Globetrotting Bites! (pt. I - Ireland)

 

 

As you may or may not know, I recently had the pleasure of visiting Europe for the first time! Much of the trip was spent wandering through various cities and trying the local grub... so why not write about some of the food and beverages I encountered? Here is the first installment, consisting of the first week I spent in Dublin. 

 

Devils Bit Cider

 

My first afternoon upon arriving in Dublin, I went for a stroll up in a neighbourhood known as North Strand (my hostel was beside the Connolly train station just south of there). On the way back I hit a local Tesco (it's like a supermarket chain throughout Europe and Asia) and grabbed a couple of these ciders, clocking in at about 2.25 Euros each (yeah, the CDN dollar conversion was painful all trip).

I later learned this is one of the cheaper ciders you'll find in Ireland and that definitely comes through in the taste. A bit dry and you really taste the forward sting of the alcohol (despite the low-ish 4.5 percentage). It's also rather thin bodied with only the slightest hint of any apple flavour, which does taste somewhat sugary and artificial. I ended up drinking a lot of cider while in Ireland but this is one I did not feel compelled to visit again. (2 stars out of 5)

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Double Decker Candy Bar

 

 

I didn't end up eating too many snacks or sweets while overseas, despite the plentiful number of unfamiliar ones (chocolate bars being about 2 Euros each was probably a factor also). Nevertheless on my second day in Dublin I tried this Double Decker chocolate bar, which has that thick layer of soft sugary stuff (nougat maybe?) on top of these little dry crispy orbs of rice (I'm guessing).

It's entirely decent, though not all that flavourful beyond the chocolate shell. The texture is odd as well with those crispy little balls mixing with the very malleable nougat on top. Overall... it's a chocolate bar so how bad can it be? Just not a very exciting one, however. 

 

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Orchard Thieves Wild Apple Cider

 

 

Now we're on the right track. This is a delightful cider: smooth and crisp, like biting into an actual green apple. The taste lingers on the tongue, it's light and bubbly with a hint of dryness but not too much. Very easy to drink and I definitely grabbed these a few more times. (4 stars out of 5). 

 

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DiFontaines Pizzeria

Obviously I wasn't going to go this entire two week trip without testing out some of the local 'za. DiFontaines is a tiny little pizzeria in the western edge of the very touristy Temple Bar neighbourhood. It is also notable for having an outdoor bench that appears to be in the middle of a bike lane! (The lane does curve but it's a little disconcerting at first to see all these cyclists zooming directly towards you). 

 

The slice itself really reminds me of the old Amato's chain in Toronto (do they still exist even? Haven't seen one in like ten years). There's a loose greasiness to it, the meat (sausage, ham, pepperoni) is quite fatty (this is called their Delancey slice by the way, a name which immediately makes me think of the actor who played Q on Star Trek).

There's some nice herbal and garlicky hints to it as well, while the dough has a very floury taste. A bit chewy but the flavours are generally quite good and tasty. Not one I'd recommend for a sensitive stomach, but it is a quality pizza slice. A solid first impression of Ireland's pizza. I'd grade it a "B".  

 

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A Pint of Guinness at the Storehouse Gravity Bar

 

 

It's a common attestation (or maybe just from a friend of mine) about how the closer you are to Dublin, the better Guinness will taste. Well, it doesn't get much closer than the actual brewery itself with the famous nine thousand year lease, does it?

I've never been the biggest fan of Guinness, to be completely honest. I liked it just fine but it was rarely a beer I'd really find myself craving all that often. I figured if a pint of the stuff at the actual brewery didn't rock my world, it simply never would. 

Well no need to worry about that, as this was without question the best pint of Guinness I've ever tasted. The depth and freshness of the flavours, barley sweetness on the tongue, the classic roasty taste... there's really so much going on in every sip (you're actually supposed to take more of a gulp for the record, that's what they told me) and yet it's such a smooth bodied beer. Not at all thick despite its dark appearance (which is not black but ruby red! You can only see this under a certain light). 

Absolutely delicious. A brew worthy of the highest kings or the lowest peasants. Goes well with a skyline view of downtown Dublin as well. (5 stars out of 5)

 

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Doom Slice

  

Definitely not your classic notion of a pizzeria, as this resembles much more of a large dive bar (think Betty's East here in Toronto) that they shoved a pizza counter and kitchen into. Still, this is one of the higher regarded pizza joints in Dublin (supposedly the first to offer a deep dish Detroit style) and so I made my visit down the alleyway-like Dame Lane and ordered from their window. 

 

 

The slices are rather small, even with the deep dish thickness advantage. This here is their Spud and Sausage weekly special on the left with the Holy Pepperoni on the right, plus a garlic dip. 

 

 

The "Spud and Sausage" slice is definitely more heavy on one of those descriptors than the other... and it ain't the pork. Having potato so prominently in a pizza slice, a slice which is already quite carb-heavy and doughy via its deep dish nature, is a risky choice. 

