Where does the best Pizza come from?

[cramx3]

I had Pepe's last year and was honestly not impressed, at all.  Like all pizza, it was good, but it did not meet the hype IMO.

[El Barto]

Very rarely does a restaurant live up to its hype. And if that hype was well deserved it won't be for long. How many places do those food channel guys eat at that go belly up after a year because they can't keep up with the increased demand from the exposure?

Down here we've got a restaurant shark tank sort of deal. Restaurateurs and high end chefs open up places and either sink or swim. The ones that swim thrive. The ones that don't are gone in 3 months. The swimmers invariably move to better neighborhoods with better clientele and lower rent. Then they fold six months later. Not only his hype usually unwarranted, it's nontransferable.

[cramx3]

Well Pepe is an old spot from 1925, I don't think the hype from an old establishment is the same as hype from a new spot that gets some exposure.

[El Barto]

Well Pepe is an old spot from 1925, I don't think the hype from an old establishment is the same as hype from a new spot that gets some exposure.

And to that I give you:

Pat's King of Steaks, since 1930.

And our version of that is Sonny Bryans, selling flavorless brisket since 1966. Good sauce, great onion rings, bland meat. Long lines, though. I can't attest to this Pepe's place. Maybe it sucks, and maybe it's great and you have awful taste.     I'm merely commenting on the nature of hype. I avoid the legendary places, or any place that uses a feud as self-promotion.

[bosk1]

Around here, a good many of those places that get hyped on Food Network still seem to thrive just fine...unless they try to relocate.  If they stay put, they generally do just fine. 

[cramx3]

Well Pepe is an old spot from 1925, I don't think the hype from an old establishment is the same as hype from a new spot that gets some exposure.

And to that I give you:

Pat's King of Steaks, since 1930.

And our version of that is Sonny Bryans, selling flavorless brisket since 1966. Good sauce, great onion rings, bland meat. Long lines, though. I can't attest to this Pepe's place. Maybe it sucks, and maybe it's great and you have awful taste.     I'm merely commenting on the nature of hype. I avoid the legendary places, or any place that uses a feud as self-promotion.

Fair enough, I thought you were only mentioning hype from TV.  Sure my taste may suck though  .  I do find overall , that food meets my hype more so than other things in life.  Probably because I am a fat ass American that loves to eat.  And Pepe wasn't bad, I just found it to be nothing special and also there was a long line so definitely not worth the wait.

[Prog Snob]

I think there's also just a big difference between Italian pizza and American pizza. Just like there's a big difference between NY pizza and Chicago pizza. In the end, though made from the same basic ingredients, they're different beasts.

Italian pizza is certainly more healthy than the American version. I've made Italian pizza and it's just as good as NY style. It all depends on one's taste buds and what one likes.

[pogoowner]

New York and Chicago style pizza are both good, but neither is what I would want regularly. The local chain where I grew up (Pizza Joe's) had a pretty unique style. Square pizza with thick, but very light and fluffy crust. I'd always try to grab the corner slices if I could. I still crave that specific pizza fairly often, and I always try to get it if I'm back home. By no means do I think anyone outside of that area would think it's mindblowing, though.

[Prog Snob]

I like a good Sicilian pie, like what you mentioned above, but so many places suck at making it.

[dparrott]

I love Pizza Hut's stuffed crust meat lovers.  I've been raised on delivery pizza, I like it better than the authentic.  The same with Mexican, I'll take Taco Bell over authentic any day.

[Prog Snob]

[KevShmev]

I love Pizza Hut's stuffed crust meat lovers.  I've been raised on delivery pizza, I like it better than the authentic.  The same with Mexican, I'll take Taco Bell over authentic any day.

[orcus116]

I had Pepe's last year and was honestly not impressed, at all.  Like all pizza, it was good, but it did not meet the hype IMO.

I was going to try Pepe's once but went in, was told they don't do slices, and fucked off. Must be the New Yorker in me that left because they have billboards along I-84 all over the place.

[rumborak]

I love Pizza Hut's stuffed crust meat lovers.  I've been raised on delivery pizza, I like it better than the authentic.  The same with Mexican, I'll take Taco Bell over authentic any day.

[Chino]

I love Pizza Hut's stuffed crust meat lovers.  I've been raised on delivery pizza, I like it better than the authentic.  The same with Mexican, I'll take Taco Bell over authentic any day.

Do you like croissants from Dunkin Donuts more than a legit bakery?

[pogoowner]

I love Pizza Hut's stuffed crust meat lovers.  I've been raised on delivery pizza, I like it better than the authentic.  The same with Mexican, I'll take Taco Bell over authentic any day.

This is one of the worst things I've ever read, but at least you didn't say Domino's.

[Adami]

I'll admit that while I haven't had traditional Chinese food, I would probably end up preferring American Chinese food to authentic Chinese food.

Granted my order is always just Lo Mein and fried rice, but I probably wouldn't enjoy authentic Chinese versions of them.

I'm okay with that.

[El Barto]

I'll admit that while I haven't had traditional Chinese food, I would probably end up preferring American Chinese food to authentic Chinese food.

