Pizza - The Hungry Nomad

Beer, Food, Italian food, Louisiana, New Orleans, Pizza, Romantic

Wood Pizza Bistro and Taphouse- Warehouse District (New Orleans, LA)

March 11, 2015 No Comments

The newest restaurant addition to the Warehouse District is Wood Pizza Bistro & Taphouse located just across the street from Cochon. We were in town for Mardi Gras and as expected all restaurants were packed before the parades began. Initially, we wanted to have a sandwich at Cochon Butcher but with a line up around the corner we thought twice. Looking around I noticed this unassuming new restaurant with a large outdoor seating along an old brick wall. It reminded me of many places in New York and I was immediately attracted. It turns out that head chef, Will Salisbury, grew up in Long Island (no wonder) and spent months eating his way through Italy (as I have). So it was a win-win.

The restaurant as the name gives away serves pizza and salads. Not any kind of pizza but the real wood-burning oven kind. Inside, the restaurant is cozy and small with a small pizza assembly open-concept kitchen tucked in the corner and a larger bar serving awesome regional beers (40 beer taps with lots of craft brews from Louisiana and the South).
The pepperoni and mushroom pizza was delicious with a perfectly baked crust, generous amounts of fresh mozzarella cheese, mushrooms and pepperoni. The large salad was generous enough to feed our party of 3 all washed down by our pitcher of beer. Wood has definitely raised to the top of my go-to places in Nola for good eats on a patio. If you are craving pizza, you know the real Italian kind then definitely head to Wood. You won’t regret it!

BYOB, Food, Italian food, Pasta, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Blogs, Pizza

Philly’s Best Italian Restaurants (Philadelphia, USA)

August 21, 2013 No Comments

Italian food is something that just about everyone is familiar with, especially in Philadelphia. Since the city does have such a big Italian population, there is no shortage of Italian restaurants around the city. That being said, some are more satisfying than others and really go above and beyond to provide a delicious meal for foodies.

1. Modo Mio

Modo Mio, located in Northern Liberties, is definitely one Italian place that is not to be missed. This BYOB restaurant has both A La Carte and Turistica menus in order to satisfy all customers. The Menu Turistica is a prixe fix menu that provides diners with a four course meal. This is a great option for people who want to try a variety of things and have are having a hard time deciding which tasty meal they want to order.

If you want to opt for the A La Carte menu instead, some of the offerings include Risotto Fritti, which is a crispy fried risotto cake, and Zuppe di Pesce, a seafood stew.

If you are a lover of Italian food, you’ll undoubtedly be able to find something you like here. Modo Mio offers up everything from lamb to veal to the even more adventurous calves tongue, so you can be sure that if you like trying new things, you’ll be able to do it here.

Dessert is another part of the meal that shouldn’t be skipped at Modo Mio. Some of the desserts you can get are a Flourless Chocolate Cake or the more traditional Tiramisu. If you like Italian desserts, get the latter of these two because this tiramisu is both light and fluffy.

With a menu that changes to accommodate the change in seasons, you’re guaranteed to get a fresh, phenomenal meal at Modo Mio. I’m willing to check out any Italian restaurant that includes the Italian specialty meat, rabbit, on the menu, but if that doesn’t sway you, there are tons of other things on the menu to fulfill you.

2. Osteria

This restaurant is one that certainly deserves all of the buzz it generates. Osteria’s Chef won the 2010 James Beard Foundation Award which should speak for itself. I’ve only eaten here once, but it was one of the most phenomenal dining experiences I have had in Philly.

The dinner menu here is pretty extensive, and all of the dishes I tried on it were fantastic. Some great meals to check out are the Slow Roasted Pork Belly, the Wood Grilled Octopus, the Chicken Liver Rigatoni, and the East Coast Halibut. All of these dishes have a lot of layers to them, but still manage to capture the difficult simplicity of Italian cuisine.

Although I’ve only tried the rigatoni, I’m sure any pasta dish here would be amazing. The pasta at Osteria is hand-made, something which really makes any dish superior since so many Italian restaurants opt for pre-made pasta to save time.

