Fun Playing with Neapolitan Pizza

It was October 2008 when I first learned that Cleveland Restaurateur John Quagliata was putting together a pizzeria at the intersection of Bishop Road and Highland Road in Highland Heights. Despite little buzz about the place, I learned that the pizza oven had been manufactured from parts brought in from Italy, and the menu would emphasize rustic Italian style pizza. Some office-mates and I were actually lunching at Harry Buffalo's, across the street, when I snapped this photo of the restaurant in progress:



Crostatas finally opened, but no one I lunched with wanted to try it. The word on the street was that it was expensive and had inflexible pizza toppings - horrors, no pepperoni! But I had a feeling that this might be another case of suburban folks not "getting" what a restaurateur was trying to do. So - alone at the office on a Friday and hungry for lunch - I made my way up Richmond Road towards Crostatas.



The open kitchen does indeed focus on pizza - and not just any kind of pizza - but thin crusted Neapolitan style pizza. Though this is not the gloppy New York style pizza I crave, it's a very close second when done right. I've had wonderful versions of this style of pizza at Cleveland's Lolita and Bar Cento - how would Crostatas measure up?


Inside the Open Kitchen


The Pizza Oven





Comparing pizza to pizza - Crostatas's pies cost a little more than the other Neapolitan pizza makers, however, comparing photographs (since I haven't eaten the others' pizza lately), it seemed to me that the pies at Crostatas are a couple of inches larger. Lolita charges $12-13 per pie, and Bar Cento $6-13. Crostatas's range is $9.75-17, with most of the pies priced between $14-16.

I decided to splurge and go for the Margherita D.O.C. pie, topped with San Marzano Tomatoes, Mozzarella Di Bufala, Basil and EVOO (regular Mozzarella would have been $3 cheaper). I also ordered an ice tea, which I am pleased to report was freshly brewed and delicious.

The wood fired oven completes a pie in 90 seconds:


Lunch is Served



The crust is thin, but not at all cracker-like, with chewiness and bite. You can see a bit of char to the left - the char was just about perfect!



I would have liked the basil to have been sliced and sprinkled over the whole pizza - that's probably the only complaint I had. That and their one-page website, which desperately needs an update!











By this slice, I had torn up the basil, and added just a bit of red pepper - this was pizza Nirvana.

Well, maybe not Nirvana. But pretty darn good, and I didn't have to drive to the city to get it. The slices were just big enough to fold (another reason I think this pie is bigger than the others, because those are a little too small to fold). The toppings were applied judiciously, because with this kind of pizza, the crust is the star. Perhaps that is another cultural disconnect that has resulted in some of the negatives I'd heard about Crostatas.

Crostatas also offers a selection of Antipasti ranging from $6-12 that looks lovely (I'm a sucker for Arancini or meat-stuffed risotto balls) and salads, as well as two varieties of soup. In addition, the menu recently expanded to include sandwiches during lunch time (priced from $8-10). Nine desserts are offered, including a Nutella Pizza that I think I need to try. Finally, the wine list is small but decent, consisting entirely of Italian wines by the glass and bottle, Italian beer, and Italian Liquors.

I was very pleased with my lunch at Crostatas, and am at a loss to understand why those I know who have eaten there came away with such negative reports. The quality of the ingredients was apparent with every bite, and the preparation of my pizza was pretty close to perfect.

I am ashamed to admit that I enjoyed this pizza so much, I ate more than half of it at lunch. The remaining three pieces were boxed up for me. I love the Crostatas label that offers re-heating instructions (500 degree oven for 3 minutes). But could a pizza with such a thin crust really be good the next day?


Saturday Breakfast

Stealing a play from all three Neapolitan pizza makers in Cleveland, I put my leftovers in the toaster oven to heat, then fried up 2 farmers' market eggs and put them on top. I also added some chopped Chinese Flowering Chives from the garden, which I sauteed quickly in a little butter, then placed atop the pizza before sliding it into the oven.


Oh. Yes.



Simply magnifico!

So - does a pizza at Crostatas cost a little more? Yes - and especially if your usual idea of pizza is Pizza Pan's 3 pies per order for pickup and ranging from $10-$18 (plus toppings) or something similar. Crostatas is about quality and simplicity, not quantity or fancy gimmicks. My pizza contained 8 slices, and could easily have fed 2 people, maybe even 3 if we also had toppings and/or antipasti, soup or salad. I've not had this much fun playing with suburban pizza since my last visit to Marotta's! Crostatas is a worthy addition to Greater Cleveland's wonderful pizza makers. And I need to get back while the Special pizza is still Burrata Cheese and imported Prosciutto.

Fun Playing with Food In the NY-Metropolitan Area, Part 1: Pizza

We spent the better part of the last week visiting family and friends in New York. We drove the 500 miles in about 8.5 hours - not bad. And with 2 hour delays at the NY airports the day we arrived, we probably didn't spend a whole lot more time on the trip than we would have had we flown.

As per usual, our first meal in NY was pizza! This time, our half-meatball, half cheese pie came from Mario's, on Larkfield Road in East Northport.



