Is There Anything Closer to a New York Pizza Parlor in Budapest Than This? Fuhgeddaboudit!
Even though I grew up going to family events with people who could have walked straight off the set of the Godfather - Grandma D'Amato warming the escarole pie on the radiator while Uncle Rocky teased Cousin Johnny about his hand-painted necktie - I keep learning new things about Italian food every day. In fact, it wasn't until my early 30s that I made the stunning discovery that in Italy and most of the rest of the world outside of New York and New Jersey, pizzas are generally served in single portion sizes, and eaten sitting down, in restaurants. With a fork and knife. Crazy!
So what does an East Coast Goombah like me consider a "genuine" pizza parlor? Well, first of all, it doesn't always mean pizza. Among the staples at most pizza joints in my ancestral grazing lands back in NYC and New Jersey are the sandwiches known variously as "heroes," "hoagies" or "subs" (from "submarine" rather than "subway"), which often come piping hot and stuffed with Italian-style sausages and peppers, meatballs and tomato sauce, or a breaded chicken breast covered in melted cheese and sauce (the critical "chicken parm sub"). You also see things like watery baked ziti and Greek salads made from iceberg lettuce, especially when the Italians running the places are Greeks who have never been to Greece. Remember: It's America.
The pizzas themselves usually have a much thicker and softer crust than their continental cousins, and upon this crust roughly twice as much tomato sauce and cheese is lovingly ladled and scattered. They are also larger, so that the slices can be sold individually and, thanks to that soft crust, folded over and eaten standing up, with or without the aid of a paper plate. Indeed, when one New Yorker asks another if they'd like to go get a pizza - which is actually called a "pie" - they will often just say something like Hey, Joey, I'm starvin' here - let's go get a slice. And despite the American mania for individual choice, you'll generally be offered a smaller array of topping options, which in New York usually includes shakers of red pepper flakes and grated cheese.
All this may sound like unspeakable savagery to you, but for an ignorant Jersey Dago punk like me it's heaven, and the lack of it in Budapest has always made my life here slightly hellish. Hence my intense interest in the recently-opened New York Pizza on District VI's Szondi utca, which is run by a cheerful guy named Szabolcs, pictured above in the iconic "I ♥ New York" T-shirt. Not only does Szabolcs seem to really love New York, he lived there for years, part of the time working in the local pie and slice trade. And I know he's not lying, because when I made my first order he said you got it, all in one word, just like a normal person.
I eased into my return to New York with a non-traditional appetizer of Buffalo wings (Ft 590 for six pieces), which came complete with traditional blue cheese sauce and celery sticks. Not the best wings I've ever had - the sauce was a bit too sweet and the wing skin not crispy enough - but still, not bad.
Also not bad but not great was the sausage, pepper and onion sub. For Ft 690 I wasn't expecting actual Italian (or "Italian") sausage - it's Hungarian - and the bun seemed a bit brittle. More alarming was the sauceboat of mustard. WTF?
Much better - or at least much more "authentic" - was the chicken parm sub, though that over-toasted bun still sort of bummed me out.
My first taste of New York's pie was my (Hungarian) companion's small (25 cm) Hawaiian pizza (Ft 990), which was just fine, if you're sick enough in your head to want pineapple on your pizza.
According to Szabolcs, only his biggest pizza - which at 45 cm is within an anchovy of the standard 18 inch New York pie - should be directly compared to the "original." Unfortunately, it seems that the individual slices sold in the place are made from smaller pies, meaning they may not be the real thing. But this isn't actually so crucial, given that the location of the restaurant well off the körút means few starving Joeys dropping by for a quick slice. Plus, the Joeys would actually be Józsis, who wouldn't know a good slice if you knocked them upside the head with it.