However they do pull it off as despite the pizza being so heavy with the bread and potato, you get enough of the supporting flavours around the edges. The chili crisp and sesame adds a serious heat (like a Korean zing/spice) to the occasion, while the green onion gives the slice the vibe of eating a very unconventional cheesy baked potato (the potatoes on here I think are scalloped, for the record). It's also an incredibly oily pizza, like exceedingly oily (dripping on your fingers level) which while fine flavour-wise does detract somewhat from the enjoyment of eating it. 

 

 

The Holy Pepperoni is a little more standard, with it's pepperoni, jalapenos, dollops of ricotta cheese and drizzle of hot honey. This combination of flavours is almost always effective for good reason: they balance each other out. Spice from the hot peppers is enhanced by the salty pork, but not too much thanks to the creamy cheese muting it a little bit. Hot honey meanwhile gives you some sticky sweetness (and it's own different type of spice). 

Like the other slice however, this is still so damn oily. It's a very very messy slice that you're going to need several napkins to navigate through. You also get the fried cheese crust and the texture itself is quite deep. 

 

 

Finishing with the garlic dip... wow it's almost half the size of the slice! 

It's really good. The consistency is almost more like hummus than any typical mayo-based dip, but it's still creamy even if it's more of a scooper than a dipper. It also made an excellent potato chip accompaniment when I was watching the ALCS later on (at 3am local time.... sigh). 

Overall.... very good pizza with that one weakness that drags it down considerably. Still worth a stop though if you happen to be in this part of Dublin, even just the vibe alone. I'd grade it a strong "B+" on the pizza scale. Definitely lots of terrific stuff happening here despite the overt oiliness.   

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Kopparberg Mixed Fruit Cider

 

Sweden is known for their fruity flavoured ciders (indeed I was quite a fan of Rekorderlig in my early 20s) and Kopparberg happens to be the biggest cidery in that country (despite the town of Kopparberg itself being rather small). 

This was an absolute delight. Light and smooth (both in body and alcohol content) with a genuinely fruity type of sweetness that genuinely didn't taste like somebody had just dumped a spoonful of processed sugar into the glass. Refreshing stuff that (I later learned) came in a variety of flavours too... and is more of a premium cider (at least in Ireland/UK) meaning a bit more of a price. Didn't stop me from trying them again, that's for sure. Now if only I could remember the name of this pub you see in the photo... (4 stars out of 5).

 

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Bunsen Cheeseburger and Fries

Bunsen Burner... I mean 'Burger'... is considered one of Dublin's most popular burger joints (they are in fact a mini-chain with eight locations throughout the city) and despite two outposts barely a few blocks from each other in the Temple Bar neighbourhood, both were absolutely jammed and hopping on this particular mid-October Saturday night. Their claim (which you can see above the front door) of having the "World's Smallest Menu" refers more to its physical size rather than the quantity of options: the menu is in fact printed on a tiny business card (bring your peepers if you're someone that needs em).

 

 

Unfortunate I couldn't find better light outside of Temple Bar Square to really capture the full glory of this burger. And glorious it is because... holy damn is this an excellent burger.    

 

Something that stands out here (and another place I tried later on in London) is that they ask you how you want your beef cooked, which caught me off guard/unprepared but both times I figured 'medium' was a smart choice for a burger. Still some grilled edges and you get a bit of juicy pink in the middle. Best of both worlds. The result is certainly not bloody in the middle but the pink is a bit soft (like a nudge below 'medium' but not quite between that and 'medium rare')... but when hamburger beef tastes this refined, tender and fantastic I'm totally fine with that.  

Simple seasoning, just salt (maybe a pinch of black pepper) and that's all it needs to let that beef patty shine. Soft bun, the pickle shines through quite nicely... meanwhile the fries, while not super crispy, taste very potato fresh and are quite vibrant in their own basic way. 

Bunsen is just a fantastic burger that I loved on first bite and savoured until the final one. I was certain at the time it would be the very best cheeseburger I'd try the entire trip... alas we're not even through the first week yet and a lot of time remains before any champion can be crowned. 

Nevertheless... if you're in Dublin, a Bunsen cheeseburger is a necessary task. Delicious stuff.

 

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BAMBINO Pizza

Naturally I had to (just had to!) seek out whatever the most popular pizzeria in Dublin is, an inquiry that led me to discover BAMBINO (or just Bambino, since I don't feel like shouting at you) just south of the touristy Temple Bar neighbourhood and a couple blocks west of the famed St. Stephen's Green. 

It was a late Sunday afternoon, maybe five o'clock local time with the sky approaching gentle twilight colours... yet there was still a lineup around the block for this pizza place. During this roughly ten-to-fifteen minute wait, I overheard somebody behind me mention how this was actually lucky and that the lineups are often much worse. Probably a good sign for the quality of the pizza... probably? Anyhow, in that second picture you can see the interior of Bambino is quite small with very limited seating. You have a line to order (on the right! How very un-UK/Ireland!) and the general waiting/milling about area on the left. 

