OT: Best Pizza in CT

[mussels]

Gimmick or not, it works for me for a few reasons.

First, any gimmick that gets me to eat more salad is neither simple nor dumb imo. Like Jim Gaffigan aptly calling out salad with bacon as a game of Find the Bacon, eating a well-designed and pretty healthy salad with a nice, warm everything bagel taste and crunch with each bite keeps me wanting more salad. I don't know if you watched the video showing how it is made, but the everything bagel pizza shell is topped with mozz and red onions and cooked in the oven first, then topped with a thin layer of sour cream, and then the salad is spread on top. So, a little different--and better imo--than merely tossing some everything bagel croutons in a salad. I imagine those croutons could take out a crown after a day or so, too.

Second, making a single-serving salad is a royal pain in the ass imo, and usually pretty wasteful because you can't buy only enough stuff to make a single serving of salad. Anytime I find a good prepared salad, I am happy.

Third, like any pizza topping, the slice itself is a good delivery mechanism. The thin layer of sour cream helps most of the salad stay put on the slice while you are eating it, which is another bonus because eating salad on the run can be tricky (and very frequently leads to dressing splatter on my shirt, tie and/or suit which is not easy to remove).

Fourth, and finally, the fact that it triggers so many people might make me like it even more.

So in other words - a 5000 calorie salad.

 

[storrsroars]

Kind of like my attitude about there being two types of music, that's how I feel about food.

 

[8893]

So in other words - a 5000 calorie salad.

I'm guessing it's probably around 400 calories per slice, but they are large slices.

 

[storrsroars]

I eat a lot of salad. Just had one for lunch today. I hate making them for the reasons I mentioned. One of my regular lunch spots has a very good salad bar where you point and tell them what you want and they make it for you. That's what I did today, and I always have them add a meatball or two on top (one today). Today's also had: baby arugula, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, shredded carrots, banana peppers, raw broccoli, artichoke hearts, black olives, Kalamata olives, a hard boiled egg adnd half of an avocado. Red wine vinegar and olive oil. No freaking way am I taking the time to buy, store and prepare all that stuff for one or two lunch salads a week. Maybe once we are empty nesters and semi-retired, but I've gone through enough phases of trying to buy, store and prepare all the stuff and it just doesn't work for my lifestyle now.

I recall you saying you don't cook. Too bad. I cook and what you describe is incredibly easy to both shop for and make. Just takes menu planning.

So in other words - a 5000 calorie salad.

The sine qua non of Pittsburgh cuisine:

Pittsburgh-Style Steak Salad - Heather Mangieri Nutrition

A Pittsburgh-style steak salad is a steak salad topped with steak, French fries, cheddar cheese, egg, tomato & ranch dressing.

heathermangieri.com

I actually made one of those this year, first time in 20 years since I've been here. Not sure I'll dow it again. Hot meat juices mixing with the dressing is a bit weird.

 

[8893]

I recall you saying you don't cook. Too bad. I cook and what you describe is incredibly easy to both shop for and make. Just takes menu planning.

I cook, but not frequently. I started out working in restaurant kitchens when I was 15 and worked literally every position from the back of the house to the front of the house except head chef. I'm a decent cook and cooked a lot more when I lived alone in law school and was really tight on money, but I don't really like to cook and I don't like menu planning and shopping. I just like the sense of accomplishment when something turns out well; and of course I love eating.

 

[pepband99]

So in other words - a 5000 calorie salad.

 

[Husky Alien]

Bo and Fitz must be turning in the graves.

They are turning in their graves saying I wish we had thought of that! All kidding aside, being Italian and growing up my mother always made her own pies and we always had salad with it. We would at times also put it on top of the pizza with whatever topping was on it. So really not as far fetch as some people might think. Love the tang of the salad and dressing with the pizza. The key is not to drown the salad with dressing just a little bit. TROPPO BUONO!

 

[8893]

They are turning in their graves saying I wish we had thought of that! All kidding aside, being Italian and growing up my mother always made her own pies and we always had salad with it. We would at times also put it on top of the pizza with whatever topping was on it. So really not as far fetch as some people might think. Love the tang of the salad and dressing with the pizza. The key is not to drown the salad with dressing just a little bit. TROPPO BUONO!

