Napoletana Pizzeria, Mountain View

[mdg]

While driving on El Camino this weekend I saw the "coming soon" sign here in the old Cafe Mazeh space. Will we actually get a reasonable facsimile of Italian-style pizza in Mountain View? It would be a first!

Any good pizza here, no matter the authenticity, would be welcome. Their minimal web site says it will be wood-fired pizza. Does anyone know more about the background of the folks running it?

Michael

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Napoletana Pizzeria
1910 W El Camino Real, Mountain View, CA 94040

[N K]

We went for dinner last week with my family.

We had a ceasar salad, which was very good. Ceasar sauce was perfect (reminded me of the sauce from Tra Vigne at Napa Valley and Piccos at Marin, probably among the best ceasar salad sauces in Bay Area). We also had fried calamari that was also very good. Crispy, not oily, very good portion.

We've tried different pizzas:
* the classic Margherita - tomato sauce, basil, homemade
mozzarella fior di latte, extra virgin olive oil
* one pizza with tomato sause, mozzarella, homemade sausage (I've
asked them to add rapini, a green like brocollini that is very popular
in Italy and goes great with the sausage)
* one pizza with tomato sause, mozzarella, mushrooms and
prosciutto

All the pizzas were great and truly authentic Neapolitan:
Juicy and tasty tomato sauce (tasted like the traditional sauce made from San Marzano tomatoes, not acidic at all), perfect crust (thin in the middle and thicker on the outer crust, I saw Caputo 00 flour bags next to the wood fired oven). The Mozzarella fior di latte cheese as good as it gets, olive oil was fragrant. Sausage was not overpowering, very tasty and balanced. The Prosciutto (crudo), was not salty. Mozzarella di bufala is something that would be a great addition as an option but of course this special Pizza Margherita would cost more money.

We like pizza and Italian food a lot and we've eaten in the best
Pizzerias/Italian Restaurants in Bay Area (Una Pizza Napoletana, A16,
Zero Zero, Flour + Water, Tony's, Piccos, Pizzaiolos). I think that the
pizzas we've had in Napoletana Pizzeria in Montain View taste as good as the best authentic Neapolitan pizzas we've had in these other restaurants.

Finally, the service was good, the wines we tried very good for the price, ambience elegant and cozy. Some wines from the Campania area (like Aglianico) and some better Tuscan wines would be a great additions to the wine list.

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Pizzaiolo
5008 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94609

A16
2355 Chestnut St., San Francisco, CA 94123

Ceasar's Cafe
208 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94103

Tra Vigne Restaurant
1050 Charter Oak, St. Helena, CA 94574

Marzano
4214 Park Boulevard, Oakland, CA 94602

Zero Zero
826 Folsom St, San Francisco, CA 94107

Napoletana Pizzeria
1910 W El Camino Real, Mountain View, CA 94040

[mdg]

Napoletana is still making wonderful pizzas. This time we had a Margherita and a Bianca al Prosciutto and both were excellent.

The big news is that they have upgraded their wine and dessert list. They were out of the half bottle of Aglianico - which someone else tried to order too while we were there - but the glasses of Greco di Tufo and Silician Chardonnay were very tasty matches with the pizza. So much better than their original wine list!

There's now cannoli for dessert, with some candied fruit in the not-too-sweet ricotta filling. There are some other interesting dessert choices too, including a flute of lemon gelato mixed with limoncello.

It wasn't as busy tonight as when we went before, hopefully just because of the Easter weekend. This place is making some of the best pizzas around!

Michael

[bbulkow]

How are the cannoli? Amount of burn on the outside? Clearly filled to order, or pre-filled?

[mdg]

They tasted good to me but I'm not a huge expert. The filling isn't too sweet and the shell isn't soggy. I've never noticed burn in cannoli before so I can't tell you about that. It's a small place so I wasn't expecting them to make the shells in-house. Cafe Renzo still has my favorites in the area, but these are better than at A Slice of New York.

Michael

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Cafe Renzo
473 University Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301

[bbulkow]

Ah, a common reference in Renzo. I'll stick with those, then.

[eatzalot]

Below, yesterday's Capricciosa.

