637110 Thu Jul 16 11:06:57 -0700 2009 35 2 Los Angeles Area 0 4864530 Anyone aware if NY&C has opened in Santa Monica? It is supposed to feature both Chicago Deep Dish & New York Thin Crust at 1120 Wilshire. The restaurant will be split down the middle with a New York theme on one side and Chicago on the other. The owners supposedly visited both Chicago and NY pizza places to get the right recipes and techniques for the pizza. Look forward to checking it out especially with so little Chicago pizza in Los Angeles. Thu Jul 16 11:06:57 -0700 2009 70970 chowchi1 1 4864611 So these are the owners of South - which is the Bar/Southern Food place that took over the old westside dim sum place (blanking on the name at this moment - oh yeah Royal Star). They are opening in the old Toi space. http://www.foodgps.com/south-owners-opening-nyc-in-santa-monica/ Thu Jul 16 11:31:23 -0700 2009 4864530 108169 Servorg 1 4864743 Not open yet... can't wait to try it!! :) --Dommy! Thu Jul 16 12:05:28 -0700 2009 4864530 10659 Dommy 1 4864807 I'm intrigued, but the divided dining room reminds me of those awful baseball caps that are half one local team, and half another. Thu Jul 16 12:19:22 -0700 2009 4864530 18466 a_and_w 1 4865584 Eater LA reports it to open in about 2 weeks. Thu Jul 16 16:16:07 -0700 2009 4864530 90755 Phurstluv 1 5001920 Rumor has it this place will open in a week, but I see from Phurstluv's post that they've made similar promises before. Thu Sep 03 08:34:45 -0700 2009 4864530 18466 a_and_w 1 5002862 I wish they'd make a Chicago flat pizza as well. That's usually what one gets in Chicago. Thu Sep 03 13:03:29 -0700 2009 4864530 15114 epop 2 5068674 People from Chicago or the Midwest know that the best pizza in Chicago is thin crust. Ingredients all the way out to the edge. I always hate the NY / Chicago pizza comparison and Chicago is labeled with deep dish. Wed Sep 30 02:44:42 -0700 2009 5002862 135255 P Town 3 5070104 Exactly. Which is why I hope the owners of this place take that into consideration. Deep dish is not the everyday pizza of Chicago (or the Midwest). Wed Sep 30 12:10:59 -0700 2009 5068674 15114 epop 4 5071137 I got a coupon for the place in the mail and it had the menu on the back. Assuming this is the accurate menu, they will only be featuring deep-dish for the Chicago style pizza. Bummer! Wed Sep 30 20:19:05 -0700 2009 5070104 60993 bruinike 5 5071226 Not a good sign. They went for the cliche of the deep dish instead of what people know most there, their versions of a flat pizza. Wed Sep 30 21:20:28 -0700 2009 5071137 15114 epop 1 5067060 Any updates on when they are opening? Tue Sep 29 10:50:49 -0700 2009 4864530 70970 chowchi1 2 5067189 Da Website ( http://www.nyandcpizza.com ) still says "coming soon," and their facebook page promises that "re-modeling has started." The NY & C facebook group already has 299 members, so lost angelenos are clearly desperate for good pizza. I guess Pavich's and Zelo ain't cutting it either. BTW, I also wish this new place, if it materializes, would make something other than the thick-crust, deep-dish pie Chicago tourists yearn for -- e.g., a stuffed pizza in the style of Nancy's or Giordano's. Tue Sep 29 11:23:18 -0700 2009 5067060 281830 Harry Nile 1 5075426 Wow. Highly suspect. Can't speak for Chicago, but it takes more than just a visit to NYC pizzerias to get it just right. Look how long we languished in LA before Vito and Joe showed up. (Yes, Mulberry, Larchmont and Village were here, but there was something ethereal missing from their pies). My prediction is rather than getting two great renditions of pizza, NY&C will fill one of the following two scenarios: 1) mediocre Chicago/mediocre NY 2) a decent Chicago pie and a terrible NY pie. Mark my words... Mr Taster Fri Oct 02 15:59:59 -0700 2009 4864530 17579 Mr Taster 2 5075640 I hope you're wrong but Vegas is giving you the odds. Fri Oct 02 18:46:50 -0700 2009 5075426 15114 epop 1 5077846 Yes, that's what we really need, a place that makes thin crust Chicago pizza. Because we can't get thin crust pizza in Los Angeles, we need the different variety of Chicago pizza. We certainly don't need authentic Lou-Malnati's-esque Chicago deep dish pizza, we have plenty of that here. I mean look at our Uno's and BJ's pizzeria and Fresh Bros. Lou Malnati's style pizza would be a cliche here. Besides why go to Me n' Ed's. Just because they have thin crust with that crackly cornmeal crust, and toppings to the edge. We should just take all the people from Chicago and their children who moved out here who desire that Lou Malnati's style pizza out back and shoot them for crimes against humanity . . . I couldn't sleep, so I am a little grumpy . . . Sun Oct 04 07:11:14 -0700 2009 4864530 179163 apple7blue 2 5078251 I ordered Malnati a few months back and none of us enjoyed it. Way overrated