I frequently do the same when we have pizza at home and I want to finish off the salad on my plate. And we’ve been dipping the crusts in good balsamic vinaigrettes at least since we were doing it at Harry’s on Farmington Ave. in 1993.

 

[Husky Alien]

I frequently do the same when we have pizza at home and I want to finish off the salad on my plate. And we’ve been dipping the crusts in good balsamic vinaigrettes at least since we were doing it at Harry’s on Farmington Ave. in 1993.

That's awesome. Harry's still has very good pies.

 

[storrsroars]

I frequently do the same when we have pizza at home and I want to finish off the salad on my plate. And we’ve been dipping the crusts in good balsamic vinaigrettes at least since we were doing it at Harry’s on Farmington Ave. in 1993.

Thank you for not dipping in ranch.

 

[8893]

Thank you for not dipping in ranch.

That, for me, is the other type of food.

 

[David 76]

Just had my first arugula and prosciutto pie. Tasty. Not a mainstay kind of pie but a "I'm in the mood for something different.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

They are turning in their graves saying I wish we had thought of that! All kidding aside, being Italian and growing up my mother always made her own pies and we always had salad with it. We would at times also put it on top of the pizza with whatever topping was on it. So really not as far fetch as some people might think. Love the tang of the salad and dressing with the pizza. The key is not to drown the salad with dressing just a little bit. TROPPO BUONO!

'So really not as far fetch as some people might think.'
yeah, umm, no. it's one thing to put some salad on a remaining slice of pie, and mangia. it's a whole different kettle of fish to have no 'salad' course, cuz the radishes, cukes, raddichio, fresh peas in the pod, caesar dressing, and such are already paired up with 00 flour, crushed tomato and garlic confit, scamorza, with oil, and all blasted at 700 degrees.
now that i think this thru, howcum no one seems to put plain, peeled, fresh garlic cloves, or hot marinara, on a regular salad? crisscross!

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Thanks. That was labor-saving.

 

[Husky Alien]

'So really not as far fetch as some people might think.'
yeah, umm, no. it's one thing to put some salad on a remaining slice of pie, and mangia. it's a whole different kettle of fish to have no 'salad' course, cuz the radishes, cukes, raddichio, fresh peas in the pod, caesar dressing, and such are already paired up with 00 flour, crushed tomato and garlic confit, scamorza, with oil, and all blasted at 700 degrees.
now that i think this thru, howcum no one seems to put plain, peeled, fresh garlic cloves, or hot marinara, on a regular salad? crisscross!

Uh, mm nah! No kettleoffsh pour favour. Pleeze no zeazer drezzing jst vinaigrettes. Roasted grlk is another thing. Start e psta thread 2 find ot.... lol

 

[nashusky109]

Bo and Fitz must be turning in the graves.

It's a nice change of pace every once in a while (last time i ordered it was 2 years ago) but i'm not gonna hate on it. Pizza is pizza. It's a vessel for whatever you want to put on it. I prefer a standard cheese pie wherever I go as the litmus test but once i've had it a couple times i like to venture out and try different toppings on it. Lets be real.. salad is not even close to the most egregious topping(s) that some people put on their pizzas. If you like it, eat it. If you don't like it, don't eat it then. Im not gonna knock someone else's taste preferences especially if i don't have to eat it.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

It's a nice change of pace every once in a while (last time i ordered it was 2 years ago) but i'm not gonna hate on it. Pizza is pizza. It's a vessel for whatever you want to put on it. I prefer a standard cheese pie wherever I go as the litmus test but once i've had it a couple times i like to venture out and try different toppings on it. Lets be real.. salad is not even close to the most egregious topping(s) that some people put on their pizzas. If you like it, eat it. If you don't like it, don't eat it then. Im not gonna knock someone else's taste preferences especially if i don't have to eat it.

of course taste is personal journey, but so is the journey to basic good health, or as momma once said to me 'sure, u can put a scoop of peppermint ice cream on ur hot dogs and beans, but don't come whining to me when ur innards start acting like an indy 500 pileup.' wait, check that, i think she said 'kishkes.'
wiseguy that i can be, i prolly said sumthin lke this,
'Conosco il mio intestino, grazie, mama.'
iirc, i didn't. lesson learned.