[eatzalot]

Stopping by yesterday for a late lunch (before they closed for the afternoon) and a Capricciosa pizza, I heard chef telling server about how busy the previous night had been -- busiest night so far. I mentioned Melanie's comments from that night and he recalled the conversation.

Potential fans of this place should try as many different pizza types as possible in order to judge. I found a considerable range of flavors. (And I explained earlier that the topping coverage varies with the topping choice and the individual pizza.) Also, a single snapshot visit may not see the range of fluctuation in cooking that I've noticed in four visits so far (each, except yesterday, for multiple pizzas). Fluctuation may be inherent in this style; but also the chef of this new operation is gaining experience working in real restaurant conditions. I've had a number of pizzas more scorched than Melanie's photos, and once the chef rejected a pizza, with good reason, as burnt and started over. They cook so fast (just a couple of minutes) and the oven is uneven enough (unlike many commercial gas-fired pizza ovens, its surface doesn't rotate for uniformity) that a small distraction can mean a big change in the result. But I think that's part of the fun!

[mdg]

Yes, this is the real deal for Naples-style pizza in Silicon Valley! My one experience in Naples was at Di Matteo. This is different, but really good. The crust has that excellent fire and wheat taste. The main concession to American taste is slicing the pizza into 8s - it seemed weird at first, but I have to admit I did like the convenience.

We started by splitting a Caesar salad, then had a Napoletana pizza (with excellent sausage) and a Prosciutto e funghi pizza. Both were excellent with a fine balance of flavor among crust, cheese, sauce, and toppings. It's all done by hand so of course there is some variability involved.

I took another look at the pasta menu and did indeed see some Naples selections there, not just the Bolognese and other northern items. Now we just need the wines to both improve and move towards Campania. Southern desserts like cannoli and sfogliatelle would be a nice touch too. This place is small enough that they could go all-out Naples regional and still do great. They don't have too fill a big high-rent space like some other Italian places around that waffle on their southern influences.

It is just amazing that after more than a decade living in a pizza wilderness, where mediocrity was the best you could hope for, we now have three fine places in their own styles: Howie's, Napoletana, and Slice of New York. It sure is great not to have to travel to San Francisco or Oakland for good Italian-style pizza any more!

Michael

[Melanie Wong]

Looking at the online menu (prices in the restaurant vary a little bit from the website), I was intrigued by the pizza del carcerato, the signature specialty of Antica Pizzeria in SoCal.
http://www.sunset.com/food-wine/pizza-places-00400000063340/

So I went there last night in a group of four. I had a chance to chat with the owner and learned that this is his first restaurant venture. He ran a flight school before and decided to make a career change to follow his passion. He went to Antica’s pizza school and bought Mazeh’s business because the wood-burning oven was already in place. The oven was running over 1,000 degrees and burns almond wood.

We started with the Insalata tricolore, $9 - Arugula, Belgian endive, radicchio and shaved parmesan in a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Made with mostly wild type arugula and a little bit of slivered radicchio and endive, which was fine with me. Didn’t like the balsamic vinaigrette as much as the lighter dressings served with the tricolore salads at Delfina in SF and Santi in Santa Rosa.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/5374935266/

We ordered our pizze one by one for sharing to enjoy each hot and fresh. First up, pizza Margherita, $13. I could have used a little more salt and oil, but a pretty good job. Tasted good even if the cheese was too rubbery. The crust was a bit doughy and we asked for the next one to be more scorched.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/5374922418/

Pizza del Carcerato, $14 - Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, basil, parmesan and ricotta (hidden in a part of the crust edge). This is a Margherita with the added richness of ricotta folded inside the rim. The crust was more done and tasted sweeter than the first one. This pizza was cooked a little longer and the flavors melded better for me.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/5374922414/

Upskirt of the pizza del carcerato shows the level of scorching. http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/5374922410/

My favorite was the Pizza del Cafone, $15 - housemade sausage, rapini, smoked mozzarella, olive oil. The crumbled sausage bits reminded my friends of Cicero’s. Very tasty stuff with lovely balance of flavors, a little spiciness to play off the slight bitterness of the rapini. The crust was crisper around the rim and with no tomato sauce the influence of the smoke showed through more in the flavor. The salt level was just right for me. This pizza was just a little more scorched and approaching my preference. It was a challenge to get to this point after two requests.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/5374922404/

We shared one order of Tiramisu. Very strong espresso flavor, which I liked, but more cream than marscapone.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/5374922402/

Here’s our tab for four people . . . uh oh, looks like we weren’t charged for the tiramisu.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/5374922396/

This is a promising start.