And what about the "real thing"? On Tuesday night, I and a trio of others sampled a duo of basic pies, the New York Margarita [sic] (tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil, Ft 1,890) and the Brooklyn (tomato sauce, cheese and pepperoni, also Ft 1,890). Overall, I'd say both were close but not as close as they could be. For one thing, there wasn't nearly enough cheese, and not quite enough tomato sauce, either. The crust was also too brittle, which Szabolcs later said he thought was due to the flour available rather than the preparation (note that he actually imported a Bakers Pride oven for the kitchen). My advice would be to keep working on that crust, and make it clear that if you want something closer to the real thing, spring for extra cheese. Still, the things are much closer to a classic New York-style pie than the alternatives, including the somewhat decent by-the-slice deals you can find in the food court of the WestEnd mall, which usually come fouled with corn and other things that would probably get a New York pie-thrower shot and dumped in the Hudson river, or at least knocked upside the head. And if Szabolcs is as dedicated to his mission as I suspect, they will only get better.
Pies aside, there are lots of other items on the menu, including pasta dishes, various salads, wraps, burgers and desserts. Yesterday we ordered in a quartet of three-course Ft 1,090 lunch specials, among them Caesar Salad, Spaghetti Caruso (ham, mushroom, peas and cream sauce), chicken parm (with a side of pasta) and lasagna. No one was particularly wowed, though I have heard very positive feedback on such lunches, especially the baked ziti. Most notable were the dessert pancakes, which were actually thick, American-style breakfast pancakes, complete with maple syrup.
And speaking of pancakes, the place even serves breakfasts, including something called an "Ohio Breakfast" (two eggs, bacon and roll) and an "Arizona" omelette with cream cheese. Which sounds fine - as long as they don't start putting it on a pizza and calling it an Arizona-Ohio pie. In which case, well, fuhgeddaboudit.
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As far as this corner's concerned, the baked ziti and the canneloni are the best things on that menu.
And, as I explained in another thread somewhere, their burgers would probably rank 3rd or 4th in the Budapest Burgerwar. Not too shabby.
Anybody try their omelettes yet?
For an Italian guy, you must be of the distinctly very southern type because you need to work on your Roman numerals. You got the place in District IV up above in the title, and in District VI (I think the correct answer) in the text of the article.
Pizza MARGHERITA pls and not Margarita.that eventually you need to drink after ......
the restaurant is 100% american, nothing to share with an italian one.
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah!!!
It's so funny the review and the reviewer!!!
I never laughed so much in my life!!!
This has got to be one of the best reviews I've read here so far. I like the familiar NY/NJ Italian flavor...
@ Godot
For me also, it is one of the best reviews... I'm still laughing...
You mean, you like "the familiar NY/NJ American flavor"?!?...
I protest at people being called sick for their love of pizza with pineapples. Just because some cultures are unaccustomed to this type of food combination doesn't make it disgusting. It may be unappealing to some but then again PB&J lovers could equally be called retards when it comes to "weird" food combos, right?
If you havn't had a pie in Lodi, NJ, you haven't had a pie. Simple.
As if you havn't had a pizza in Italy, you haven't had a pizza. Simple.
Andrea - a quick re-read of the title might clue you into the fact we are not talking about Italian pizza rather NY style. Another clue might have been the name of the restaurant. I had their chicken parm...not bad aside from the roll. The pizza was better than 90% of the shit they served in Chicago (thin crust, not chicago style)
The correct spelling is "fuhgeddaboudit!"
@ C'M: having grown up in Chicago, I am only now coming to terms with the suckiness of the thin crust pizza there. Deep dish is a whole other thing, obviously. I tried the NY Pizza pizza and found it better than 90 percent of the pizza here in Bpest. The crust was a bit tough, but the toppings fantastic. On another (and thankfully forgotten) note: if you ever return to Chicago, give my favorite Mexican joint - Xni Pec - at try. It is Mayan, and unbelievable.
Hey Erik,
I did not know you were a Jersey Italian guy. Regardless of my name, I am also (mother's side). It is heartbreaking to read about the sausage. I truly miss a good Italian sausage, but I will definitely check out the pizza.