 

[Mano]

Watch out New Haven…

Avon pizzaiolo wins World Pizza Champion

In Connecticut, there’s a lot of discussion as to who makes the best pizza. Some say Pepe’s, while others say Sally’s or Modern.

www.wtnh.com

 

[Bezzz]

Watch out New Haven…

Avon pizzaiolo wins World Pizza Champion

In Connecticut, there’s a lot of discussion as to who makes the best pizza. Some say Pepe’s, while others say Sally’s or Modern.

www.wtnh.com

I designed Michael's restaurant! Nice guy.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Watch out New Haven…

Avon pizzaiolo wins World Pizza Champion

In Connecticut, there’s a lot of discussion as to who makes the best pizza. Some say Pepe’s, while others say Sally’s or Modern.

www.wtnh.com

Interesting, may have to stop by...

 

[Balker]

Watch out New Haven…

Avon pizzaiolo wins World Pizza Champion

In Connecticut, there’s a lot of discussion as to who makes the best pizza. Some say Pepe’s, while others say Sally’s or Modern.

www.wtnh.com

Look, I’m not saying this place is awful, but I’m not sure this contest is succeeding at identifying the worlds best pizzas.

 

[storrsroars]

Watch out New Haven…

Avon pizzaiolo wins World Pizza Champion

In Connecticut, there’s a lot of discussion as to who makes the best pizza. Some say Pepe’s, while others say Sally’s or Modern.

www.wtnh.com

They may be a very good pizza place, but you're only going to know that by going there and eating, not by a press release on winning a pizza competition at a trade show. Those "competitions" are generally BS. Great for marketing, but like most food competitions, it's much more a game to be played with some chicanery than it is an actual test of greatness. We've got a small local chain here that's won in several categories over the years and it sucks. It only has conveyor ovens at its shops, while in competition they use a traditional deck. They won something like "stretchiest dough" with a dough recipe they've never used in their shops. Also won "best pizza" with some concoction with duck confit that's not on their menu. Stuff like that happens all the time at these things. I've seen it first-hand at coffee and BBQ competitions.

 

[Balker]

They may be a very good pizza place, but you're only going to know that by going there and eating, not by a press release on winning a pizza competition at a trade show. Those "competitions" are generally BS. Great for marketing, but like most food competitions, it's much more a game to be played with some chicanery than it is an actual test of greatness. We've got a small local chain here that's won in several categories over the years and it sucks. It only has conveyor ovens at its shops, while in competition they use a traditional deck. They won something like "stretchiest dough" with a dough recipe they've never used in their shops. Also won "best pizza" with some concoction with duck confit that's not on their menu. Stuff like that happens all the time at these things. I've seen it first-hand at coffee and BBQ competitions.

 

[8893]

Watch out New Haven…

Avon pizzaiolo wins World Pizza Champion

In Connecticut, there’s a lot of discussion as to who makes the best pizza. Some say Pepe’s, while others say Sally’s or Modern.

www.wtnh.com

I designed Michael's restaurant! Nice guy.

Interesting, may have to stop by...

My sister lives in Avon and says this is their favorite place in town, especially their pepperoni.

But the New Haven apizzza places--which they still visit frequently--are in no danger of being dethroned.

ETA: Trigger warning for @storrsroars :

INSALATA PIE

Mixed greens, grape tomato, fresh mozzarella, kalamata olives, red onion, roasted red peppers & balsamic vinaigrette on a garlic herb pie crust

And trigger warning for me!

CHICKEN BACON RANCH

Buttermilk ranch covered crust with grilled chicken, crumbled bacon & red onion

 

[Stinger92860]

The best Apizza in CT is at my house. I have a wood fired oven and a dough recipe which has evolved over the years. I use a sourdough starter which I’ve now had for over 9 years. I ”acquired” it in the Bronx. If anyone wants to discuss pm me.

On the sourdough starter, I don’t think pizza should be made without it. It gives the pizza some much more flavor. I use a minimum 3 day cold ferment to bring out the flavor.

I’ve been talking to the owner of Bad Ass Bagles in Norwalk and she uses a sourdough starter for her bagels. Her bagels are awesome, as are her own cream cheeses.