Here’s the menu from Antica Pizzeria in Marina del Rey for comparison.
http://www.anticapizzeria.net/mdr/ant...

[maigre]

We tried the Margherita and Pizza del Cafone, in that order, with results and impressions that match Melanie's point by point, even though we made no requests.

I'd say that compared to other pizzas touted as Neapolitan that I've eaten in the bay area, that these are much drier and crispier. Flour + Water and Tony's Neapolitan pizzas, the latter in particular, are quite moist by comparison. It's been awhile, but my recollection of A16 and Pizzaiolo is that they're not this dry, either.

The minestrone we ordered had a nice melding of its flavors with a bit of butteriness.

We'll certainly be back, though I'm sympathetic to dump's complaint. We were disappointed by the size and dryness, the lack of delicacy relative to the other places I mentioned, though the latter two are probably more a matter of personal preference than anything else.

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Pizzaiolo
5008 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94609

A16
2355 Chestnut St., San Francisco, CA 94123

[dump123456789]

My Cafone wasn't dry, but the toppings barely covered half the diameter. And it's not like they just piled all the toppings in the center, because had they spread the sausage out, it would have appeared distinctly sparse.

In comparison, I had New Haven style pizza at The Red Grape in Sonoma over the weekend, and although the crust is even thinner, the toppings were markedly more generous. However, the crust wasn't as tasty as Napoletana's, which is kind of the point of Neopolitan style pizza, right ?

[dump123456789]

Just went last night, and I think Neapolitan pizza may not be my thing.

While the pizzas were delicious, my issue was price for quantity of toppings, which only covered 2/3 of the diameter. That means that over 1/2 the pizza was just crust. Delicious crust, but at $15 for 12 inches, a bit pricey for me.

[anyhow]

Last Friday night, we had two pizzas and caesar salad -- completely successful, with no need to apologize for first week issues.

Margherita and Quattro Formaggi pizzas were stunningly good, from the charred crust to the delicately balanced toppings. Salad was normal until the caesar dressing brought the lettuce, croutons, and cheese to a sublime confection.

With no additional comments on the other area pizza shops, this one is THE ONE FOR ME.

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Napoletana Pizzeria
1910 W El Camino Real, Mountain View, CA 94040

[mdg]

Wow, does this sound better and better. I was in Anaheim last week getting my Thai fix but hope to try it this weekend. Wonder if we can get them to make the rest of the menu as Neapolitan as the pizze!

Michael

[eatzalot]

mdg: "Wonder if we can get them to make the rest of the menu as Neapolitan as the pizze!"

I apologize for not mentioning earlier, but that's done too. At least, chef said the pasta dishes are Neapolitan. They look great on the menu -- if only I could dine out constantly and ingest endless carbohydrates at will ... :-(

Salads won't be strictly Neapolitan (given that the Caesar came, as everyone knows, from Mexico in the 1920s when the notorious temporary law so bad for US wine and liquor availability was simultaneously good for Mexico's restaurant industry) but anyhow, above, reports positively on it. (Something similar happened at Venti in MV, whose owner had to stretch the franchise rules and add Amurrican hand-tossed pizzas after her customers, including hungry crowds from Shoreline concerts, didn't know what to make of the rectangular Tuscan pan pizzas.)

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Cucina di Pizzeria Venti
1390 Pear Avenue, Mountain View, CA 94043

[eatzalot]

Correction: When I was there last night for yet more pizzas I browsed pasta menu again, saw some famous Emilia-Romagna specialties. Quizzed chef. He said in fact the pasta menu _includes_ Neapolitan dishes but not exclusively. ("Could they pull your VPN license on account of that?" "No, it only applies to pizzas.")

