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Old 09-08-2011, 06:28 PM
 
10 posts, read 60,687 times
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I've lived my entire life in California, so you won't need to remind me that I don't know squat about good pizza.

The pizza I had in Boston is the best I've ever eaten, so you shouldn't get too agitated when I say that Boston pizza rates a 10 and the best Cali pizza I've ever had rates a solid 8.5.

Yes, the weather in California is dramatically better than the weather in Boston, but the pizza in Boston is only slightly better than the pizza in Orange County, CA.

I don't make these comparisons to incite, only to illuminate. For at least 30 years I've been hearing that it is a known, tested and accepted fact that the difference between East Coast pizza and West Coast pizza is approximately the difference between sex with Scarlett Johansson and sex with Broom Hilda.

I wanted it to be true. I wanted to have an epiphany. I wanted to have a pizza orgasm. I didn't, and none of you can be as disappointed and annoyed about it as I.

For the record, I tried only two pies: Santarpio's and Ernesto's. Ernesto's gets the nod for superior crust, the sauce and toppings were a dead heat.

On the bright side, my two game stay at Fenway Park was so far in excess of my overinflated expectations about what it would be like as to cause my pizza frustration to fade into absolute insignificance.
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Old 09-08-2011, 07:28 PM
 
Location: Boston
1,082 posts, read 2,881,874 times
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I'm glad you liked Fenway! I grew up in Santa Ana, and mostly agree with you regarding the pizza. There are some good pizzas to be had in Orange County, even my wife from New York would agree. The thing that I think confuses people is that the pizza is fairly different, yet not different enough to be considered a distinct style.

One of my favorite pizzas ever was at a place in OC called Numero Uno. I don't think it still exists, but it was amazing. What you had here (Santarpio's) is definitely top tier, so I won't try to tell you went to the wrong place. You just have some good experience counter to expectation, nothing wrong with that.
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Old 09-08-2011, 10:43 PM
 
Location: Dallas
4,630 posts, read 10,437,282 times
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See the line out the door at Pizzeria Regina? This line was there for the entire 15 years I lived in BOS which is why I never went in. I'm sure if you go down there right now you will see there is STILL a line out the door there. Clearly this, plus the aroma, strongly suggests PR is a major contender for Best Pizza in Boston, which, IMHO, largely sucks. I think the South End is the world capital for bad pizza. NY blows BOS away for pizza.

Anyways - food for thought!

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Old 09-09-2011, 10:27 AM
 
Location: Newton, Mass.
2,954 posts, read 12,273,931 times
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I lived many a year in New York. My thought is that there are a small number of places in and near Boston with good pizza, and a lot of places that absolutely stink. Particularly in the South End. That "NY" place on Mass Av. near Wally's: yuk! New York (and especially Brooklyn) does beat Boston, hands down, for just walking off the street and buying a slice. In New York it will more than likely be good, in Boston not so much. Ditto bagels. But I do like the few good places. Net result - I eat less pizza, which I imagine is good for the waistline anyway.

BTW-Regina opened in the former Sports Depot in Allston and there's hardly ever a wait since the space is so big. The quality is much closer to the original North End restaurant than the "Regina" you'd get at South Station or Quincy Market. I generally go there or Santarpio's when I feel like pizza. Presto or Pino at Cleveland Circle will do fine too.
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Old 09-09-2011, 03:51 PM
 
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Sorry: I misread your post. What I should have said is that if you'd tried Woody's in the Fenway, you would have been pleasantly surprised.

Last edited by rranger; 09-09-2011 at 04:18 PM..
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Old 09-13-2011, 10:22 AM
 
Location: Stamford, CT
420 posts, read 1,364,686 times
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My theory on the issue with boston pizza is strongly tied to the lack of many diners.

In NY every diner you see (and there are MANY) is greek... just about every pizza place you see is Itallian. In boston, theres some issue with a lack of diners... so there are more Greek Pizzarias.

