Not Numero Uno, but close... A Review of Numero 28 Pizzeria

More.  Freaking.  Neapolitan Pizza.  And, in a way, I wish I was getting sick of it.  I wish I could honestly stop google imaging pictures of semi melted bufala mozzarella and hand made brick ovens, or stop finishing the remnants of Elana's pies that she thought she was taking home only moments before - but there is no sense in fighting it.  I mean, really, I could have much more destructive habits in life when I think about it - even if this aforementioned pizza addiction may slightly compromise my efforts to get back to my collegiate fighting weight.  I'm just going with it.  And, having said that, Elana and I continue our mission to conquer all (or most) of NYC's Neapolitan pizzerias.

This week's Neapolitan Pizza to review - Numero 28 - which is a cozy, wood fired brick oven, Napoletana Pizzeria at 28 Carmine Street in the West Village.   The decor is nothing spectacular, but it works.  It's a bit dim inside, has a large American Girl In Italy Poster on the wall (among others pictures), and 1 out of 2 working flat screens.  I've seen better looking pizza joints in my day although, typically, in my experiences, the sharpness of a pizzeria's interior and its quality of pizza can sometimes be inversely related.  So who really cares?  Enough small talk, let's see what you've got, Numero 28...

Actually?  It's got plenty. I order their Margherita, which is high quality stuff.  From the outset, 28's pies differentiate themselves a bit from the rest of the Napoli pie making world with a slightly stiffer, flatter and crisper crust.  It does not have the typical pillowy, puffy chewiness that most of its neighborly competitors offer.  But it's not a bad thing in 28's case, just unique.  The crust also has a nice lightly salted flavor.  The degree of flexibility pictured below is actually a bit stiff by Neapolitan standards (only about 50% of the slice is vertical).

The ingredients here are quite impressive: A sweet, salty and fresh tomato sauce; tangy, wet, well placed blobs of mozzarella; and a cooling, minty basil presence to top things off.  It may not sound like rocket science, but it's sweet, sweet music when this is done correctly.  Which it is, in 28's case.

Elana's pear and gorgonzola pie is also an impressive production.  Tender and sweet pears, contrasted by some strategically located nuggets of gorgi bitterness.  It's good; better than the one we had at Olio a week or so earlier.  Walnuts are also sprinkled on top for a satisfying crunchy texture.

This pie also features a well cooked, tasty, charred crust.

Elana takes some photos of the bathroom, as is our custom, which - and this is a JohnandElana first - featured an atm!  You know, just in case they run out of toilet paper?  This has to be a strong contender for Bathroom of the Month for February as far as I'm concerned.  Although demerits indeed for the 9 volt battery powered hand dryer.

When all is said and done, I'd score Numero 28 as well above average.  It also never hurts your reputation for authenticity when an old Southern Italian woman patrols the dining area doing quality control.  Well made pies here, for sure.

Overall Score - Top Gun