If you’re not in the mood for pasta, Osteria also has a wide selection of pizzas to choose from. The pizza options begin with the traditional, light Magherita pizza and end with pizzas like the Lombarda which comes with a baked egg, bitto cheese, mozzarella, and cotechino sausage. With options like these, any thin-crust pizza lover can find at least one pizza on the menu to try.

If you haven’t been to Osteria, it’s time to check it out. If you have, it may be time to return. This inviting, hip restaurant appeals to a wide audience, so if you do decide to go, the best thing to do would be to make a reservation. Once you do this, you’ll be ready to experience one of Philly’s best Italian restaurants.

3. La Viola

Although La Viola is a non-Italian family owned business, this restaurant provides diners with some fantastic Italian food. In fact, La Viola is such a busy spot that the family ended up opening La Viola West right across the street from the original BYOB location. The West location is open seven days a week while East location is closed on Mondays. However, each location differs slightly in hours, so in order to keep from getting confused, it’s best to make a reservation beforehand.

Some review-worthy appetizers are the Insalata Caesar and the Zuppetta di Cozze. The zuppetta is a bowl of mussels that you can either get with a white wine sauce or a red tomato sauce. I’ve tried both, and while they are good, the plum tomato sauce has a lot of flavor and a hint of spice to it, so it’s definitely the winner of the two.

Another featured dish is the Vitello alla Viola, a dish consisting of veal medallions, seasonal fruit, and prosciutto di parma. There is also another plate called Ravioli alla Viola which is a rich lobster ravioli meal served with a creamy rose sauce. No matter what you get though, La Viola is guaranteed to satisfy any diner looking for Italian food in the Rittenhouse Square area.

4. Amis

Right in Washington Square, Amis is a Marc Vetri owned Italian restaurant. If you’re not near Osteria, but you’re craving Italian food, Amis is a great restaurant to visit. The menu is large enough so that everyone can find something to eat, but still focused.

The menu is split up into sections like Bruschetta and Antipasti di Pesce that make it easy for diners to jump right to the type of food that they want for that night. While there isn’t a laundry list of options for sections like Bruschetta, the options that Amis offers up are great.

Another thing that makes Amis stand out from the hordes of Italian restaurants in the city is that they make all their Salumi in house. When you order the Salami del Giorno or the Mixed Salumi Plate, you know you’re going to get some of the highest quality food out there.

With creamy polenta, salty pecorino, and tender meats, Amis hits each dish out of the ballpark. While this may seem like enough to make any restaurant a hot spot, Amis also has several inventive pasta dishes to keep customers coming back for more.

Dishes like the Roman classic, Cacio e Pepe, and Paccheri with Swordfish and Eggplant Fries are only a few of the pasta options on the menu. Amis is able to keep diners interested and it’s not surprising that it has a dedicated following. If you’re on the search for fantastic Italian food in the city, Amis is one restaurant that should definitely be on your list.

I’ve never met anyone that downright dislikes Italian food, but if they did, I’m sure that if I took them to any of these restaurants, they would change their mind. With homemade pasta, fresh ingredients, and creative dishes, all of these places are some of Philly’s brightest stars in the restaurant scene.

Food, Italian food, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Blogs, Pizza, USA

Philly’s Top Pizza Places (Philadelphia, USA)

August 7, 2013 1 Comment

If there is one food that everyone has a strong opinion about, it’s pizza. This debate includes everything from the appropriate thickness of pizza crust to the right cheese to sauce ratio. Having spent most of my life in the pizza place that a family friend owns and four months in Rome, I have developed my own strong opinions about this popular pie, and have come to scrutinize pizza places in America much more harshly than before. That being said, there are a few places in Philadelphia that I enjoy going to when I am craving a big slice of pizza.

1. Pizzeria Stella

It shouldn’t come as a shock at this point that I am a fan of Stephen Starr restaurants, and Pizzeria Stella is no exception. While there are appetizer and salad options, the emphasis of this restaurant is on pizza. When I tried this place out, I really enjoyed the Zucchini Pizza. This wood oven pizza came with tomato, zucchini, and ricotta. I particularly enjoyed the ricotta because it added a richness to the dish that made it more filling than your average veggie pizza.