I find boston has some awesome gourmet pizza, like Upper Crust and Crazy Doughs, but they realy do lack that perfect greasy slice. Homemade mararnaria, perfect amount of garlic and seasonings, not overly sweet... cooked in a brick oven. Crust nice and thin, but not burnt... mmmm

Ernestos is actually one of my favorite pizzas in boston (good job not going to Reginas). I agree, their crust is the way it should be (although sometimes undercooked), and the sauce is pretty decent. Sometimes the ratio of cheese to sauce wasnt perfect. (I lived in the northend for a few years, had it more then I'd like to admit).

Before you make the claims that east coast pizza isnt much better, take a trip to NY... but do research first, dont get taken in by the tourist traps.

Last edited by Highwyre237; 09-13-2011 at 10:34 AM..
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Old 09-13-2011, 10:33 AM
 
Location: Stamford, CT
420 posts, read 1,364,686 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by holden125 View Post
I lived many a year in New York. My thought is that there are a small number of places in and near Boston with good pizza, and a lot of places that absolutely stink. Particularly in the South End. That "NY" place on Mass Av. near Wally's: yuk! New York (and especially Brooklyn) does beat Boston, hands down, for just walking off the street and buying a slice. In New York it will more than likely be good, in Boston not so much. Ditto bagels. But I do like the few good places. Net result - I eat less pizza, which I imagine is good for the waistline anyway.

BTW-Regina opened in the former Sports Depot in Allston and there's hardly ever a wait since the space is so big. The quality is much closer to the original North End restaurant than the "Regina" you'd get at South Station or Quincy Market. I generally go there or Santarpio's when I feel like pizza. Presto or Pino at Cleveland Circle will do fine too.

Agreed with all points here. Although the NY Pizza on Tremont, near Emerson is pretty decent. Not great, the sauce tends to be too chunky, but it doesnt have that gross sweet taste to it. Good sized slices too.

Bagels, I blame that on a few things... Boston, not only hates a good greek diner, they hate a good Jewish Deli (and Italian Deli for that matter). Sure there are a few, but in NY, theres one around every corner...

I just dont get it... But yeah, I hardly ever bother with pizza or bagels in boston. They have some great food here, but after growing up in NY, the pizza and bagels just cant compete.
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Old 09-16-2011, 09:50 PM
 
Location: Macao
16,265 posts, read 43,018,700 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chuy617 View Post
For at least 30 years I've been hearing that it is a known, tested and accepted fact that the difference between East Coast pizza and West Coast pizza is approximately the difference between sex with Scarlett Johansson and sex with Broom Hilda.
New York City and New Haven CT are well-known as the best pizza in the country.

Never heard anyone talk about going to Boston to get pizza....I always thought clam chowder and other seafood type stuff is the Boston specialty, never pizza.
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Old 09-19-2011, 03:20 PM
 
6 posts, read 9,102 times
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We had like 15 different pizza joints in my old city, generally relatively distinct from each other but still pretty good on the whole.

I've had New York pizza twice, one from some random place in Flushing, and the other from the Metro Cafe near Korea Town. This probably sounds absurd but the pizza at the Metro Cafe was amazing. I'd never had fresh mozzarella on a pizza before that point.

And yet what I assume to be rather generic pizza for NYC manages to top nearly every pizza I've had in Boston. I have a crapton of Greek diners in the area with the same greasy pizza that tastes good on the first slice but becomes rapidly disappointing. I don't care for the marinara most of them use, and the crust always seems off. I had better pizza at Papa Gino's last weekend, amazingly enough.

When I moved here, I was eager to try all the pizza, and was then surprised when I saw my neighbor carrying in Domino's one night. After a couple of months, I realized he had the right of it. I'm still open to trying things, but I've been perpetually disappointed by Boston pizza.
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Old 09-19-2011, 06:59 PM
 
Location: Boston
1,082 posts, read 2,881,874 times
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I disagree with the notion that there is no good pizza here. I have family from New York who love the pizza places I take them to. You just have to know the right places, which admittedly, can require some experimentation. But they are out there, no question about it.
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