Do they sell Arizona Iced Tea there? No, seriously though, dude, Erik, as someone who grew up in Queens and Manhattan, and worked for way too long in a pizzeria, I'm a bit leery about how close it'll be to a real New York slice. Regarding the sauce and cheese, I proper ladle full of sauce, plain red sauce, or "gravy" as you goombahs like to call it, lol, and 2, got that, 2!!! handfuls of shredded mozzarella, liberally distributed using both hands. And no, it's not the flour that's screwing up his crust, it's the water. Whats makes the classic NYC pizza, as we all should know is the water!!!! The ridiculously hard water here in Bp will certainly take it's toll on his crust. Having said all that, I will have to stop in, of course wearing my full NYC regalia, Mets hat, NYPD t-shirt and my expired NY drivers license, lol. I'll try to stop in today, and right back about it ;)
er, I'm retarded. Thats 1 ladle, not I, and i'll WRITE about it :)
@CM, I was just looking for pizza and not pizza for Americans.
In the review there are many references to Italian food, but it is Italian food for Americans, so enjoy it...
@Andrea: I was talking about New York City and New Jersey, not America. Big difference! And before you grumble again about America having nothing to do with the pizza, remember, the tomato itself is American, which means that if it wasn't for us barbarians, you'd only have crappy pizza bianca. But I did put in a [sic] (means probably a typo) after "Margarita" which is how they misspell it on their menu, just like good New Yorkers.
@NWO: Corrected - no idea why I can never get those right, and I've been trying since grade school, back around MCMLXXV.
@patricia: I was going to argue that "fuggetaboutit" is as proper as "fuhgeddaboudit." But after looking at the two in print next to each other, fuhgeddaboudit - you're right.
God save America!!!!!
Thanks for the tomatoes !!!!!!!!
and also for New York, New Yorkers, New Jersey and everything else is ...NEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where are you going to have your dinner tonite ????
Erik, glad you made it out there to review the place. I've had a hell of a time explaining why pizza and burgers and wraps and CHICKEN PARM belong on the same menu; usually just get people to chalk it up to a Jersey thing.
Thing is, as much as I want to love Szabolcs and his place based on the menu alone, the food isn't quite there yet. The crust is more cracker than dough and the burger...I can't agree Sean, it's just another frozen Hungarian burger loaded with cucumbers and secret sauce. Ok, it's not weirdly spiced.
I'm gonna keep trying though, and in the meantime gonna keep trying to convince Wilkinson to make a real Italian sweet sausage. A real sausage sub, oh man...
I think it would be great if he had sweet or spicy Italian sausage but...get a delivery point somewhere in Pest. The 2 spots in Buda could be less convenient.
This thread is so funny!!!
I wonder how much is the advertising on this site...
Erik, if you think that the pizza without tomato is crappy, you should have a trip in your mother land this summer... and for who is missing Italian sausages, just order them from any Italian food supplier... very easy.
While we're at the subject of no-tomatoes pizza, do these guys sell the so-called "white pizza"?
If not, does anyone know how to make it?
I used to have one of those once in a while.
Regular pizza is best with Italian sausage, mushrooms and peppers on top. No tropical fruit please!
Baked ziti goes well with Italian sausages and meatballs. I have yet to find a way to eat a meatball hero with dignity...
I went there once, had a very pleasant time meeting Szabolcs (extremely friendly), and have been ordering delivery from them every weekend since.
If you want a slab of heart attack I whole-heartedly recommend the Bronx pizza. Delicious. My wife is partial to the chicken fettuccine and though I'm gearing up for the Meatball sub this weekend I am concerned following my encounter with the cheeseburger. Quite tasty but these rapid-deterioration buns (TGIF's use them as well) make for a very frustrating eating experience. Where's the sourdough roll?
