7/16/2009

Scarfing a New York Slice in Los Angeles: Joe's Pizza on Sunset Blvd.


Day 2 at Joe's Pizza on Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood. It's Joe's second location in Los Angeles (the other one is in Santa Monica), the original is in on Bleeker Street in Manhattan, and there's another one in Brooklyn. I stop by, starving, and scarf down a New York slice. I bring 2 slices home for the hubby, a cheese and a fresh Mozzarella. I take a few bites of his slices while we chat over lunch.

"How do you like the pizza", I ask him. "Fine. It's not Mozza or Masa."
"Yeah, but those aren't NY slices, this is a different type of pizza all together, like Vitos." I say. "It's like Vitos, an average slice."he says.
"Yeah but the sauce, it's pretty good, I like the sweetness", I say. We talk a little about it and give it the thumbs up, especially at $2.50 a slice.

For the rest of the day, my mind keeps going back to Joe's Pizza. I'm trying to remember all the slices I had in New York, too long ago. All those no fuss pizza joints on practically every corner (well almost) where you can go in, grab a slice and a Coke (or Diet Coke) and be truly satisfied. Joe's definitely taste of New York. It's the slice that many New Yorkers crave in Los Angeles.

The next morning at 4 am I awake thinking about Joe's and that gorgeous pie that came out of the oven, bubbling hot with sausage and pepperoni slices. I'm craving Joe's Pizza at 4 am. All of a sudden my friend Tad, of all people, pops into my mind.

Tad is New Yorker living in Los Angeles who wishes that LA had New York's food. He's one of those steak and potatoes guys, loves Italian American cuisine found in Manhattan's Little Italy, he won't let any fish get near him, and Tad hates cheese, except on pizza (a quirk I could never really understand). Then I get it. Tad doesn't like cheese except on pizza (yeah, I already said that). The cheese on the pizza at Joe's (New York style pizza) is the pizza Tad likes, cheese light in flavor and texture. For my taste, I'd probably prefer Joe's pizza with some toppings on it, like sausage and pepperoni. This isn't Italian pizza, gourmet pizza, Chicago pizza. It's a New York slice in Los Angeles and damn satisfying.

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Joe's Pizza
8539 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 358-0900

Joe's Pizza on Urbanspoon

4 comments:

Kelsey said...

I can't tell you how much I love Joe's Pizza. There are few places like it in the Los Angeles area, particularly at its price. I had the first slice of a fresh mozzarella right out of the oven, sprinkled with fresh basil from the Santa Monica location. Heavenly.

Charles G Thompson said...

I LIVED on 'slices' while I was a student at NYU! Had many corner pizza shops I bought from depending on what apartment I was living in. Back in those days they were $1 per slice - I got two and it was a meal. There really is no other pizza quite like NYC pizza!

SinoSoul said...

Totally agree. I like Joe's like I like Vito's like I like Garage Pizza. It's not artisanal. It's not expensive. But for they do, it's beyond fine. I went to Cristoni (which Joe's replaced) and it was NOT "fine". We used to go to Bleeckers after walking our dog at Wash Sq Park. Them were good times.

Alli & Win said...

Kelsey: It's great to have 2 convenient locations to get a NY slice.
Charles: I lived on slices too, although in Boston and New York. I still love pizza.
Tony: Pizza seems to almost universally be linked with good memories. Let the good times roll.
Thanks to all of you for stopping by and writing a comment. Have a fab weekend. Alli