Mario's offers a typical Long Island pizza - delicious! Another fun fact about the East Northport location is that it was a Carvel Ice Cream store for years before becoming a pizzaria. Unfortunately, this was the only pizza we got to enjoy on this trip.







Love that slightly crispy char on the bottom - you can only get that if you let the pizza cook right on the oven floor and NOT in a pan.



Look at how thin that is! And why oh why is it so hard to get this kind of pizza outside the tri-state area?? I have been rather amused by a recent EGullet thread dissecting the "best" of NY pizzarias - I'd take ANY of them if they were within a 20 minute drive of my house.

Fun Playing with Pizza at Marottas

It had been way too long since we'd enjoyed the oh-so-close-to-NY style pizza at Marotta's. We were in a little bit of a rush last night, but because I needed to pick up a prescription at the Lee-Silsby Pharmacy, we enjoyed a lovely dinner at Marotta's. We split the current incarnation of the Beet Salad: baby field greens tossed in a blood orange vinaigrette, with roasted beets, candied walnuts and gorgonzola cheese (we asked for the cheese on the side). The cheese actually paired well with both the beet pieces, and the amazing candied walnuts.

We then split a large pizza (which we just finished for breakfast); Rustica, with sundried tomato pesto, roasted eggplant, roasted garlic, roasted red peppers and mozzarella. The peppers, garlic and tomatoes were beautifully caramelized - a delicious dinner.

Sorry no photos - the room was just too dark for my little point 'n shoot. But there will be lots of great (I hope) food photos to be posted shortly. In the meantime, I can assure you that you will have fun playing with the food at Marotta's.

Even More Fun Playing With Pizza, Pig, and Lamb Heart at Lolita

Our flight home from Delray, amazingly, arrived right on time. We got our bag and our car, and it wasn't even five o'clock yet. Where to dine on a Tuesday night after leaving the southern confines? Why - Lolita of course. Pig Roast. Calling us.

We arrived in Tremont about quarter to five - so we stopped in at the Flying Monkey for a beverage and to call a couple of friends. After a lovely cocktail and successful phoning, we headed to Lolita, where Happy Hour was in progress.

I decided to try the Happy Hour Red Wine (a steal at $4/glass).



I'm partial to Malbec anyway - but this one was fantastic. I happily drank it all the way through dinner!

After our friends arrived, we moved to a table and pondered the latest menu. There is always something new to try at Lolita, and tonight was no exception.


Lamb Heart

I was not at all shy about trying the lamb heart; I'd tasted beef heart last year at Alinea. But whereas the beef was thinly shaved - the lamb ticker was served in bold chunks.



It was delicious.




Pickled Green Tomato, Prosciutto Pizza

I adore the way the prosciutto crisps up (like bacon), and contrasts against the briny tomatoes.



I should mention that the bread service from On the Rise continues to impress.



But these were all preliminaries for The Pig. All four of us ordered The Pig. And we were glad we did.



The potatoes and veggies under the pork were cooked in pork fat. Yum. Yum. No dessert necessary (unless you count the cracklin').

Chef Matt Harlan and his crew continue to come up with wonderful ways for us to play with roast pig, and now, lamb heart. Did I mention yum?

Fun Playing with Food at Tartine Bistro, Rocky River, Ohio

We joined another couple tonight for dinner at the four-day-old Tartine Bistro in Rocky River, Ohio. Since this is a good 40 minute drive for us, we probably won't get there often, which is too bad - the food, wine, service and pricing is fantastic. Tartine is a venture of former Momocho Chef Nolan Konkoski and former Momocho (and Fulton Ave. Bar) FOH man John MCdonnell.

Since the restaurant has only been open a few days, please take my few criticisms with a few grains of the artisanal salt set on the table (with intensely flavorful fresh ground pepper) for each dining group.





In addition to that grain of salt - you must excuse the excess of red in the photos. Both the ceiling and the table are red, and the brick wall to my left was red. There was also red on many of the plates - which all added up to red tones that overwhelmed the red/blue setting on my camera. Perhaps Stuart will have better luck with his SLR. However, as the Japanese Iron Chefs were often quoted: "I did my best."

We proceeded to spend three hours working our way leisurely through the menu. Despite the small number of tables in the house, which were relatively full, we never felt pressured or rushed, and ordered each course separately. Service was superb.

We started with cocktails - unfortunately, I neglected to swipe a cocktail menu with all of the details. Out first drink came from the top of the cocktail list, and contained rum, melon, pineapple and delightfully complimentary flavors.



My second cocktail was a Mojito. Fantastico!



The four of us shared three appetizers.


Medjool Dates With Goat Cheese, Lardons, Port Wine



I've been on a date kick since Lolita put them on their menu and these were fantastic. Even Jan, who claims to not care for dates, enjoyed these delightful morsels. Bacon, goat cheese, port wine - what's not to like?


Brava-Style Potatoes with Spicy Tomato Sauce, Manchego Cheese

Chef Nolan has not lost his taste for spicy! These potatoes were fantastic.


Kalamata Tapenade, Chickpea Puree with Toasted Pita

This off-menu special (soon to be added to the menu, we were told) was delightful. The tapenade added fat to the tahini-less chick pea puree - a whole that exceeded the sum of its very tasty parts. Our only criticism of this dish was that the pita was a little harder than we expected.