To dump's comment below -- topping size varies with the pizza type and also from pie to pie (hand-made variability is evidently part of the deal). I've now tried most of the pizzas and some of them definuitely have a lot more on top than others. For example the Capricciosa, which looked good on paper and tasted even better, last night came with toppings covering most of it. (NB, I hesitated a little about ordering that one because one ingredient is artichoke hearts. Too often in greeeengo pizzerias, that implies big pickled pieces scattered with no thought to their strong pickling dominating the other flavors. Not so here! These were delicate hearts and leaves, harmonious with the several other components in that pizza.)

[eatzalot]

I didn't realize until a second visit (for another good and interesting pizza) but this guy (owner-chef of Napoletana Pizzeria) also has the VPN credential (Vera Pizza Napoletana). A "licensed" Neapolitan pizza chef! There are not many in the world, and just a few in California (SF's A16 has the nearest one, and is the only one whose pizzas I've consumed, and with great relish). It's part of the current popularizing of classic Neapolitan pizzas.

Among other implications, it explains why he offers only Neapolitan topping combinations and may disappoint some people seeking un-Italian stuff like pepperoni.

I gather that the restaurant itself may also become certified (and listed in the VPN directory) after it has been open a while. The chef said he's still awaiting the right kind of marble to handle the pizza dough, a proper sign outside the business, etc. The place is just recently open. But mdg (assuming you can overlook such gross improvisations as the wrong kind of stone surface for handling Neapolitan pizza dough :-), you better hustle over there if you haven't already. I believe your ideal of "authenticity" mentioned above is confirmed.

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A16
2355 Chestnut St., San Francisco, CA 94123

Napoletana Pizzeria
1910 W El Camino Real, Mountain View, CA 94040

[eatzalot]

Napoletana Pizzeria opened Monday in the former Café Mazeh space with kitchen area remodeled, large walk-in visible from front. It's an independent operation unconnected with the current and fashionable SF Neapolitan pizzerias, I was told. Chef (evidently Italian) really knows his ancient pizza history, we chatted on it.

As with any restaurant that just opened (the sign outside is temporary, the paper menu copy I took didn't have the phone number printed yet), I urge anyone seeking a smooth experienced operation to _wait_ a month or two. As in most new businesses I encountered a couple minor tactical glitches that will resolve in a short time and were of no consequence (yet could prompt dismayed or even indignant "reviews" on some online sites). But I perceive the underlying concepts, kitchen basics, and sensibilities to be very solid.

Pizzas bake in the wood-fired oven in view of diners for a very toasty crust, light and tender inside. Stacks of Caputo brand Italian flour sacks are up front near the oven. As at Howie's in Palo Alto (the nearest, geographically, that I can compare in any way), components and toppings are almost completely house-made, e.g. the "sausage," uncased (crumbled), used lightly, flavored with nutmeg or maybe mace. Like "Howie" Bulka, this chef also has a taste for shaved prosciutto applied post-bake in some of the pizza offerings. Pizzas come in one size, hand-shaped, about 12 inches (30 cm), cooked hot and fast. Tried a selection from the menu of pizza offerings and you can bet I'll return. There is also an intriguing selection of Italian pasta specialties and espresso drinks.

For anyone new to this Neapolitan (as we say the word in English) style, I suggest to start with a simple classic option like the "Margherita" (with tomato sauce, cheese, basil leaf) -- it demonstrates the style particularly well, without the distraction of the more complex, albeit so far delicious, topping options.

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Napoletana Pizzeria
1910 W El Camino Real, Mountain View, CA 94040

[mdg]

Thanks for the report - this sounds very promising indeed! I'll be trying it soon and reporting back.

Michael

[eatzalot]

You might wish to try a few Zpizza pizzas, then judge (again it's a good time, because of deep discounts). For example a pear-and-Gorgonzola "rustica" or the unusual, non-traditional, very popular "Mexican," or the tasteful vegetarian "Provence" which includes capers. I'll testify after several of Zpizza's and several of Papa John's, I see more differences than similarities. This reflects less contact with the shops in person (though some) than with the pizzas themselves, because I've mostly ordered them for delivery or take-out. Papa John's is far more of a mainstream chain with electric conveyor oven and conventional ingredients. Zpizza, which I first experienced in So-Cal a couple years ago, slides the pies with a pizza peel into a hot gas-fired oven, and offers maybe twice as many ingredient choices (like three kinds of mushrooms). I have NOT been excited by two pizzas sampled so far at Venti (one of each basic style), but that is far from enough exploration to be sure there aren't strengths to be found there. (I'm willing to work to find them, it has often paid off handsomely these past decades of Bay Area dining.)