pizza. The funny thing is that they're not necessarily well known in Chicago. On the slight chance you don't know it, Casa Bianca is the closest thing to the better Chicago pizza in LA. Sun Oct 04 11:25:13 -0700 2009 5077846 15114 epop 2 5078410 As far as thin crust, Casa Bianca in Eagle Rock is the only Chicago-style pizza in LA, especially the sausage pizza. http://casabiancapizza.com/ Just had it last evening and it was great. BJ's, Fresh Bros. and Unos are not even close to Lou Malnati's. They use the Chicago pizza marketing slogan but they are not even close to what deep dish pizza is. And Malnati's is well-known in Chicago. The only area where it is sort of unknown is the south and southwest suburbs -- but a new location just opened recently in Tinley Park. Sun Oct 04 13:01:18 -0700 2009 5077846 70970 chowchi1 3 5078771 Probably true about the south side issue. We all thought the Malnati pizza was atrocious, especially the sugary sweet crust. Prefer Eduardo's, Giordano's, My Pie (as in 3.14) and Gino's. Sun Oct 04 16:42:23 -0700 2009 5078410 15114 epop 4 5128825 Taste is obviously to a great deal subjective--I mean you and your friends think Malnati's is bad pizza. I find Casa Bianca's pizza's disgusting--unedible. Maybe I just got them on an off day . . . but I always suspect people's tastes when they claim they like Casa Bianca, heh. It really was that bad when I got it. Yeah, there is not even close to real Chicago deep dish pizza here. Sat Oct 24 23:02:59 -0700 2009 5078771 179163 apple7blue 5 5131831 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/658668 Apple -- what is good Chicago style thin crust here in LA? Also, what do you consider good thin crust in Chicago? Domenico's is very average and on the bland side. Mon Oct 26 10:22:50 -0700 2009 5128825 70970 chowchi1 6 5131951 Chi thin crust is like Casa Bianca's. Aurelio's is one such place in Chicago, especially the flagship in Homewood. Mon Oct 26 10:55:57 -0700 2009 5131831 15114 epop 4 5128933 I hate to tell you this, pop, but recently some anonymous friend back in Chicago had Lou Malnati's send my brother a couple of frozen pizzas (to help him recover from a murder-minded drunk driver), and they were pretty darn good -- crunchy (cook thoroughly), tasty (cook thoroughly), and no distracting off-flavors from cheap or stale spices or the chem lab. I rate these frozen products delivered long-distance as significantly better than all but the best Southern California pizzas I've had in the last few years -- certainly better than the pizza pies at Brownstone, Petrillo's, and Fresh Brothers, e.g., although I give the last hands down ... oh, wait, what is it? ... *props* ... for their serious, professional approach (compared to Petrillo's and Brownstone). Sun Oct 25 02:49:48 -0700 2009 5078771 281830 Harry Nile 2 5131315 Re: Fresh Brothers, I thought their specialty was Chicago thin crust pizza. I tried their deep dish and did not like it at all. I haven't been back because I wasn't interested in Chicago thin crust. Mon Oct 26 07:46:45 -0700 2009 5077846 62188 Ogawak 1 5087242 They will be open for business tomorrow 10/8/09 at 11:30am -- though they were open this evening when I called. 1120 Wilshire Boulevard Santa Monica, CA 90401 310 393 9099 Wed Oct 07 19:31:42 -0700 2009 4864530 70970 chowchi1 2 5128828 So how is/was it? Sat Oct 24 23:03:26 -0700 2009 5087242 179163 apple7blue 3 5129978 I got a couple NY slices to go the first week they were open--one plain cheese, one with mushrooms and peppers--NY style. Very cheesy, sauce was very tasty. The crust was soft and foldable. I am not a NYer (except by birth) and haven't eaten enough pizza in NYC to be able to compare. I do remember going to Ray's on 6th Ave. & 11th in the Village years ago and also Bill's on Bleecker--and I think this is similar style, but as I've said, am not in a position to judge. I actually prefer crisper crust. I'm curious to hear from others if NY&C is authentic.by NY/NJ standards. I'm gonna try a Chicago pie to bring to a friend originally from Chi later in the week. (You can only buy the Chicago--which is only DEEP DISH BTW--in a whole pie, not by the piece. If I remember, it's $22, but don't quote me.) The owners all seemed to be there and everybody was very friendly and welcoming. Nice to have in the neighborhood (I loive a couple of blocks away). I don't think I personally would make a special trip to this place, to be honest. The only pizza I've had in L.A. that would make me drive across town is Mozza (and BTW a Roman guy I know says Mozza is the only "real" pizza in L.A.) Sun Oct 25 16:01:55 -0700 2009 5128828 10619 ThatPat 4 5130136 Keep in mind that your friend is not the only real Roman in LA. Sun Oct 25 17:10:50 -0700 2009 5129978 281830 Harry Nile 5 5130816 Ah, I did not know that--I always thought that Romans were few on