Editor's Note: Here we have the first of many reviews to come from Long Island native, Josh Wigler. He'll be giving us the lowdown on all the saucy, cheesy, crusty stuff out Long Island way. Let's give him a Slice warm welcome! —MS
[Photographs: Nick Fiore]
At Little Vincent's Pizza in Huntington, the cold cheese is king.
It's a slice that's not much different from the basic oven-cooked plain that Little V's pumps out regularly, with one key difference: the mountain of cold, shredded mozzarella that coats the slice. The newly added cheese melts immediately where it makes contact with the hot, browned mozzarella beneath. But the pile is high, and as a result, there's a contingent of cold cheese that refuses to melt. What you get is a pizza with fresh new layers of tangy cheese both hot and cold; a slice that is decidedly not for the lactose intolerant.
The cold cheese slice is heavy in every sense of the word, but Little V's New York-style pizza is more than sturdy enough to handle the weight. It's damn good pizza, too. Little V's plain slice is already fantastic on its own: herby tomato sauce that isn't overly sweet, browned mozzarella that pumps the brakes a few stops short of burnt, and crust with a serious crunch. Add to that a heavy-handed dusting of cold cheese, and the game is forever changed.
Make no mistake: this is a slice designed for the late night crowd, an ever-present population in the post-midnight haze of the Huntington bar scene. Like moths to a flame, so too do beer-guzzlers flock to Little Vincent's to scale the fabled cold cheese mountain. But space is limited, with just a few booths and a less-than-spacious bar to Little V's name. Either be willing to stand, or have a quick ride to your closest available friends' house at the ready—once the original pizza goes room-temp, the concept of cold cheese loses its point. Eat as fresh and fast as humanly possible, or don't eat at all. The plain slice is more than fine in a pinch.
Little Vincent's
329 New York Avenue, Huntington, NY (map)
631-423-9620; Little Vincent's on Facebook
About the author: Josh Wigler keeps the wheels spinning at MTV Movies Blog, fueled by pop culture lust and an unhealthy appetite for pizza. (Easy on the toppings, serve at room temperature, and add some bleu cheese dressing for crust-dipping—yes, he's one of those.) Follow him on Twitter @roundhoward.