The San Daniele is also a great option because it packs a flavorful punch with each bite. This pie comes topped with prosciutto, mozzarella, and arugula, which are all flavors that have been universally recognized as complimentary. Depending on your taste, one of these pizzas may seem more appealing to you than the other, but on the off chance that neither jump out at you, there are a dozen more options on the menu to satisfy all kinds of people. If you’re a pizza fan and enjoy Starr restaurants, Pizzeria Stella is a fantastic place to check out, especially since you can watch people rolling out dough right in front of you!

2. Angelinos Restaurant and Pizza

I have several friends that live in the Fairmount area, so when I visit them and I’m in the mood for pizza, I like to go to Angelino’s. With more options on the menu than Pizzeria Stella, this restaurant appeals to people who like a wide range of classic Italian-American dishes, including hoagies, strombolis, and Italian paninis.

However, since this is a post about pizza, I’ll stick to the stars on that list. My two favorite pizzas here were the West Coast and Angelino’s Mediterranean Special. The West Coast pizza is a white pizza that comes with sundried tomatoes and ricotta. I think sundried tomatoes are incredibly flavorful, and the ones here are delicious. They add another layer of flavor to the dish. I also enjoy the Mediterranean style pizza because I love the combo of spinach and feta. I think that the two flavors are very different in strength, so they go well together. If you’re in the area and want some good pizza this is a great kid-friendly restaurant to check out.

3. Pietro’s Coal Oven Pizza

If you’re in the mood for gourmet pizza, but don’t want to go to another Stephen Starr restaurant, this is a great place to check out. I always get the Roma here. Although I doubt the validity of this name considering I never saw a pizza in Rome that included chicken, artichokes, and bacon, this pizza is Pietro’s most satisfying one. There is just enough of each of those three ingredients to add flavor to the pizza without being overwhelming. The chicken was tender and the bacon was crispy both times I’ve gotten this, so I was pretty happy with my order. I would suggest trying to get one of the pizzas on their pre-made list though because if you like a lot of toppings, the build your own pie option can get pricey very quickly. If you’re spending a day in the Rittenhouse area and are craving some pizza, Pietro’s should be a place you consider going.

4. Rustica Pizza

I’ve only been to Rustica once, so I can only attest to the flavor of the one pizza I have had here, but it was so good that I felt compelled to add it to my list. The pizza I did get was called Bistecca del Tartufo and was phenomenal. This white pizza was topped with juicy truffled steak and caramelized onions. I enjoyed the flavors and felt like I was getting everything that I love wrapped up in one dish: pizza and steak. There wasn’t a thing that I would change about this pizza and I’m really glad that I got it. I don’t spend a lot of time in the Northern Liberties area, but if I did, I’m sure I would visit Rustica more!

5. Birra

I think that Birra is a fun and satisfying way to fulfill your pizza craving and is definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area. The pizza isn’t the best in the city, but this restaurant certainly has the most character when compared to the other places on this list. The best pizzas that I have had at this place are the classic Margherita and the Pear & Gruyere White Pizza.

The Margherita is fantastic for those who like the clean, crisp taste of cheese pizza, but want to add a little pizzazz to it, which is accomplished by the basil. However, if you’re the more adventurous eater, the Pear and Gruyere Pizza is the way to go. This pizza is fantastic for any lover of the sweet and salty combo. The creamy Gruyere cheese balances the sweet pear well, while the arugula adds a hint of pepper to it. For people who love to pair a beer with a pie, this place is especially great because they have an extensive beer list, including Strongbow hard cider and various Italian beers.While this place probably appeals to the younger crowds and is usually busy, I would suggest stopping in one day to get the Birra experience.

I have had some truly awful pizza before, but never at any of the places on this list. While I’m still waiting for that magical bite that reminds me of Rome, I don’t mind grabbing a pizza from one of the places above. The next place I want to try is definitely In Riva since I’ve heard amazing things about it. However, even more than that, I’m hoping that a great pizza place will open up in the Temple area. Pizza is a controversial yet universally loved food, and now that I’m back in Philly, I’m sure I’ll try a ton more pizza places in the upcoming months.

