Aaron Landry

 

Margherita Reginella from No. 28 Pizzeria, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

After a strong recommendation from Nichelle, on my way out of New York I stopped at No. 28 Pizzeria for lunch.

I show up and a waiter gives me a blank stare. I asked if I could sit anywhere and he shrugged. So I sat down on one of the tables on Carmine Street and waited a few minutes. Impatiently, I found and took one of the yellow take-out paper menus. He showed up a couple minutes later with another menu and I told him I was ready to order my pizza , ordered it and I asked for water as well. Without saying anything he leaves. A couple minutes later he clumsily dumps off a jug of ice water on my table without filling my glass or saying a word.

It was funny that after a couple weeks in New York I was actually waiting for this kind of service.

There are twenty different pizzas at No. 28 (or as it’s called by others, “Numero 28,” “Number 28″ “N. 28″ or “№ 28″). There was three versions of the Margherita: “Margherita Plain” with Tomato and Mozzarella, the “Margherita Original” with Tomato and fresh Mozzarella and the “Margherita Reginella” with Tomato, Mozzarella di Bufala and Basil. Not wanting a Margherita with the not-so-fresh Mozzarella and wanting something closer to an authentic Neapolitan pie, I ordered the Reginella version, which is six bucks more expensive than the ten dollar “Plain.”

After about fifteen minutes my pizza showed up and right away I was surprised with how beautiful it looked. The mozzarella and basil spread out nicely, the crust crispy and fluffy on the edges and charred slightly on the edges. I noticed the sauce first while tasting it - it was sweet and very fresh. I was using my napkin frequently as a couple times when trying to bite through a clump of cheese it wouldn’t separate and it’d come off the pizza and end up on my chin with the other half hanging out my mouth. Very tasty cheese at that, though.

Maybe I should have used my silverware more but it was so tempting to hold it as it was pre-cut into four slices.

When I finished, it took about five minutes to be noticed while trying to make eye contact with any of the servers and about another five minutes to get my bill.

Overall a very, very satisfying and tasty Neapolitan-style pizza and seemingly quite true to tradition. I’d go back, despite the service.

No. 28 Pizzeria
26 Carmine St
New York, NY 10014
212-463-9653