This place is great, very low prices with large portions, friendly service, and respectable delivery (pizza has so far arrived hot both times). Tell a friend--let's keep Szabolcs afloat.
Now if they'd only have Pastrami on Rye with some ass-kicking mustard I'd be a very happy man!
@ Tom V: "frozen Hungarian burger loaded with cucumbers and secret sauce"... awwww, crap. Don't tell me that. I had the standard cheeseburger about a month ago and there were no raw cucumbers or secret sauces or csalamade or any of that shit to be seen, anywhere. Please don't tell me Szabolcs went and Magyar-ized his burger!!
About the only complaint I had about the burger I tried was that the chef had obviously gone at this (quite edible) patty of ground beef with his spatula and mashed it into the griddle with all his might. And so, a thin layer of beef poked out the sides of the bun like a steamroller had passed over it. I've seen dudes at the hamburger joint at Moricz Zsigmond doing the same dumbass thing. Hungary has such a long wag to go in hamburgerology, I'm sad to say.
Stefan - "Now if they'd only have Pastrami on Rye with some ass-kicking mustard I'd be a very happy man!" While I agree it would be great to get some pastrami on rye, maybe even a Ruben, it really has no place in a pizza joint.
I have tried most of the places on the hamburger list, and i think
this is by far the best of all of them. Go and try it!!!!!!!
The pizzas are also very good.
This is a great place.
@Sean this clearly calls for further investigation...
@Andrea are you also the sort that claims that there's no such thing as an American Cuisine? And when you say "if you havn't had a pizza in Italy, you haven't had a pizza" of course you really mean Naples. And by Naples you really mean Da Michele, right?
@Gladio I'd love something more specific than "any Italian supplier." I've tried Dolce and Pomod'oro so far with no luck. None of the restaurants serve it. Please, do tell.
Ha - I was just thinking about Da Michele this morning! And here's what will really cook your noodle: When Da Michele opened in 1870, Italy as we know it was only nine years old (The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was absorbed into the new Kingdom of Italy in March of '61). Which means that, assuming they didn't "invent the pizza" after 1861, it was probably "invented" when Naples was being ruled by the Bourbons. But this doesn't mean that pizza is actually Spanish/French; since the Two Sicilies was first created by the Normans back in the 12th century, it means pizza is Spanish/French/British/Scandanavian!
Da Michele 1870???
Is it another advert on this site???
Is it still open???
Is it American or Italian???
Do they serve spaghetti with meatballs???
Do they serve "parmesan" or Parmigiano Reggiano???
I'm just curious...
@Gladio
"Da Michele" is an old pizzeria in Naples. It's not difficult to find a good pizzeria in Italy especially in Naples area.
@Erik
Pizza is Spanish, French,British and Scandinavian ??? .... si, certo!!!!!
Cheers!!!!
there is also another writing about it:
http://budajest.wordpress.com/2009/04/27/new-york-pizza-salatabar/
very good place. love it.
@Györgyi: OMG is there really no beer? That's no good! But the real question is what Barnabás thought about the place? :)
OMG ERIK they totally do have beer!
regarding some of the above comments: i really have to recommend the lunch menu. it has to be one of the best values in the city - the baked ziti is super. Plus, Szabolcs is paying attention to these comments, and taking them into consideration when undertaking improvements, which means a lot to this guy.
I just read about New York Pizza, went there tonight, and going back again! Finally, I walked into a place, was greeted, ordered easily and enjoyed a good value, oh and a deicious pizza. If you haven't been, it's definitely worth the time.
erik, wish i read this review yesterday while i was in the area to try it. will definitely go back and do so. love!!! NY style pizza and glad to hear it's better than the NY hot dogs i've tried here.
will, sounds as though you should give owner szabolcs your tips not the reviewer. seriously, why not partner and make the place a truly fabulous place to go feed.
