Daily Slice gives a quick snapshot each weekday of a different slice or pie that the folks at the Serious Eats empire have enjoyed lately.
[Photographs: Michael Berman]
I love dough-stretch. A slice that folds, cracks along the bottom, and still holds together: that's for me. But even in New York—Land of Much Great Pizza—not all slices perform this feat.
Based on a tip from a friend called Yelp, I headed over to Graziella in Bayside, hoping to find a solid New York slice. In the past, such forays into the unknown have sometimes resulted in disappointment. Not the case with Graziella.
Graziella's plain slice ($2.75), when held and folded, crackles along the bottom but also maintains full dough integrity. Along its edge it is chewy and pillowy with just the right amount of salt, its flat interior crisp but strong. The sauce—thick, tomato pasty, and not overly sweet—does its job. And the cheese (Grande-brand low moisture—either whole milk or a blend with skim), releases a small amount of orange oil—though not so much as to require napkin-blotting. Overall, a delicious slice!
A couple of women—one, a young mom—sat at a nearby table eating squares of grandma. They looked happy and their squares looked excellent. If I hadn't scheduled another pizzeria for afterwards, I would have followed up on the regular slice with a square of grandma. Instead, it's seems like a good reason to return.
Graziella is also the name of the restaurant next door—according to Yelp, it has the same owners. One door beyond that is the place that got me really interested and so I stared into the window: D'aquila Pastry Shop. The owner came out when he noticed I was staring in through the windows. I told him the gelato looks like authentic Italian gelato, and he told me he buys the ingredients from Italy. Next time, this place too.
Graziella Pizzeria
33-25 Francis Lewis Blvd Bayside, NY 11358 (map)718-358-9078; graziellarestaurant.com
About the author: Michael Berman is a photographer and writer based in New York. He publishes multimedia food stories on his blog www.pizzacentric.com; and more frequent, sometimes mundane Twitter observations at @michaelberman.