Philadelphia, Pizza

Pizzeria Stella- Old City/Society Hill (Philadelphia, USA)

January 22, 2013 1 Comment

Pizzeria Stella is another Stephen Starr restaurant and like most Starr establishments it does not disappoint. The restaurant is large and spacious and located in one of my favorite areas of town. Directly behind the hostess stand lies the open concept pizza station where the chefs are busy rolling the dough, adding the toppings and placing in the brick oven pizza all in front of a crowd of hungry diners.

If you enjoy watching your food be made then ask for a seat facing the kitchen… you may learn a thing or two about making pizza from scratch.

We ordered three pizzas to share amongst a group of four. The Tartufo- a black truffle, egg and fontina pizza; the Spinach- oven-roasted tomatoes, pine nuts, mozzarella and baby spinach; and the Sausage- wood-roasted sausage, hot pesto, mozzarella and tomato sauce (see menu).

The sausage pizza and the tartufo were my two favorites of the night. Ground pieces of sausage sprinkled generously over a perfectly baked dough with fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce and pesto.

The Spinach pizza was covered in boiled spinach sprinkled with pine nuts, oven-roasted tomatoes and mozzarella. Very tasty and a healthier choice for those aspiring vegetarians.

The Tartufo pizza was covered with cheese, egg and truffle oil. For those who love truffle oil this one is for you. It is a delicious creamy blend that when mixed with the chewy dough lead to a perfect pizza.

Of course, dough is one of the most important aspects of the perfect brick oven pizza and this dough hit all the requirements. The crust was golden yet not burnt, it was chewy yet not too crispy and hard.

Italian food, New York, Pizza

Lombardi’s- Nolita (New York City, USA)

August 1, 2012 3 Comments

In law school a close friend of mine who spent a lot of time in New York would tell me about the wonders of the food scene in the City. I heard about the likes of Lombardi’s and Grimaldi’s way before I got to try it. Four years later, the same friend would fly down from Toronto to New York and I would meet her at Lombardi’s to experience my first bite of true New York style thin crust pizza with her. So many sleepless exam nights I spent daydreaming of this pizza and it was finally becoming a reality.

We went for lunch on a Sunday and only waited minutes before we were taken out of the main restaurant, passed another restaurant tucked in between and entered in to another room which was an extension of Lombardi’s. My friend had to catch a flight back to Toronto and was rushed to order, eat, experience and leave. There were 6 of us so we ordered two large pizzas. One plain margherita and another with the addition of sausage and olives.

The menu offers a small and large pizza. You can start with the margherita and make additions as you please.

First we ordered a basket of bread sticks with marinara sauce which came out in minutes. It certainly hit the spot.

Not too long after our pizzas arrived. I finally understood why Lombardi’s is so famous- because the pizza was truly amazing. Whoever says otherwise is just plain old hating. Not only is Lombardi’s the oldest pizza shop in the country but it has the best thin crust pizza I have tasted to date in America. All the ingredients were fresh and bursting with flavor.

The cheese. Oh the cheese. The cheese stretched for days. There was enough cheese to cover most of the pizza and marinara sauce oozed through each bite.

Next was the margherita. What could be more simple than a margherita pizza? Yet simplicity is sometimes a good thing. This pizza was simple yet mouthwatering delicious. Generous amounts of mozzarella cheese, marinara sauce and fresh basil. Delicioso!

The two pizzas were more than enough to feed us six. Although, of course there was a subtle fight over the last piece.

While taking one of many bites of pizza, I turned to my friend with a big smile remembering how we bonded over food in law school and would remain close friends ever since. Discussing food was so much more pleasurable than learning the intricate ‘bundle of rights’ in property law. She did not disappoint. The day dreaming sessions in the law school library finally became a reality and lived up to my expectation.

Gourmand, New Orleans, Pizza

Ancora Pizzeria and Salumeria-Uptown (New Orleans)

July 5, 2012 No Comments

So little time was left in New Orleans and yet so many delicious restaurants to try. It was hard to narrow down the choices to all we could possibly consume in our one week feast prior to our departure. Ancora Pizzeria was an obvious choice since it is the only place in New Orleans that offers true brick oven pizza straight from Naples. And really, who doesn’t love a good Neopolitan pizza.