Granted my order is always just Lo Mein and fried rice, but I probably wouldn't enjoy authentic Chinese versions of them.

I'm okay with that.

As one of those weird-fuck herbivores, you might actually like it. My only problem with it is the sorts of meats they're more apt to use. My bet is they can stir-fry you up some tasty noodles and Chinese vegetables that would be pretty darn good. Unless you don't like spicy things, either, and at that point that Panda place is probably the way to go.

[Adami]

Oh I don't do Panda, I am very picky about my Chinese food, I just recognize that what I consider to be great is still seen as American trash.

And I love spicy. Wanna take me on a food tour of China? You can eat dogs, cats, hamsters, whatever, and I'll try whatever rice and noodle dishes I can.

[El Barto]

And I never got all the hate for Dominoes or Pizza Hut. Both are pretty far from my first choice, but they are what they are and there's a place for them just like there is Taco Bell or In-n-Out. They deliver cheap pizza to drunks and stoners til the wee hours, and for what it is it's perfectly passable. My hunch is that damn near everybody here would eat a couple of slices at a party and not be too put out by it.

I'd say that if you want to single out a pizza to rag on, Little Caesar's or Ci-Ci's are much better choices.

[El Barto]

Oh I don't do Panda, I am very picky about my Chinese food, I just recognize that what I consider to be great is still seen as American trash.

And I love spicy. Wanna take me on a food tour of China? You can eat dogs, cats, hamsters, whatever, and I'll try whatever rice and noodle dishes I can.

I try my best not to eat animals that I would keep as pets, so I'd probably be joining you with the lo mein. I eat far more Korean than I do Chinese, authentic or otherwise, so that's always on my mind (though we do casually refer to eating at any of the Koreatown places as "going out for dog." There are certainly authentic Chinese places that will serve up perfectly tasty beef, duck and pork, though.

edit: and I'm not sure Chinese see all of our "Chinese food" as trash. Bosk would be the authority here, but my hunch is that while they laugh at General Tso's chicken and are repulsed by sweet and sour pork, there's nothing inherently offensive about an American Szechuan stir fry or crispy duck.

[Adami]

I mean, I'm sure the meals I eat are served in China too (for the people who eat as boring as I do), but I know it's prepared differently. From what I know, the Chinese like subtle flavoring, while Americans like it strong.


I like it strong.

[cramx3]

I love Pizza Hut's stuffed crust meat lovers.  I've been raised on delivery pizza, I like it better than the authentic.  The same with Mexican, I'll take Taco Bell over authentic any day.

This is one of the worst things I've ever read, but at least you didn't say Domino's.

  I agree, pizza hut is better than dominos, but pizza hut doesn't deliver by me.  Dominos started doing a pan pizza similar to pizza hut, but it's not as good.  Typically if I am getting food from dominos, I often don't even get a pizza.  I love the hot sandwiches, wings, cheesy bread, and pasta bread bowls over the pizza.  Also dominos specialty pies are significantly better than a standard pie made to order.  I only just made this discovery.  And as a drunk/stoner that loves to order delivery late night on weekends, dominos has a solid free rewards program (aka free pizza).

[Podaar]

Out of the chain, delivery places, I'd choose Marco's anytime. Pizza Hut would probably be second, though. I can't stand Papa John's, Domino's, or like bosk1 mentioned yesterday (shudder) Little Caesar's.

[Stadler]

I love Pizza Hut's stuffed crust meat lovers.  I've been raised on delivery pizza, I like it better than the authentic.  The same with Mexican, I'll take Taco Bell over authentic any day.

That's where you lost me.  Taco Bell is awesome, don't get me wrong (I'm in for a chalupa!) but authentic Mexican is (or can be, I should say) top notch.

Also, it hasn't been said, but to me, pizza is like a blow job; even average pizza is better than nothing, though when it's bad, it can be really BAD.   I actually like Papa John's and Dominos.   Pizza Hut sends my innards into a tizzy, so I don't eat it much, and I stay clear of CiCi's and Little Caesars (last time I had that was at college, which was a long time ago).  Though, LC is my wife's favorite, so go figure.

[cramx3]

Out of the chain, delivery places, I'd choose Marco's anytime. Pizza Hut would probably be second, though. I can't stand Papa John's, Domino's, or like bosk1 mentioned yesterday (shudder) Little Caesar's.

Never heard of Marco's and the Little Caesar's near me closed like 15 years ago.  My local Papa John's is not very good, but the one near my old apartment was much better.  Papa John's side dishes don't even compare to Dominos though.

[Nekov]

Well, I haven't been to that many places in the US to eat Pizza but to be honest none of the ones I went to blew my mind or anything even remotely close.
I haven't been to Italy so I can't comment on that either but I've heard that usually people find Pizza made in their country to be better than pizza made anywhere else, even Italy.

My favorite pizza comes from a place called La Mezzetta here in Buenos Aires, they do a cheese stuffed pizza with onion on the top that is just orgasmic.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

I'll take Taco Bell over authentic any day.