I was intrigued by this new wood-fired place, and enjoy Howie's Artisan Pizza in PA and the nearby, less known but creative, classy small pizzas at chef Ayers's Calafia (the famous Google cafeteria spin-off). But to put this topic in some perspective, it needs to be said that other than exceptional customers with extremely specific tastes, the pizzeria population now in MV has proven to satisfy a wide range of people. That's based on the lively local pizza discussions over the last couple years on the neighborhood email list (several hundred central-MV residents) and also on a venerable Bay Area food forum with separate population. Those discussions prompted me to explore most of the pizzerias listed above and I'm now certain, after lots of data, that most people will find worthy moderately-priced pizzas among them. That's why why I was surprised to see the assertion here "MV is badly in need of ... even decent pizza" and the subjunctive verb mood in "Any good pizza here ... would be welcome."

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Calafia
855 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA

Howie's Artisan Pizza
855 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94301

[eatzalot]

Mazeh will be missed (was missed, a couple weeks ago, when some of us tried to go there for lunch!) and in an eclectic menu, it offered a few very unusual pizza-type creations too.

Wood-fired pizza sounds great! But also I'm sorry to read that you folks haven't found anything you liked from MV's 18 existing dedicated pizzerias. I don't think MV currently has anything to compete with say A16 in SF or "Howie" Bulka's remarkable little post-Marché pizzeria in the Palo Alto Town&Country. But I tried most of those in MV below (excepting a couple big chains) a few times each the last couple years, finding some very worthy pizzas:

MV's Amici's downtown has consistently shown pretty high standards in its 10 years (try the [sautéed] mushrooms and garlic, which arrives dusted post-oven with fresh green herbs and with a toasty dark crust). In the last year, Zpizza, the So-Cal organic franchise now on Castro, delivered about Amici's quality at lower menu prices with wider ingredients selection, the widest l've seen -- and screamingly good value at the moment because of all kinds of daily and short-term specials (their hand-pulled odd-shaped "rustica" pizzas like pear & gorgonzola, $8.95 normally, are now 2-for-1 through January and have been _not bad at all_ in several experiences). Actually I just had some of three of their pizzas a couple days ago, finishing with the "apple pie" pizza.

Then there's Venti, off 101 opp. Computer History Museum, a franchise from Tuscany contractually obliged to use both EVOO and Italian water (no I am not making this up) in the dough, and has a couple different pizza styles. One the modern Italian style which the proprietress told us are normally baked in a pan there; another, American-style, hand-tossed, like Amici's. Venti is a full Italian restaurant with strong pizza dept. (like Frankie Johnnie Et Aliae) and dazzling refrigerated gelato display. Changed name recently from Pizzeria Venti to Cucina di Venti which I find more descriptive.

Besides which, the local proud independents (Tony & Alba’s, Maldonado’s, D’Angelo’s) satisfy many locals (who talk about and recommend them locally, including electronically) to which Fast Pizza Delivery, a newish Papa John's outlet, and the small chains New York Pizza and Pizza My Heart add some competition. The last two I found to have a kind of clean straightforward classic US style, like we typically made at home when I was a tyke, while Fast Pizza does really hustle (I've timed them to be consistently the fastest local delivery except for Amici's) with a workmanlike rather good classic style. Papa John's, one of the newest and showing a "we try harder" spirit, successfully made inroads in the last year and a half.

A recent local article compared all 18 pizzerias on menu price per square inch, for largish one-topping pizzas, and below is the result from highest to cheapest. This had some suprises because the lower half has some well regarded pizzerias on sheer quality, to my tastes. (The ranking is slightly misleading because it's strictly menu prices whereas Round Table, for instance, deluges customers and local addresses with discount offers, but then so does Zpizza, which is in a higher league IMO.)

