initial hunger prompted us to order two salads to hold us over while we waited. The House salad (bottom left) was a heaping mixture of chopped romaine, olives, cherry tomatoes, bocconcini, and slivers of provolone, all lightly tossed in a lemon-vinaigrette. Even better was the Tre Colore salad (really Due Colore - they may have forgotten the Endive) that matched bitter Radicchio against leafy peppery Arugula in a zingy Balsamic dressing (bottom right).
















La Villa's various fresh pies, giant made-to-order salads, and non-Manhattan prices give this promising pizzeria the ability to rule the Park Slope pizza scene. Though I'm not sure it doesn't already. Either way, I'll be back for the Sottosopra. Who's coming with me?

The next day, after a few cups of a coffee and an early morning walk through the West Village (I was Tom Brady-hunting), I had decided that Sunday would be a "light" eating day. Having devoured too many carbs the night before, I knew I had to take 24 hours to allow myself to digest, if not entirely recuperate.

That didn't work.

After tooling around SoHo in the early afternoon, Meghan and I decided we'd stop for a Hot Cocoa to catch our breath. Realizing we were at the corner of Broome and Lafayette, just within spitting distance of Kenmare Square, Meghan had the wonderful idea of stopping at La Esquina for some quick tacos. This tiny taqueria is cramped, crowded, and hardly conducive to sitting down, but the baja-style tacos are so fresh and satisfying, it really won't matter. (Two people were eating on TOP of the garbage while we were there). We wasted no time ordering the ground beef, pulled pork, and steak tacos (there are about 8 or 9 to choose from), all of which are gushing with fresh ingredients contained by 2 warm corn-tortillas that are full of flavor. My particular favorite was the pulled pork, topped with habanero pickled onions and shredded cabbage. Messy and unrefined, this was one of the more memorable meals I've enjoyed since moving to New York. Without a doubt, these are the best tacos I've ever had...so much so I could've eaten another 3...

Thankfully I did not, or I wouldn't have had room for the next unexpected course. While putting Meghan through my "should I get more" spiel, we rounded the corner and found ourselves in front of Despana, a small specialty Spanish foods store with a sandwich counter in the back that makes Spain's version of the Panini, known as the Bocadillo. Part Deli, Part food shop, here you can pick up a pound of Serrano Ham to go and snag a jar of Spanish olive oil, all before knocking back a quick cup of strong coffee on your way out the door. I truly live for places like this. It's almost as if I didn't find the Bocadillo, the Bocadillo found me.

The Picante was a neat and compact combination of thick slices of spicy chorizo, tangy Mahon cheese, slender guindilla peppers, and thinly sliced tomatoes. Served on a warm oblong baguette scantily clad in a homemade "ali oli"(garlic mayo), this sandwhich was unforgettable.

I had no choice but to devour the first half of this baby on the the bench in front of the store. After 30 seconds of rather egregious moaning and groaning with pleasure, I took the second half "to go", meaning I zig-zagged haphazardly through the crowded streets of SoHo carefully attacking this savory souvenir so as to not hit anyone in the face with the cumbersome plastic wrapping. Eventually I ditched the wrapping and concentrated solely on finishing the thing. If someone happened to catch a little chorizo in the eye, so be it. This is New York right?

Now I need a cup of coffee....