:) strangely/sadly enough, i don't care for pizza in italy, happy with what i grew accustomed to in the USA even if it isn't 'authentic'. not to mention the disgusted stares i got in milano for picking up my pizza by hand in a restaurant. :)
oh, and when ordering a pepperoni pizza in roma there was no sausage only fresh pepper slices. so i'm with the ny style pie!
They have beer already? I understood (from Sean) that they were working on liquor license but it was still had a ways to go.
If they'd only deliver to deep XIIIth we'd be ordering almost daily. So I'll have to wait for a weekend to check out that sweet deal of a lunch menu.
Keep NY PIZZA alive!
We all can learn a lot from the true history of
The Leaning Tower of Pizza:
http://tinyurl.com/p75bwo
It's official: they have a beer tap flowing now.
I've eaten at location, and ordered delivery. Both are an exceptional
experience, when you crave some real Italian-American style grub.
Insanely friendly service, delicious food (burgers, pizza, and pasta
rock, especially the baked ziti) and unbeatable prices. Yummy!
Okay, so I've finally tried it - the pizza was just what I was looking
for and the while the base may not have been thick enough to
qualify as a 'pie', it was more to my taste, thin and slightly crisp at
the edges. After ordering extra cheese it was still a little on the
mean side, but that may be because I usually make my own pizzas
:) Good on the taste front though and service was well inside an
hour at peak time! I would order again!
This needs to be revisited: I've eaten here 3 times in the past 2 weeks (2 meatball subs, 1 Italian Sausage), -- I am thinking of going there right now -- and I have to say, this place is really good. Ok the meatball sandwich roll is not the best but passable for BP and the meatballs are the best you are going to find in Budapest and rank up there with what you would find at a pizzeria in the US. Friday I was a bit hesitant to order the Italian Sausage roll fearing it would be a huge let down - come on Italian sausage in BP(I was unimpressed by the burger before but some here know what a stickler I am for a great burger), IT WAS FANTASTIC. The owner has sausages made to order which is what makes them good. Thank god this place isn't closer or I would be there all the time. If you haven't been you should definitely take a visit real soon. Csaba, great job...I really hope there are copycats.
Dear Erik,
Italian Americans were the product of a diaspora that went on for many generations. They took their culture to land that was far more affluent and offered more choices than their homeland, and this was duly reflected in their culinary innovations. While proudly opening reataurants that maintained the traditions of their homeland, they invented as well, because the vast resources of the US allowed them to do that. What they created in places like New York and New Jersey is every bit as authentic "Italian" food as what is in Italy; it's just a different "species" of the cuisine.
Unfortunately this statement means that the culinary abortion of ethnic food, namely Hungo-Chinese bufe, is also authentic; though I am pretty sure close to 1 Billion Chinese might believe these to be 'fighting words'.
Dear C'est Moi,
I see cuisine fusion as inevitable when we are talking about tens of millions of people (like the Italian Americans.), over 7 or more generations in a foreign land create their own unique culinary adaptations and traditions. Seen that way, I see their innovations as "legitimate", especially when they become part of the culture. I would distinguish that from a lone chef or restaurant owner making their own experimentations.
Variants become inevitable with differences of geography and ingredient availability. This has happened even in Hungary with the national dish, gulyás. I've seen a Hungarian cookbook from the 1860's, which lists a mind boggling 30(!) regional variants on the national dish! The author freely admits that this is due to differences in local ingredient availability, besides preference and custom.
I actually agree with everything you originally wrote, unfortunately Hungo-Chinese food is the outlier we have to live with.
Lodi, N.J? you have to be kidding. There is nothing, and i mean NOTHING that compares to a slice of pizza in a real NEW YORK CITY pizzeria. Especially Brooklyn and The Bronx. Go to (Grimaldi's) in Brooklyn, N.Y., or (Johnnie's) in Mt.Vernon, N.Y. and tell me it can get better than that. FUHGEDDABOUDIT!!!