I have to mention here that pizzas are also one of the easiest things to make well, or interestingly, yourself. I remember being about 8 or 9, my father was kneading some bread dough when I asked how pizzas are made. To answer, he stretched some dough, sprinkled a little olive oil and dried herbs, added slices of a very ripe tomato and some hasty slivers of cheese and baked it hot and fast and of course it was delicious. (Imagine that, without any sauce, MSG, HFCS, soluble sorbates, or even Butylated HydroxyAnisole. :-)

[Most expensive, as of late 2010]
Cucina di [formerly, Pizzeria] Venti www.mvpizzeriaventi.com
Amici’s www.amicis.com
Round Table (two locations) www.roundtablepizza.com
Tony & Alba’s www.tonyandalbaspizza.com
Milan www.milanrestaurantofmtview.com (Live jazz venue Wed nights
)Kapp’s Pizza Bar & Grill, 191 Castro
Frankie Johnnie & Luigi www.fjlmountainview.com
Domino’s www.dominos.com
Pizza My Heart www.pizzamyheart.com
Maldonado’s www.maldonadospizza.com
Papa John’s www.papajohns.com
D’Angelo’s, 2464 W El Camino Real
Zpizza, 146 Castro www.zpizza.com
Fast Pizza Delivery, 327 Moffett
New York Pizza www.newyorkpizza.biz
Pizza Hut www.pizzahut.com
Little Caesars www.littlecaesars.com
[Least expensive

]

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A16
2355 Chestnut St., San Francisco, CA 94123

Amici's East Coast Pizzeria
790 Castro St, Mountain View, CA 94041

New York Pizza
1040 Grant Rd, Mountain View, CA 94040

Tony & Alba's Pizza & Intalian Food
619 Escuela Ave, Mountain View, CA 94040

Maldonado's Pizzeria
615 S Rengstorff Ave, Mountain View, CA 94040

Z Pizza
146 Castro St, Mountain View, CA 94041

D' Angelo Pizza
2464 W El Camino Real, Mountain View, CA 94040

[mdg]

I didn't say there wasn't any pizza I liked in Mountain View, just that none of it is very Italian in style, much less Neapolitan. Pizza My Heart and Maldonado's are OK for the occasional slice, but those are closer to New York in style. The closest place to Mountain View that I've found with pizza in a recognizably Italian style is Pizzeria Antica in Santana Row. It was very good when it opened, but more mediocre now.

Most of the others you mentioned I have tried and found wanting regardless of style. Note that D'Angelo has closed and has been replaced by another pizza place; it was closed on Sunday when I went by to try a slice.

Michael

[eatzalot]

Got it. And given that the pizza styles most people know in the US are essentially American inventions, I suppose the modern Italian styles would even strike some folks as strange. (My cookbooks from Italy are also filled with pizza types rarely seen on these shores.) In fact I remember that's what they told me at Venti: Crowds coming in for pizzas after Shoreline concerts etc. didn't know what to make of the official Italian pan-pizza style originally offered, so they added the hand-tossed, US kind as a supplement a few months ago.

Since you mentioned "any good pizza would be welcome," I wonder what you have tried of the specialties at the local Amici's, Venti, and above all Zpizza on Castro, and what you think of them.

Below, a comment from the local comparison I cited, mentioning pizza's Neapolitan roots. (Mariani published a broad historical article on Italian-American food evolutions in 1989.)

--
Like many “Italian-American” dishes, our pizzas are mostly a US idea. Food historian J F Mariani traces their evolution, starting as “poor people’s food from the slums of Naples” and unknown in most of Italy. Neapolitan immigrants brought them to the US where pizzas grew larger, changed from knife-and-fork to finger food, narrowed stylistically from free-form ingredients to a sauce-cheese-toppings ritual, and exploded in popularity in the 1950s. From the US they grew popular internationally, including throughout Italy.

[mdg]

I found Amici's and Venti mediocre for their styles and not worth return visits. I walked in and out of Zpizza on a recent visit to Mountain View - way too similar looking to Papa John's if I am recalling correctly.

On a more positive note, I'm definitely looking forward to the new location of A Slice of New York, coming soon to the eastern end of Mountain View. That of course is a New York style as well.

Michael

[Cicely]

Oh, Cafe Mazeh! :-( I used to live in the neighborhood and it was such a nice mom and pop restaurant. Sad - but I do agree that MV is badly in need of good - or even decent! - pizza.