Eagles flock to New York Pizza & Deli: A Review
4 min read
New York Pizza & Deli’s menu ranges from delicious hot subs to fresh salads and pizzas. Norah Walsh | The Weekly Ringer
By Norah Walsh
Abbey tries the knots… with a bite of garlic
I have never been the biggest pizza fan, but in recent years I have grown to like it more. On the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 13, I ventured to New York Pizza & Deli and ordered a pepperoni pizza with garlic knots, both of which I took to-go. The service was slow, and I felt that the staff could have been a bit more attentive, though I received my correct order and took it back to my dorm for later.
I ended up eating my food later on, so I had to reheat it, which was not ideal; however, it still turned out to be quite delicious. The crust itself was soft and fluffy, which is what I look for in a good pizza slice. As I tend to gravitate towards thicker pizza crusts, I enjoyed that it wasn’t paper thin like a lot of New York-style pizzas are. Oftentimes, pepperoni pizza skimps on the pepperoni, but this was not the case for New York Pizza & Deli, as there was a plethora of pepperoni spread evenly on top of the slices. Overall, the pizza itself lived up to my expectations.
On the other hand, the garlic knots were quite a disappointment. I expected to bite into a savory garlic knot but was surprised when I tasted very little flavor, and my much-anticipated garlic knots soon turned into bland balls of bread. Though the knots came with marinara sauce on the side, it was not enough to save its lack of flavor, as there was hardly any garlic taste like I had been expecting. In my opinion, these garlic knots were simply just knots with a bite of garlic.
Overall, I had a pleasant experience with New York Pizza & Deli but would make a few minor improvements.
Charlie’s take on the bake
“Immaculately impressed” is how I would describe my reaction after tasting New York Pizza & Deli. While I originally didn’t think I would be able to taste a difference in the pizza, I could. The cheese-to-sauce ratio was perfect, allowing the slice of pizza to stay together rather than droop down or break apart on top, and the side crust was crisp and distinctly different from the pizza’s bottom layer of crust. One of the main differences I noticed between Vocelli’s pizza and New York Pizza & Deli’s pizza was the thickness and overall size of the pizza. New York Pizza and Deli has a much thinner slice which I prefer personally. It was better in the sense that it didn’t gather an enormous puddle of grease under the slice, something that I had found common in Vocelli’s pizza. There was a major emphasis on the quality and freshness of pizzas being put out for students.
Heated containers have now replaced the insulated bags for grab-and-go, which has helped innovate the space into something more. To access your food order being kept warm, a small kiosk asks you to scan or enter in a code, provided to you by Grubhub. After inputting it, your container’s door pops open, allowing you to access deliciousness.
My first experience was great and I look forward to stopping by more often; whether it be for a delicious slice of pizza on the go, or to order a hot sub off their menu.
Norah’s gluten-free nourishment
On Monday, Feb. 12, the Eagle’s Nest rang with renewed sounds of hope and happiness as the mouth-watering aromas of New York Pizza & Deli wafted through the air during their soft opening. Students followed the smell of hot pizza, mozzarella sticks and garlic knots like moths to a flame, and liveliness was restored to the space that was left morose and sparsely attended following the departure of the beloved campus staple, Vocelli Pizza.
As I entered the Nest, I had no idea what to expect from the offerings, but I had heard mention of their gluten-free options, so I had an inkling of what I would order. Little did I know, I would find the best gluten-free pizza right here on campus.
To be honest, gluten-free pizza crust—and many other gluten-free foods as well—taste like cardboard, so I braced for the unsatisfactory experience I was familiar with, but I was taken by surprise when the crust was soft but not too chewy with the perfect crispiness on the crust that would be perfect to dip in some extra marinara sauce or something of the ilk.
I ordered the pepperoni topping in anticipation of a weak and awkward-to-eat slice that isn’t conducive to myriad toppings, such as an array of vegetables, but now that I’ve tested out the durability of the crust, I look forward to being able to add more toppings that better suit my preferences.