Tapenade


Chick Pea Puree

By the time all of the appetizers were served, John and I were into the wine list. I started with the lovely El Burro Garnacha (Spain), $6.50/glass. It was perfect with our entire selection of appetizers. Dining companion John got the Maison Bouachon "Les"Myriades" Cote du Rhone ($7.50/glass), which also tasted light and lovely for a variety of foods.

Of course, I had to try a pizza. Our host John explained how they had recently lined the heavy duty oven with bricks, upon which the pizza (and other goodies) directly cook. I couldn't wait.


Whole Wheat Pizza with Fresh Mozzerella, Heirloom Tomato, Basil Pesto





I'm not sure why we got a wheat crust when we asked for white - but I'm glad we did. This pizza was awesome! Different than any other pizza in town, I daresay - the crust had texture, crispness and taste, and was obviously made from high quality ingredients. It was almost overwhelmed by the pesto (which was delicious, but not necessarily necessary for this pizza), served perfectly hot and flavorful - I would eat this pizza any day of the week and twice on Sunday (which I can't do, because Tartine is closed on Sunday).

I sampled the Mountain View Pinto Noir, Carneros ($8.50/glass) with my pizza, and again, I chose well.

Next, each couple ordered a salad. I moved to the Rocche Costamagna Barbera d' Alba, Piedmonte ($7.50/glass). This was my favorite wine of the evening - rich with berry and chocolate tones.


Frisee with Asparagus, Fried Organic Egg, Bacon Vinegrette

We didn't taste this, but our companions really enjoyed it.


Arugula with Apples, Dried Cherries, Candied Nuts, Balsamic Vinaigrette (Costello Black Bleu Cheese on the side at our request)

This is the second time this week I ordered a salad that comes with Bleu Cheese and ordered it on the side (Bob said "why not leave it off" - silly man), and forgot to order the dressing on the side (I hate drowned salads). And, for the second time this week, I was served a properly (as in not over) dressed salad with a side of very tasty cheese. In fact, after sharing tastes of the Costello Black with out tablemates - Bob and I finished every drop (and wished there was more) - it paired exquisitely with the apple slices, dried fruit and nuts (and also went nicely with the greens and dressing).


Bread Service

Tartine sources its breads from Breadsmith and Great Scott Bakery, but bread is served only upon request (there is no extra charge, but they do ask that you ask). This concept was recently the subject of a lively discussion on EGullet, as the cost of bread service continues to skyrocket). The succulent bread is served with roasted garlic and tasty olive oil (poured into that third container between the salt and pepper) - loved that! So, unless you're eating only pizza and/or sandwiches - ask for the bread service.



After salads and bread - three of the four of us ordered entrees (as of tonight, there are only three on the menu, though more are rumored to be coming) and dining companion John tried a "Tartine Original Sandwich," all of which are less than $9 and are served with seasonal greens.


Roasted Chicken Sandwich with Apples, Swiss Cheese, Cranberry Aoli



John gave me a taste - yum!


Roasted Chicken with Haricot Verts, Proscuitto, Burnt Juice de Citron



My taste of this very plump, moist chicken was finger licking good!


Steak au Poivre with Oven Fries, Truffle Butter



I am usually a purist about my food. I almost never would be interested in butter on a steak. But I have to admit - the truffled butter on Bob's steak was to die for all by itself - and intensified the already intense flavor of the peppered filet.


Baked Cod with Dill Crumbs, Blood Orange, Roasted Fennel, Roasted Tomato, Olive Oil

Let me start my comments with a couple of disclaimers: I am from NY and am very discriminating about fish. And I asked about the fish before I ordered it. And - even if the server had told me it was frozen fish (which she should have), I would probably have still ordered it, since we wanted to try all of the entrees. And to be fair to the server, who extolled the virtues of the prep, but didn't disclose that this was frozen fish - the prep was damn fantastic. But, to my palate, frozen fish is frozen fish. So be forearmed - if frozen doesn't bother you - enjoy this very tasty dish. And - the roasted fennel and tomato (best eaten together!) were worth the very reasonable price of this dish no matter what kind of fish was on the plate - fantastic!



So Jan asked her hubby John about dessert, and he said he was too stuffed. So said my Bob also. We all were. Hell, we'd been eating for over 2 straight hours! But - the lure of Les Desserts - ok, twist our arms.


Peach Tarte with Cinnamon Ricotta



Even though I'm not a big dessert eater - the description of this dish just sang out to me. I kid you not that we ordered one plate with four spoons - and the plate was empty in about one minute. Even better, as our host John explained to us, they had originally planned to order this item in, then Nolan (to paraphrase the play "A Chorus Line") said "I can do that" - and boy oh boy, does he! Tender pastry, fresh peaches (where did he get them this time of year?), house made caramel, fresh ricootta cheese - heaven on a plate!

Even with the "opening jitters" natural for a place with less than a week under its belt - Nolan and John have created something special enough that we spent three hours playing with their food, cocktails and wine - and we look forward to the opportunity to do so again!