Pat's King of Steaks, since 1930.

Funny you mention Pat's, because there's, of course, the well known "war" between Pat's and Geno's on opposing corners of the street, but any local will tell you "Fuck Pat's AND Geno's" and go to Jim's on South Street or Tony Luke's, or literally anywhere that isn't Pat's or Geno's.

[Stadler]

Funny you mention Pat's, because there's, of course, the well known "war" between Pat's and Geno's on opposing corners of the street, but any local will tell you "Fuck Pat's AND Geno's" and go to Jim's on South Street or Tony Luke's, or literally anywhere that isn't Pat's or Geno's.

I won't go so far as "anywhere that isn't Pat's or Geno's" (Pat's is pretty fuckin' good), but I'll take Jim's any day of the week.    I even bought a shirt.   Not just best in Philly, but my vote for best anywhere (though Sarcone's has a better hoagie; their Old Fashioned Italian is killer.  I've been driving through, and made the detour to Philly (if you're driving from, say, the Carolinas to Connecticut, Philly is NOT on the way) just to get a Jim's and Sarcone's sammich to take with me home.   

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Jim's is the freakin' bomb.  Sofa king good.  I've also been told that the roast pork sandwich with broccoli rabe at DiNic's in the Reading Terminal Market is a must have.  I haven't had it yet, but apparently Travel Channel once rated it the "Best Sandwich in America".

[YtseBitsySpider]

I worked at Pizza Hut, so I can at least tell you it's well made stuff.

I thought this was more of a philosophical debate

I don't care who invented it the Lebanese perfected it. Easily the best za' out there.

[bosk1]

edit: and I'm not sure Chinese see all of our "Chinese food" as trash. Bosk would be the authority here, but my hunch is that while they laugh at General Tso's chicken and are repulsed by sweet and sour pork, there's nothing inherently offensive about an American Szechuan stir fry or crispy duck.

Yeah, pretty much that.  And not trying to be a food snob anyway, Chinese or otherwise.  I kinda subscribe to a similar theory regarding food in general as what you posted about pizza above.  I generally prefer the "good stuff"--i.e., the more authentic versions.  But I certainly cannot begrudge anyone their tastes if they in turn prefer the less-authentic or completely inauthentic foods.  If they taste good to you, they taste good to you.  It's just amusing that people don't realize that the majority of what we label as "Chinese food" in this country really isn't.  Kinda like folks thinking that people in Japan eat California rolls.

I mean, I'm sure the meals I eat are served in China too (for the people who eat as boring as I do), but I know it's prepared differently. From what I know, the Chinese like subtle flavoring, while Americans like it strong.

I think that is largely true.  But it is difficult to make generalizations like that without losing accuracy.  Most of what our culture knows about China, including its cuisine, is based on exposure to a very limited segment of a huge, diverse population.  I mean, the vast majority of the Chinese population that has come to this country (and other countries, for that matter), comes from two or three relatively small regions in a country that is bigger and arguably more diverse than the U.S.  And all those peoples speak differently, think differently, and, as relevant to this thread, eat differently.  But getting back to your post, I think that is largely true of what we think of as "Chinese" from southeastern China.  More subtle, "bland" flavors.  Whereas farther north, you start to see a lot more spices, heat, and bold flavors. 

I like it strong.

As a wise philosopher once said, I like my Chinese food like a like my women!  ...er, I have no idea where I am going with this.

[El Barto]

Jim's is the freakin' bomb.  Sofa king good.  I've also been told that the roast pork sandwich with broccoli rabe at DiNic's in the Reading Terminal Market is a must have.  I haven't had it yet, but apparently Travel Channel once rated it the "Best Sandwich in America".

Yeah, I skipped it when I was there. Again, I tend to pass on places that are so well hyped. Since sandwiches are the food thing that Phili does well it's not like there aren't a thousand other options. Hell, there are a hundred different sandwiches in RTM alone. Think I went with the Bavarian at Schmitz when I ate at RTM.

[cramx3]

Funny you mention Pat's, because there's, of course, the well known "war" between Pat's and Geno's on opposing corners of the street, but any local will tell you "Fuck Pat's AND Geno's" and go to Jim's on South Street or Tony Luke's, or literally anywhere that isn't Pat's or Geno's.

My ex used to live right off south street, so whenever I'd be there, I would always get a cheese steak but never from those two spots, mostly because it just smells disgusting outside them.  I used to always go to Steaks on South.  Not sure if that was a popular spot, but I always enjoyed it. I finally when to Geno's last summer, the last time I went to Philly, and while it was good, it certainly wasn't anything better (not even as good IMO) as Steaks on South.

[rumborak]

It's just amusing that people don't realize that the majority of what we label as "Chinese food" in this country really isn't.  Kinda like folks thinking that people in Japan eat California rolls.

Boston is chock full of "Chinese-American" restaurants, but yeah, if you want to get closer to actual Chinese food, you have to go to Chinatown. Quick rule-of-thumb, if they have chicken feet on the menu, or better chicken tongues, it's a decent place.