Lucali - Pizza as an Art Form

I love Lucali. I Love Lucali because I love any place classy enough to only serve two things: Pizza or Calzone. Lucali is located on a sleepy street in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. If the striped awning wasn't rolled out over the bench in front you might never see it in passing. It's a discreet brick faced building with a large glass window but lacks a sign or any other indication that the pizza within is probably the best in the city. Lucali looks and feels old school. The walls are decorated with old metal Coca Cola signs and wooden Schwepps boxes. The tables are simple and evenly spread out, providing a nice open engaged atmosphere. This place is always lively and always packed because the food is great. But the best part of Lucali is the process. If you wander to the back of the restaurant you will find the massive wood fired oven that lends this pizza its taste and crispiness. There are so few of these ovens left its worth the trip just to watch the guys behind the counter throw logs in and get the fire stoked up. The rest of the action takes place on a long counter at a 90 degree angle to the wood pile. On this counter the boss or one of the chef's rolls out the dough and covers the pies in the freshest ingredients I have seen in any pizza joint. The mozzarella sits in its milk in a big ceramic bowl at the chef's right hand and on his left is another large bowl containing all the available toppings. He has a pile of mushrooms, tomatoes, zucchini, pepperoni, salsiccia, etc. When putting the veggies on a pie they will grab a whole mushroom or zucchini and use one of those hand held razor slicers to lay down super thin slices of whatever topping you want. This method provides the perfect texture and crispiness when the pie gets in the oven. The cheese is torn by hand from the closet chunk and tossed on the pie and the whole thing is thrown in the oven and cooked at probably close to 600 degrees. The result is a fantastic flash fire cooked pie with a nice crispy crust and the perfect distribution of mozzarella, topping and a dash of Grana Padano. Truly amazing. Watching these guys make a pie is like watching Da Vinci paint, every movement seems deliberate and no detail goes unnoticed. If the owner is around you will get to see what makes Lucali a good business. Mark Iacono is a real people person. When not tossing dough he moves around the restaurant greeting diners and chatting with locals. In his apron and white v-neck t-shirt he looks like the classic pizza man but before the pies he spent 20 years working with marble and granite, according to local rumors he is the big neighborhood crush. He built the restaurant by himself, renovated the interior and even built the oven brick by brick. He also like to make sure the customer is happy, answering questions, taking requests, he even sold my uncle a big ball of mozzarella for a few bucks to take home. So you got great pizza, a handsome and friendly pizza master, what else could you need? How about BYOB? Yep, you got it. Like I said before Pizza and Calzone, stay classy Lucali. 

Food: 4/4

Service: 4/4

Wine: Bring your own

Value: 4/4

Lucali

575 Henry St. at Carroll St.

Brooklyn, NY

(718) 858 4086

Cash Only

Gemma - Delicious Cornerstone of The Beautiful Bowery Hotel

If you walked down second ave. to Houston anytime in the last 10 years there wouldn't have been much to see after 4th st. Just a big pay parking lock, some boarded up buildings, maybe some puddles of urine and some very creative graffiti. More recently that area has gotten a makeover. One of the most notable changes is the transformation of said parking lot into the fantastic Bowery Hotel. If you haven't been in the Bowery I recommend it. The lounge is comfortable and stylish, the walls paneled with worn wood and furnished with antique couches, it would be a suitable hang out for the bowery boys of old. But the real gem of the Bowery is Gemma, the restaurant located on the ground floor. If you are lucky enough to get a table at this hip eatery you will not be disappointed. Through the large glass and steel doors you will find a dimly lit but very intimate space with a mix of horseshoe booths and tables across the floor. While usually packed and lively the ambiance allows for both romantic dinners and wine fueled bouts of debate among friends. If you are with a large party the back room contains a large table in front of a beautiful antique mirror with hundreds of melted candles and inches of wax framing the bottom. At the back of the restaurant you can get a glimpse of the kitchen in action over a service bar adorned with massive legs of prosciutto. Once seated you are given a large rectangular menu and warm bread with olive oil. The wine list is available and extensive, brave it if you dare or simply ask the very knowledgeable sommelier. The menu contains a variety of meats and cheeses to choose from, has several types of pizza and an assortment of fish, poultry and beef. I am not going to list the menu here because you should go see it for yourself but the specials are always delicious. I like Gemma because you are gauranteed that anything you order will be exceptional. The buffalo mozzarella with sweet figs is fantastic and every pizza I have ordered is hot, crispy and delicious. The carpaccio here is the best i have ever tasted and comes garnished in the traditional manner with parmigiana and arugula. Now that I am trying to recollect my favorites I am drawing a blank because everything served is amazing and its impossible to choose. All the meats and cheeses are the highest quality and the lamb and duck are outrageous. Finally we cannot forget the olive oil gelato and hot chocolate cake! All the desserts are heavenly but these two stand out. The food and atmosphere are nicely complemented by the good service. The waitstaff at Gemma are fast, polite and helpful. Overall Gemma is a fantastic culinary experience. Good food, great wine, great service and a energized atmosphere make Gemma a no brainer. This restaurant is a much needed addition to the area and will continue to be my go to spot for impressing out of towners!

Food: 4/4

Service: 4/4

Wine: 4/4

Gemma

335 Bowery btw 2nd and 3rd St.

New York, NY

10003

(212) 505 9100