Restaurant Review: Forcella
- Monetenero Deep Fried Pizza
Forcella has recently been receiving a lot of buzz within the blogging community. I’m always up for trying new pizza spots and this one stuck out as a must get to before they get their liquor license. We arrived at 7pm on a Saturday without a reservation which was perfect timing to snag a seat at the bar with no wait. However it became quite crowded shortly after we sat down. The host and waiter were very warm and welcoming and both spoke Italian which I thought was a benefit.
- Materdei Pizza
The appetizer menu is limited so we went straight to two pies ordering the Montenaro from the fried pizza list and the Materdei (margherita and hot salami). Both were delivered to the table hot and delicious. The pizzas both tasted really good and were made with fresh imported ingredients. The Materdei was not as crispy as I would have liked but had a really nice char from the wood-oven. The bill was $40 for two people (two pizzas and two sodas) and it seems like this will turn into even more of a scenester place than it is now once they get their liquor license. I would gladly come back, if you are a pizza fan this place is definitely worth a try.
- Close up of the Materdei Pizza
--DBlock
Otto Enoteca Pizzeria: Review
When the wait at Eataly’s Pizza and Pasta dining area was 90 minutes we decided we could venture downtown to get our Batali fix at Otto Enoteca Pizzeria (5th Avenue & 8th Street). This was my first trip to Otto and as soon as we stepped inside the restaurant’s ambiance impressed me. We were seated right away (Sunday around 4pm).
Salumi, Prosciutto, Pancetta, Coppa, Testa
The server was friendly and had a ton of suggestions and really knew his way around the menu. We started with my favorite kind of antipasto – a meat platter of Prosciutto, Pancetta, Coppa, Testa & Salami. All of the meats were awesome except Testa. For those of you that don’t speak Italian Testa means Head and yes it was Head Cheese. I had a few awful experiences with Testa in the past but decided to try it again… still GROSS (for those of you who don’t know the definition of head cheese is a meat jelly made with flesh from the head of a calf or pig). Out of the things I have tried I think Head Cheese/Testa is the most repulsive and I still do not like it. But hey four out of five of the meats were delicious.
For the main course we ordered two pizzas:
The Margherita D.O.P. (Tomato, Bufala Mozzarella and Basil)
Buffalo Mozzarella, Basil, Tomato Sauce
Quattro Stagione (Four Seasons, tomato & mozzarella served with one-quarter of each: swiss chard, mushrooms, peppers, cotto)
Squash, Ham, Mushrooms & Peppers
Both of the pizzas came to our table piping hot. The mix of a perfectly cooked crust, great tasting sauce and delicious toppings hit the spot.
The waiter told us we couldn’t leave without trying the homemade gelato. They have about 10 flavors) we tried Salty Peanut and Vanilla. They were so creamy and had just the right amount of sweetness for the perfect post meal dessert.
There are many other dishes on the menu (most for under $10) including vegetable sides, pasta dishes, about 12 different pizzas, various cheeses. I plan on coming back multiple times to try many other dishes. Don’t get me wrong there are definitely better places to get pizza in the city but this is a trip worth making.
Good:
Delicious Food
Affordable Prices
Friendly Service
Homemade Gelato
Bad:
I have nothing bad to say about this place except if you have friends that don’t like pizza or pasta (1. you shouldn’t be friends with them) but they probably will not enjoy it.
Review: 4/5 Stars
--DBlockSan Marzano All You Can Eat & Drink: Reviewed
A few weeks back a bunch of my friends and I decided it was time for a holiday dinner. Out of all the different places to choose from in NYC someone suggested San Marzano Brick Oven Pizza, in the Lower East Side (Clinton Street), because they offer an AYCE/D special for $40/person for 2 hours. Obviously I am a fan of AYCE/D dinners so to the LES we went.
We were seated immediately and they did not make us wait for the entire party to give us a table. The restaurant was empty for a Thursday night and they started by bringing out various appetizers including:
Freshly Baked Bread, Olives, Meatball & Prosciutto
Antipasto platter with olives, roasted red peppers, prosciutto, speck, salami, grape tomatoes and freshly baked bread.
Meatballs (baked to order in mushroom marinara sauce, served with fresh bread)
Brussels Sprouts (with pancetta, Fuji apples and pecorino Romano)
Fresh Mozzarella with Basil & Tomato
We were able to order a second round of everything we liked (which was everything) and they were generously refilling our wine glasses (choice of beer, house white and house red). Once we had our appetizer fill they brought out two pizzas:
Margherita Pizza
Margherita
Fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, basil, extra virgin olive oil
Caprino Pizza
Caprino
Fontina, goat cheese, caramelized onions, shitake and button mushrooms, roasted garlic, thyme, white truffle oil
We ordered another round of each and they came out within about five minutes. The pizzas were very good had a great flavor (good tasting sauce), not necessarily a crispy crust but that pliable type of brick oven crust with a smoky taste. The cheese was high quality and although I did not try the Caprino my friends raved about it (when does truffle oil ever go wrong?).
I highly recommend this place for affordable group outings/dinners. It’s not the type of place you go to get hammered (not sake bombing style) but it was great that we didn’t have to settle the check at the end of the meal and we were all well fed. I will definitely be back for the next group special occasion.
Good:
Great homemade bread
Brussels Sprouts & all appetizers are as good as they sound on the menu
Really good/quick/fresh to order pizzas
Bad:
To get the most out of the $40 deal I recommend bringing at least 6 people
Far walk to the subway
Reservations Required for special
Overall Rating: 3.5/5 Stars (if going with a group I’d raise this to a 4/5 stars)
Recommended Dish: Antipasto & Margherita Pizza
--DBlock
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