What is so special about a brick oven pizza imported from Italy? You may want to refer to my post on Nicli Antica Pizzeria in Vancouver.

The Neapolitan brick oven pizza is a new phenomenon in New Orleans although I was up to date on the trend having recently returned from Vancouver where they are popping up all over the place (Barbarella and Nicli to name only a few).

We ended up at Ancora Pizzeria on a Monday night feeling confident that the wait would not be long. And we were right. There was no wait to be seated since half the restaurant was empty- rightfully so on a Monday night. However, we were starved. And I mean S-T-A-R-V-E-D. I had not had a real meal all day looking forward to my pizza and being too busy running around with last minute errands prior to the move. Our server took our order in a timely fashion but failed to warn us that there was only one chef on staff that night given the night of the week and that there were three tables ahead of us. This resulted in us waiting over an hour for our pizza. Had I known that the wait would have been so long I would have ordered a starter to settle my stomach. Anyhow, this was only a slight hiccup as once the pizza arrived it made the wait well worth it and all else was forgotten.

Ancora’s pizzas are made from flour, water and sea salt. No commercial yeast is used as they make clear on their website. In fact the dough takes three days to prepare from start to finish. Now that is dedication. The selection is limited but all the better since every single dish uses high quality products resulting in one delicious pizza. Staying true to their name they only serve pizza and a selection of house cured meats (see menu).

The pizza crust was thin, crispy and chewy. It was perfect. There were minimal toppings but all of high quality. We ordered the Margherita and another one which is not on their online menu. Both pizzas consisted of fior di latte mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce and basil. The second pizza had fresh tomatoes and garlic added to the mix for a wonderful burst of flavors.

As the photos reveal there were several burnt bubbles which I have been taught is a big no-no when presenting a Neapolitan pizza- but it didn’t take away from the flavors. All in all, Ancora Pizzeria serves one mean Pizza and the best I have had in New Orleans.

I love Freret street and how its being revitalized by local businesses. The Cure, Company Burger, High Hat, Dat Dog and Ancora Pizzeria have really made this street the place to be if you are looking for good food followed by great drinks at the Cure.

Ancora Pizzeria & Salumeria on Urbanspoon

Canada, Gourmand, Pizza, Vancouver

Pizzeria Barbarella (Vancouver, Canada)

February 29, 2012 2 Comments

In an essentially dead zone in terms of the night life/dining scene goes, Pizzeria Barbarella has opened its door bringing the neighbourhood authentic Italian Pizza. It seems these wood oven baked pizza shops are popping up all over the place and the competition is tough (competitors including Nicli Antica and Pizzeria Farina).

We entered at 8 pm on a Friday night to a half empty restaurant, the walls were dark with very limited decorations which I found to be a bit depressing. Lit candles at each table with light music in the background. I found it to be a really weird atmosphere. Perhaps its the fact that the restaurant has not yet received its liquor license but it was a really sombre setting.

The pizzas were good but pricey- the same as those found at downtown restaurants but assuming the rent is lower- shouldn’t the food be less expensive? Pizzas ranged between 9-20 dollars. We ordered three pizzas: the Funghi, Margherita and the Amatriciana (see menu). The first two were good although I found the margherita lacked the necessary mozzarella cheese to make it really cheesy; however, it was a good solid pizza with the pizza dough perfectly chewy yet crispy. The Funghi pizza was the best of the three with a perfect amount of cheese and mushrooms. My pizza (the Amatriciana) was awful to the point that I could only have a slice. It was covered with tomato sauce and onions which pretty much took over other flavours which were so desperately trying to reach out to my senses and also lacked in cheese. It tasted pretty much of bread and onions. I really wanted to love this restaurant as I love nothing more than pizza but I have to say I left unsatisfied. I do hope they step up their game as the area really needs more restaurants and the place has so much potential. The restaurant has received great reviews by other bloggers so perhaps its was just that particular evening and that particular pizza. However, it is worth a try for the pizza lovers amongst us.