image stolen from some Yelp review
Dinner with Gideon last night at Fornino. Technically it was my second time there but I'd never had the pizza before...What?! I know.
image stolen from NYMag
I had pretty high expectations because they have won some Best of Citysearch award which is a big time big deal I guess, and it's posted right out front. Anyway, it's a cute little place that doesn't take itself too seriously. No tablecloths (yes, that's an indicator). So yeah, nice casual brick oven pizza. Love it. The waitress was very nice - Hi, and it wasn't too crowded, but it wasn't empty either. The atmosphere is cozy and it didn't take too long to get our pizzas.
I got the Ortolana ($11) since I had gone through the menu earlier in the day and couldn't stop thinking about it. Also, my new rule for eating whole pizzas is that it has to have a lot of veggies on it to make me feel less guilty about it. This one has zucchini, eggplant, broccoli rabe, and roasted peppers. This pizza is definitely smaller than the one from Gnocco, but seems to be the right amount of food for someone like me. Absolutely nothing was wrong with this pizza, but it didn't blow me away. I don't know if Gnocco has ruined me for all other pizzas or what (hope not), I just didn't feel the same way about it as I thought I would. The crust was perfect: thin and a little charred - the way it should be, fresh ingredients, the eggplant was delicious like butter and I don't even like eggplant. I can't put my finger on it, I just didn't fall in love with this pizza and want to marry it. There was no oomph to it, I guess. I still ate the whole thing though. Please.
Gideon got the Siciliana ($11) which has cherry tomato, anchovies, onion, eggplant, capers, and olives. He added the Mozzarella as an extra. He's so excited to eat that shit. Wouldn't you be?
I was jealous of his olives. I didn't try it so I can't say anything about it.
Pros: Fresh ingredients, tons of pizzas to choose from - actually 30, Olive oil on the table, Backyard seating in the warmer months, Right off the Bedford stop of the L
Cons: Missing the "it" factor?, Would prefer more attentiveness to refilling the water glasses
For the record: I'm totally willing to go back and give it another shot when I'm done making the rounds.
Gideon's review...
Being a New Yorker, I'm a sucker for Neapolitan. Places like Grimaldi's, John's and Arturo's have been doing thin crust, wood oven pies since long before I was born. And I hold them to the gold standard: smoky, crispy-chewy crust, fresh sauce and high quality cheese. Plus whatever fresh toppings get pulled out of the fridge. Mmmmm yeah. But with new comers like Lil Frankies and Nick's giving the old guys a run for their money, I figured Fornino in Brooklyn would have on it's A game as a contender. Brooklyn represent, right? Or Williamsburg. Or whatever. But like a lot of Billsburg, Fornino tries really, really hard only to miss the mark compared to the real thing. Don't get me wrong, I'd take a Fornino pie over some store bought bullshit any day of the week. But the sauce was tepid, the toppings on mine felt out of a can, and when the crust is the best part of your slice, you know you're in for trouble. I give it a proverbial 5 out of 8 slices. I'd go back. But given that Grimaldi's is less than a mile away, and Fornino only has pizza on the menu, somebody in that kitchen gotta step it up. Best part of my meal was shooting the shit with Joanna.
For the record: I'm totally willing to go back and give it another shot when I'm done making the rounds.
Gideon's review...
Being a New Yorker, I'm a sucker for Neapolitan. Places like Grimaldi's, John's and Arturo's have been doing thin crust, wood oven pies since long before I was born. And I hold them to the gold standard: smoky, crispy-chewy crust, fresh sauce and high quality cheese. Plus whatever fresh toppings get pulled out of the fridge. Mmmmm yeah. But with new comers like Lil Frankies and Nick's giving the old guys a run for their money, I figured Fornino in Brooklyn would have on it's A game as a contender. Brooklyn represent, right? Or Williamsburg. Or whatever. But like a lot of Billsburg, Fornino tries really, really hard only to miss the mark compared to the real thing. Don't get me wrong, I'd take a Fornino pie over some store bought bullshit any day of the week. But the sauce was tepid, the toppings on mine felt out of a can, and when the crust is the best part of your slice, you know you're in for trouble. I give it a proverbial 5 out of 8 slices. I'd go back. But given that Grimaldi's is less than a mile away, and Fornino only has pizza on the menu, somebody in that kitchen gotta step it up. Best part of my meal was shooting the shit with Joanna.
Fornino
182 Bedford Ave (btwn N. 6th and N. 7th)
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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