237073 Sat Dec 15 19:24:51 -0800 2001 9 19 Outer Boroughs 0 1256670 Went to House of Pizza today for the first time. It's on Union Street, between Hicks - Columbia, just on the other side of the BQE. I had a calzone, and my companion had slices which I also tried. Suffice it to say, I was delighted. The calzone was soft, just-this-side-of-spongey, chewy, perfectly golden outside, filled with creamy, tangy, runny ricotta, and ham. You know how usually when you eat a calzone, and you get a bite of the doughy part and you're somewhat disappointed that the bite contained no filling? No such feeling here - every bite, regardless of which combination of things found their way into my mouth, was delicious. These calzones are fried...so there's just a hint of crispiness on the outside, but somehow they manage not to be oily feeling. The pizza was marvelous too - tomato sauce with a bit of sharpness and sweetness, perfect amount of cheese, smoky, flavorful crust, piping hot..and they had Barq's root beer "on tap." So that takes care, so far, of Totonno's, Grimaldi's, L&B Spumoni Garden, DiFara's, and now House of Pizza. Next up: Delmar (with plenty of visits to DiFara's sprinkled throughout). Onward chowhound soldier! Sat Dec 15 19:24:51 -0800 2001 0 Nina Wugmeister 1 1256677 I will try the deep fried calzone one of these days but I find the pizza unremarkable. Certainly it is OK but imho nothing extraordinary by any means..... Sun Dec 16 10:09:01 -0800 2001 1256670 0 polimorfos 2 1256678 It's all relative, I suppose. In a sea of mediocre slice pizza, this was really good. Not when you compare it to DiFara's, but still good. Sun Dec 16 10:10:36 -0800 2001 1256677 0 Nina Wugmeister 3 1256690 Del Mar serves an excellent thin NY style slice of pizza that has an excellent sauce. Il Colosseo is a totally different type of pizza and the two can not really be compared. In terms of overall deliciousness however I believe Del Mar's regular slice to be the winner. Note- keep it simple at Del Mar and order regular slices only. Manhattanites often rave about Joes and they receive a 23 on the Zagat chart. Del Mar's slice is superior. I must however state that Di fara's blows away all the competition but its fun to try new places. Sun Dec 16 20:25:18 -0800 2001 1256678 0 Josh Lichtman 4 1256697 As an ex-manhattanite living in Queens, I'm intrigued by all the talk of these Brooklyn pizza sanctuaries. I need to make a pilgrimage or something. To date, I maintain that the best by-the-slice pizza I've had in New York is Sal and Carmine's on 102nd st. and Broadway in Manhattan. Nothing here in Astoria even comes close, and nothing I've had in Brooklyn either - but I haven't been to Di Fara's, or House of Pizza. In fact, I don't know where I've been - my fiance used to live in Carroll Gardens so we used to occasionally have a slice at various places. Was never impressed... Anyway, I know this is a very rambling post. I'm wondering if someone's compared Sal and Carmine's to the best of Brooklyn by-the-slice pizza. I'd love to hear about it. Mon Dec 17 01:01:40 -0800 2001 1256690 0 Daniel Sonenberg 5 1256707 I am hesitant to tout this - because it is definitely NOT a pizzeria - but the individual pizzas/foccacias occasionally made at Royal Crown Bakery (14th Ave at 64th, maybe also at their pastry shop at 66th st.) are just tops in my book, if you like Pizza as Bread. A lovely round of dough, very lightly painted with tomato sauce, drizzled with good olive oil and topped with high quality mozzarella with a little oregano sprinkled over - just sublime, either cold in the car or later, at home (the acid test). Not the fullbodied experience of Di Faras, but perefect. Drop around the corner and buy some espresso coffee, expertly ground and $5 per pound from the gentleman at Ital Coffee roasters and round out the experience. Mon Dec 17 09:57:35 -0800 2001 1256697 0 jen kalb 1 1256680 I have seen several of your interesting pizza posts and felt compelled to comment. I've been on a continous "pizza pilgrimage" all my life and have enjoyed every minute of it. As a fellow "chowhound soldier" I understand your desire to visit pizzerias you have yet to try, but in the case of your next scheduled conquest " Delmar" ....you may be in for a letdown. Delmar's pizza is "average" at best and certainly not worth going out of the way to this particularly congested shopping area in Sheepshead Bay. I'm just kind of surprised that some still consider Delmar to be one of the better pizzerias in Brooklyn. Honestly, it's not. Maybe it was 25 years ago. I also noticed that you had Gino's on your list of yet to try. Gino's actually is better known for their Sicilian specialties which are pretty good, but again their pizza is nothing out of the ordinary. I do suggest that if you are in the Bensonhurst area, you may want to visit " Il Colosseo " on 77th St and 18th Ave. They serve a much better quality pizza which is sold by the pie only. If you truly appreciate good pizza, you will understand what I mean. Enjoy ! Sun Dec 16 12:29:27 -0800 2001 1256670 0 Mark 1 1256699 Calzone: Tried it fried, liked it too!...Hey, turn your back on the pizzaman at DiFara's for a second and you'll find a smokin' bottle of the fabulous IBC ROOT BEER in the cooler...now, that's class!...Found it in '75 when IBC was made in St. Louis and was served at the then-great O.T. Hodge Chili Parlor. Mon Dec 17 01:45:32 -0800 2001 1256670 0 Mike R. 2 1256706 We didnt much like the fried calzones when tried - bland and a bit greasy. better food IMO down the block at Ferdinandos (if you like bland grease, order some panelle or potato croquesttes, if you like ricotta get a rice ball with sauce and cheese layered over it - stupendous} - and at Latticini Barese - their mozzarella is tops, and their heros look to be killer and the countermen couldnt be nicer. Mon Dec 17 09:46:11 -0800 2001 1256699 0 jen kalb 3 1256726 Agreed...Ferdinando's* would be my first choice on Union Street this side of Hicks, but let's also give some credit to the rice balls and spinach &/or escarole (not pizza) pies heated to well-done at NiNo's on the Henry Street corner...walk up the block and finish off with capuccino chunk ice cream at Uncle Louie G's... *Panelle or tater special at "Joe's of Avenue U" rates a serious mention here, too...along with their marinated octopus salad. Mon Dec 17 17:05:04 -0800 2001 1256706 0 Mike R.