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August 22nd 2009 4:20pm
Stomachs stuffed to an uncomfortable level with only a short subway to digest, we continued into Williamsburg to Motorino. As we approached a sad sight lay before us; they were closed for an engagement party for the evening. After a little bit of sweet talking to the waitress, manager, and chef, we were escorted into the beautiful back patio area and even given a free pie (spicy Pugliese with sausage, burrata, and broccolini) to enjoy.The group scores were as follows:
Cheese to Sauce Ratio: 4.24 out of 5
Crust: 4.56 out of 5
Taste Per Price: 4.4 out of 5 ($13 for small DOC Margarita)
Assorted Comments: "Saltiest yet! Best crust yet!" -Ilya Kushnirsky "Perfect charred crust, DOC tangy sauce is perfect." -Jason Eppink "Great crust, puffy around outside, very yummy." -Maura Lane
Rated #8 by New York Magazine: Motorino, 319 Graham Ave., Williamsburg
When Neapolitan pizzaioli engage in mine-is-bigger-than-yours trash talk, chances are they’re comparing cornicioni. On that front, Mathieu Palombino has nothing to be ashamed of. His crusts are so tall and puffy they should be tethered to ropes and paraded down Broadway like Bullwinkle on Thanksgiving Day. His tomatoes are bright, his buffalo mozzarella sweet, and his Margherita DOC a thing of beauty. The crust exhibits a range of appealing textures, from crisp and chewy to light and airy.
August 22nd 2009 4:00pm
Riding the L train into Brooklyn chatting away about pizza and the delicious pizza ahead.
Behold the map of Pizza Expedition 2009 created by Ilya.
After spending an entire day making numerous phone calls and endless hours on the interweb, we made a spreadsheet detailing more than just price and location.
Questions Asked:
Do you sell your pizza by the slice or pie only?
What is the best time to come by your pizzeria?
How much is a small/large pie?
Can we take it to go?
Are you a mean, snooty person who we do not want to be buying pizza from?
This is the e-mail from Ilya Kushnirsky, the man behind Pizza Expedition's birth:
Hello! If you are in the To: line of this email, it is because you have expressed interest in participating in Pizza Expedition 2009. Huzzah! If you are in the CC: line, it is because the powers that be have determined that you may be interested in participating. Please read the below and then let me know if you plan to participate (including any applicable +1s), so that we can plan accordingly.
What Is Pizza Expedition 2009?
A month or so ago, New York Magazine chose its top twenty pizzas of the moment: http://nymag.com/restaurants/cheapeats/2009/57893/ Since this is the same magazine that thinks any food under $25 is a Cheap Eat, a little independent investigation is in order. Originally, we intended to try all 20 in one day, but one has already closed, and there is no day of the week that all of the remaining nineteen are open. Also, it would take more than 24 hours just to travel among all of the locations. Thus, the revised plan is to hit ten out of the 20 spots. Our route will take us into ALL FIVE BOROUGHS and will take pretty much all day. If you can't or don't want to spend all day walking around and eating pizza -- in which case you really ought to re-evaluate your life -- you may join for part of the itinerary: Five Manhattan spots have conveniently been scheduled for the middle of the route. Scorecards will be provided so that you may rate each pizza yourself, and the expedition will be filmed for posterity, by which I mean Facebook.
When Is Pizza Expedition 2009?
It is THIS SATURDAY, AUGUST 22. I have capitalized the foregoing for emphasis, although, based on my receipt of no fewer than three emails and texts over the past three weeks from people apologizing for having missed it, I don't expect that anyone will read, or perhaps understand, it. I repeat: THIS SATURDAY, AUGUST 22. In approximately 42 hours. Soon.
Where Is Pizza Expedition 2009?
You have three options:
1. If you want to come for the entirety, meet us at the Staten Island Ferry NO LATER THAN 10:10 AM. The ferry leaves shortly after, and we have no time to dilly-dally once we arrive. It's strictly boat-pizza-get-the-fuck-out-of-Staten-Island.
2. If you want to come for most of the expedition but want to sleep in and/or are deathly afraid of boats, meet us at the first Manhattan stop: Adrienne's Pizzabar, 54 Stone Street near William Street, AT 1:30 PM. Call or text me at (***) ***-**** to confirm timing.
3. If you want to join at some later, unspecified time, call or text me at (***) ***-**** to determine our present location at any given time. Because of the amount of travel time, we won't be able to wait for you, but you could always anticipate our next stop and meet us there.
What Should I Bring To Pizza Expedition 2009?
- A pen or pencil for rating pizzas (scorecards will be provided)
- Comfortable shoes
- A MetroCard (preferably unlimited if you have access to one)
- Money for pizza
- Protection from sun and rain
- A camera
- Any pizza-themed toys or stories you may have
Will I Really Eat 10 Slices Of Pizza?
Not unless you're some crazy uncontrollable glutton. The point of this expedition is to taste-test some of the best pizzas in the city. A taste-test only requires a few bites, so at each place we will buy and share some small amount of pizza (a small pie or a few slices). With all the walking we'll be doing, you'll almost certainly burn more calories than you consume.
August 22nd 2009 4:20pm
Rated #8 by New York Magazine: Motorino, 319 Graham Ave., Williamsburg