the ground here (yes, I'm kidding). I don't take one person's opinion as anything more than that. I just said it FWIW to anyone. So where are your Romans telling you to go, if I may ask? (Or were you just trying to put me in my place. ) In any case, having spent 6 weeks in Italy this year, I would say that most Italian pizza isn't like either NY or Chicago pizza, and also varies from one region to another--but even most Italians seem to like Neapolitan style pizza the most. In any case, I bow to your superior pizza wisdom--you mention a bunch of places I've never heard of and have no idea where they are. And I really know nothing about Chicago pizza. Sun Oct 25 22:07:39 -0700 2009 5130136 10619 ThatPat 6 5130873 Actually, my ancestors come from the area around Rome, but this board has numerous wise Romans in pizza discussions. Although many here love Mozza, others think Bollini's is the best, and some are so stupid that they like .... Well, my point was that regardless of the opinion of any qualified person (your Roman friend, e.g., or an Italian-American like me who worked for several years in pizza houses and makes them at home all the time), many posters have presented good arguments for legitimate alternatives, and that's one reason why I've tried a lot of different places in Southern California. Your own background -- six weeks in Italy, what a great time that must have been -- gives you an advantage that most of us lack. I look forward to your posts as you try some of the board favorites. Sun Oct 25 23:48:31 -0700 2009 5130816 281830 Harry Nile 7 5131646 I had the NY pizza, a day old heated up in a 450-500 degree oven, and I thought it was very enjoyable. I had the pepperoni. The best I can do is compare it to Joe's in SM. I thought the pepperoni slice was so much better than Joe's, where you have to really manage your bites because they give you so little pepperoni. It's greasier and probably cheesier than Joe's and the crust has more character than Joe's, which is a tasteless cracker. I found myself wanting to eat the edge of the NY&C pizza whereas at Joe's I"m eating it because I'm hungry and I paid for it. My day old pizza from NY&C was so much more vibrant than the freshly baked to order pie I had from Joe's, which seems bland and tired in comparison. $3 for a cheese slice at NY&C is a bit much, though, IMO. Mon Oct 26 09:30:21 -0700 2009 5130873 89981 Wolfgang 8 5133130 I had a slice of the sausage and pepper from NY&C and, while the sausage topping itself was good, I thought the slice was not well-reheated and that the crust was terrible. I have also tried one of the hot subs there and found the roll to be far too bready and the cheese not nearly as melted as it should be. The meatball filling was decent but not as good as at Bay Cities of Victor Jrs. Mon Oct 26 17:58:29 -0700 2009 5131646 10728 New Trial 2 5133334 Brought home a large NY Style pie tonight and was VERY pleased with it. The right proportions of cheese/sauce/crust and a nice slightly salty taste to the cheese. Crust held up very well even a few hours later. The folks working the place were VERY friendly and there's an excellent selection of beers, both bottles and tap. I used to live around the corner, and now I'm farther away, which is probably for the best, but I will definitely go back. My new westside pizza joint. Mon Oct 26 19:12:40 -0700 2009 5087242 114640 Mark Sarvas 3 5185568 Man, I guess i have to give them a 2nd try. My first visit last week was a disaster. The NY pie they put on the table was awful. The dough was uncooked and the cheese wasnt melted. I sent it back and the crust didnt really brown. And no kidding, the crust was softer than a drunk's d___and every bit of the cheese and sausage, which was sparse, fell right off the slices. even the sauce..the strangest and most disappointing pie i ever had. I couldnt believe it. And with all the toppings floating around in the tray, it was almost pizza soup. We ordered a Chi pie too but never really having had one , I cant be sure about it. Very thick sauce, fairly tasty, but a bit sparse w/ sausage, too. Crust was a bit firmer than the NY pie but..I dont know, they obviously put money and effort into the decor but it seems they should spend a few hundred dollars and hire a pizza consultant. Someone help them! Mon Nov 16 09:36:22 -0800 2009 5133334 1094158 lapizzamaven 4 5185911 Oh oh, the Chicago pizza was sparse with the sausage? That's a bad sign and not the Chicago deep dish way. I may give them a try but I wouldn't mind a few other Chicagoans reporting back first as guinea pigs. I brought back a couple Malnati's from my recent trip and I still have one in the freezer, woohoo! Mon Nov 16 11:23:03 -0800 2009 5185568 28938 Dyspepsia 1 5199516 open now, haven t eaten there yet..... Sat Nov 21 23:17:44 -0800 2009 4864530 226033 Robhungry1