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Clay Travis and Dave Portnoy
- Thread starter NYShoreGuy
- Start date
I wouldn't waste a moment of my life paying attention to Clay Travis. Portnoy not far behind....I admire all his pizza reviews but he is way too enamored --for my taste--with very thin crust, very over-baked dough.
His worst call ever by far was Patsy's Pizzeria in Paterson, which is not better than Pizza Hut yet Dave gave it a whopping score. Their pasta is also terrible, and sauce tastes like someone opened a can of crushed tomatoes and mixed it with ketsup. I almost gagged.
Talking about quacks, when I was still working I was looking for an old email and in my search, I found a response I wrote to some writer who didnt give Vics a good enough review. I must have written about 2 pages, proving some quacks have too much time on their hands lol.
The pizza reviews are brilliant in that everyone eats pizza and is passionate about their favorites. No better way to get clicks and build his brand. I don’t pay attention to his reviews but he turned a local business upside down a couple of years ago - Moonlight Pizza in Pen Argyl. Husband and wife small operation only open four days a week that made fixed batches of dough (fermented for four days). You call at 2pm and you get a pick up time. No deviation. He gave them a great review and it blew up the business with people coming from NJ/NY. Took six months to get back to normal.
I prefer thin crust, and Miller’s in Clinton was my go-to.
I prefer thin crust, and Miller’s in Clinton was my go-to.
I’ve never been to Patsy’s in Patterson but had that on my hit list because of his review.
Do yourself a favor and don't. Here's my rough top 10 -
1- Joes Famous Pizzeria (Vauxhall)
2- Forte (Caldwell) (Grandpa pie no garlic extra sauce)
3- Third Proof (Montville) (New Haven pie)
4- PizzaLand (North Arlington)
5- Delorenzo’s (Robbinsville)
6- Joe and Pat’s (Staten Island)
7- Vinnie’s (Millburn)
8- Sally’s Apizz (New Haven)
9- Angeloni’s (Caldwell) (Thin)
10- Columbia Inn (Montville)
11- Nancy’s Townhouse (Rahway)
12- Calabria (Livingston)
Ditto for a place near me (Solar Slice Marietta, GA). They have had lines out the door for weeks since he gave them an 8.1
I don't share his tastes in pizza but I do enjoy his YouTube reviews.
I’ve only been to one of these places. But I feel confident saying that if you have Forte near the top you know pizza.
Nancy’s Townhouse is a cracker with sauce on it. I’ll never understand the thin crust people. You’re just giving the owner bigger profit. It’s just a pizza with less ingredients on it for the same price or more.
Love that description. Grew up in Avon. Love Vics, and Vesuvios in Belmar was good too (closed yrs ago). One of my sons had a game in Belmar, took family to vics, closed on monday, same with vesuvios. Decided to finally try pete and eldas. The pies came, pizza on a matza lol.
Specifically the grandpa pie as described. To be honest I’ve never had a regular plain pie from them and can’t say if it’s still upper tier.
It’s absolutely exquisite. Light and tasty with a perfect amount of crunch on the crust.
I also love a good Sicilian pie, and the best I’ve had is Joes in Vauxhall. Their plain regular or their square Sicilian is top level. But as with any of these pies it must be eaten within the appropriate cooling off window and before it gets dry.
Delucias is another one I just don’t understand. Massively overrated. Average at best and way too thick of a crust.
Papas is nothing special either but not bad.
Same for Contes.
Star Tavern legitimately belongs on there IMO, I didn’t include them on my tops but it is a quality pizza.
Delorenzo’s is exquisite and could’ve easily been #1 on my list too. One of the best pies ever conceived by mankind.
Nice to see the Star on that list. Have always loved that place.
Yes it's very good. I used to be in Jackson, NJ a good amount. It's definitely worth it if you're in the area, but with so many places in North Jersey, I wouldn't run down that way just for the pizza.
Thanks. They just opened a store in Shrewsbury that I plan to try. I am in Middletown, big town filled with mediocre pizza.
It’s good stuff …. I think they are one of many places of all kinds moving into the vicinity because of Netflix, which if you drive through the Fort, is definitely taking shape.
Did you ever have a bar pie at Burlews bar on Rt35 in Clifford Beach? Now that was a bar pie.
Saved me a trip.
I’ve had Sally’s a number of times because business brings me up to that area on occasion. I will say that the whole New Haven thing lives up to the hype and that Sally’s, Pepe’s and Modern all are really freaking top notch. Apparently there are others too.
Also have had Calabria a bunch and like that spot.
Never been, but they are all over my YouTube feeds. They kill the social media stuff.
Believe Portnoy had that one high too. If it’s the review I’m thinking, the owner was battling cancer at the time. Was a pretty emotional review and very cool.
If you like New Haven style you need to try Third Proof in Montville and specifically ask for the New Haven style pie. It’s unreal.
It’s also a three day fermentation process, sourdough crust, which is obviously healthier and quite unique.
It’s a thinner crust so make sure you eat it promptly or it gets dry.
That demonstrates the brilliance of monetizing something that is completely opinion based. I generally like the style he likes, so it's generally helpful to me. I've learned about many restaurants that I otherwise probably never would've known about. That's a win for me, a win for the small business, and a win for him that I follow him. I don't see the problem here.
Not a bad list but the glaring wrongful inclusion is Forte in Caldwell. Average pizza. Now, Tony D’s in Caldwell should be in the top 5. I really like Joe’s but it is not number one. I prefer Frank Pepe’s over Sally’s and I do think New Haven is a bit over rated. Columbia Inn always gets overlooked and it’s damn good.
Have you had the grandpa pie?? If not you can’t make a statement like that until you do. It’s mind blowing. Some days I prefer it to sex.
Strongly disagree on Frank Pepe’s which is pretty average.
Not familiar with Tony D’s I’ll have to put it on the list.
Dating myself but Caldwell Pizza was a classic. Old school and the co-owner would make pies with a lit cigarette hanging from his lips.
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