EATS

Posted by Jay Jerrier @ 9:18 PM Wed, Apr 09, 2008

Glad to see the write up on Campania Southlake - we are still tinkering with everything to get it as close to the Neapolitan ideal as possible. It helps that our GM, Maurizio Primo is from Naples. He and I were tinkering with the ratios of 00 flour, water, salt and yeast in the dough earlier this week. Our next step is to get rid of the shredded dry mozzarella and make all of our pies with fresh fior di latte (cow's milk mozzarella). We are going to make it on-site and also have partners that built an "Italian" cheese factory just over the border in Mexico. We'll have access to cheese made according to Italian tradition that can be trucked in fresh instead of shipped frozen...and that means REALLY fresh mozzarella di bufala (made from the milk of the water buffalo). I could go on and on about pizza and bore everyone to tears...but if you have time to kill, hunt me down in Southlake or drop me an email.

Jay

Posted by Donna @ 11:19 PM Wed, Apr 09, 2008

So happy that Kelly's Eastside is getting some good press. I've been going to this place at least once every other month (that's frequent for me) ever since I moved to Dallas. Awesome neighborhood restaurant feel with generally good quality southern food. Love the live music on the patio when the weather is nice, love that we can watch sports on the many TVs without the typical sports bar drunken hooligans around.

Posted by Sarah @ 10:04 AM Thu, Apr 10, 2008

If you've ever had Coal Vines Pizza on Cedar Springs, you know we haven't been lacking for outstanding pizza. It is as close as you can get to New York while still in your spurs.

Posted by CKent @ 10:54 AM Thu, Apr 10, 2008

Grimaldi's - I have read many past readers comments and now I completely agree. Here is where you confuse your readers - when you put that GUIDELIVE PICK moniker in your review. If you read the review, you gave it a lukewarm reception. You gave the impression that its a work-in-process restaurant. With that special insignia you give the impression that Grimaldi's is a solid, can't miss restaurant..but again from your review it clearly isn't!

My review of Grimaldi's is that it is very average. Service is good and atmosphere is very West Village, but the food does not stand out. Two of the three primary ingredients, crust (nothing special) and sauce (sour) again are just ok. I'll just say Olivella's blows this place out of the water.

I have never been to NYC's Grimaldi's, but if you ask me, this is a sellout. They used the Grimaldi brand to sell pies. Its a great idea, but not great execution. Check the ToGo boxes, they mention all of these locations opening across the USA, but they never mention the NY location!

Oh, and if you want good pizza thats not part of the "FuFu Category" (meaning it won't cost you $25 for a pie), goto Carmine's Pizza off Spring Valley and the Tollway. You'll be impressed!

Posted by Bill Kennedy @ 11:06 AM Thu, Apr 10, 2008

The biggest problem -- that exists to this day -- with Grimaldi's is that the cooks don't know how to cook a pizza to match the toppings on it. A great deal of the time, one gets a pizza with a soggy, drooping middle. Their 5 classic toppings is by far the worst. This blunder is as common as white on rice around the food boards of Dallas.

Rather than a "..server suggest[ing] that he request the cooks make it extra crispy so the center of the crust would be fully cooked" the manager of the place should have a looooooooong chat with all the cooks and show them how to cook a pizza properly. One shouldn't have to rely on a prescient server to save one's meal from the cook.

Until that happens we, and many others we know, will never go back.

Posted by Bill Addison @ 11:36 AM Thu, Apr 10, 2008

Thanks for the report, BK. Like I said, early in the run I encountered the same problem, but they were cooked to crispness on those two recent meals. Maybe it was a fluke, but it was my experience -- though I do agree that ultimately the servers shouldn't have to instruct the cooks. Nonetheless, the end result was a very good pie.

Posted by Jay Jerrier @ 1:19 PM Thu, Apr 10, 2008

The Patsy's in Dallas is part of a mini-chain that extends out of the Phoenix area and not directly affiliated with the NY/NJ branch. There is some info on the Slice website:

http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2008/03/grimaldis-in-dallasfort-worth-area.html#comments

Another great independent featuring VERY authentic Neapolitan pizza that is off the beaten path is Cavalli Pizza (www.cavallipizza.com). Just south of 635 off the Beltline exit in Irving. The pizza is fantastic.

For your summer reading list: American Pie by Peter Reinhart

Posted by brian @ 2:24 PM Thu, Apr 10, 2008

The shrimp were closer to Texas barbecue – sauced and then grilled.

oi oi Lawson...that's about as far from Texas barbecue as you can get!

Posted by Richard @ 8:26 PM Thu, Apr 10, 2008

I've had lunch a number of times at Grimaldi's- It keeps getting better- Terrific sauce and crust. Actually, have had pizza in Naples, Italy last year, we have pies equal to those available in southern Italy- The only note about Grimaldi's that doesn't ring authentic is that the wait staff are friendly- in New York, it would be "whadda you want?"

Posted by Rachel @ 12:26 PM Fri, Apr 11, 2008

Try i Fratelli pizza for an excellent neapolitan-style pie. They're local (started out in Irving) and family-owned, and have a bunch of delivery locations.

Posted by Sheryll @ 10:58 PM Sat, Apr 12, 2008

Bill,

I appreciate reading your reviews, but you are becoming downright confusing when it comes to Neopolitian pizza. Last year, you raved about Olivella's. On this review, you stated "Until quite recently, Dallas and environs have been deprived in the pizza department." Which is it?

There are many NY-style places around, albeit few vastly superior to others. On the other hand, those of us who hail from the Midwest would kill for one decent Chicago-style pizza joint.

Posted by Bill Addison @ 9:17 AM Sun, Apr 13, 2008

Hey Sheryll --

Didn't mean to be confusing: "Quite recently" wasn't meant to just infer these two restaurants. Later down at that intro part I do say: "Two recent additions to the pizza scene highlight this style, which is offered at only a few other area restaurants."

Olivella's is certainly in the group of "few others" -- and still my favorite among those that I've tried, though I keep hearing good things about Cavalli pizza in Irving. I've got a lot of pizza of all varieties yet to eat around here, which I'm looking forward to tackling ...

Posted by S Davis @ 3:54 PM Mon, Apr 14, 2008

All of these Neopolitan Pizza places are great and the pizza's are quite comperable. However, I can bring my choice of wine to compliment my pie at Campania in West Village. That sure makes it hard to go to other spots and have to pay the Dallas wine mark up for pizza wine. That goes a long way in my book. I also know a lot of people who would never dream of taking their own wine to a reataurant. So, it looks like there is something for everyone in Dallas.