 

 

The two slices you see here, left to right, are a 'Vodka and Chorizo' and 'The Vito'. 

No, that's not an illusion nor a trick of the camera. This might be the most aesthetically pleasing pizza I've encountered in quite some time. I mean, look at these...

 

 

Ridiculous!

Truly worthy of belonging in the National Gallery of Ireland. 

Sadly the vodka and chorizo slice I didn't eat until much later that day, reheated in the microwave of my hostel (an Irish tragedy)... so there's not much I can describe about it. The vodka sauce was quite excellent: creamy with some heavier sharpness to it, you really could taste some of the vodka within all that. Obviously that microwave (the only option) did the sauce and texture no favours. 

Instead, we'll discuss "The Vito" with the blobs of white you see above. And what a masterpiece it is. 

Pepperoni, basil, shavings of grana padano, squeezed globs of burrata cheese with a drizzle of their in-house hot honey as a finishing touch. There's an incredible firm yet light crisp to each bite, the dough fills the mouth wonderfully and the pepperoni is just great. Flavourful, just enough greasiness. Precision. Then you get the cool soft burrata cutting through the saltiness and the cheese, delicate like a whipped cream yet with enough substance to fade on the tongue rather than evaporate. The basil and the hot honey are just the slice showing off, adding a hint of sweet heat and some refreshing greenery to complete the canvas. 

It's beyond any minor critique I can conceive. Uhhh... the crust is merely good? The slice was tough and chewy after a trip through a crummy hostel microwave? Bah! Nonsense. Who would've thunk that possibly (emphasis on 'possibly') the very best NYC style slice I've ever encountered... would be in Dublin, Ireland of all places. This is an easy "A" grade pizza for me. It tastes as good as it looks, and it looks divine. Pizza heavens be praised.        

 

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Scampi from O'Shea's Corner Pub (in Wicklow)

I was in the coastal town of Wicklow (about an hour train south of Dublin) for an afternoon and the sea air had me in the mood for some seafood. It wasn't easy finding a well regarded place open on a Monday (Wicklow is not large) but I happened upon the charming confines of O'Shea's Corner and, after some initial confusion (the restaurant is in the back while the front is more of a tavern just offering toasties) I settled in for a pint of Guinness and a dish of scampi.

 

(Possibly the tiniest of notches below the pint at the Storehouse, but still fresh and delicious)

 

Full discourse, I wasn't all that familiar with what scampi is. Turns out... that's not super surprising as we don't typically encounter that type of crustacean in North American waters. Without getting into the dirty details, they're essentially a type of prawn (which are essentially much larger shrimp, which as you can see are what these look like). These are breaded in a ginger beer batter (oooh) with some fries, a tartar sauce you can't see, some peas (also hiding around the corner) and a very fresh house salad mixed in a raspberry compote-like dressing. 

It's the best scampi I've ever had! It's also the only scampi I've ever had... damn it! Okay, frame of reference aside this was mighty damn tasty. The scampi itself is tender, juicy, a seawater sweetness throughout each bite, while the breading is light (tempura-like) with a bit of that ginger sizzle on the back of the tongue. Just delightful and so fresh tasting... none of that numb pre-frozen taste, my friends... no no no. That taste just expands wonderfully in the mouth. Fantastic. 

 

 

A feast indeed! The rest was all quite good, the salad, the fries (I liked the seasoning, like a deft touch of a house blended seasoning salt) and the chunky tartar sauce. Very filling and very satisfying. An extremely charming spot (the wooden decor all over the place really makes it feel like the classical definition of a public house) right along the main street of little Wicklow town. 

 

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That's it for the first leg of the Euro Adventure! Stay tuned for next time when I cross the pond and check out big, bad London... which is most definitely very, very big.      

The Tuesday Taste - Caplansky's Deli

 

 

Get yourself together

let the light pour in

Pour yourself a hot bath

pour yourself a drink

Nothing's gonna happen 

without warning

Down

is the new up

Another Tuesday... another Taste. We've been gone a while! I was away in Europe for a couple weeks in October, then almost immediately upon getting back... well there reasons I've always despised November and this year was no different, only in new and unexpected ways. It's a shitty month that also has imagination! Fun. 

Anyhow... seeing as that shit month is behind us and I've somehow lived to lament its shitty tale... we've got some reviews to catch up on in this weird little corner of the internet. What better place to start then the very meal I had at Pearson Airport before setting out on my European adventure. It's Caplansky's Deli! A name surely still familiar to many Torontonians, yet the only physical place left you can find their smoked meat sandwiches is in that airport terminal. 

Of course, this was not always the case... so settle in because this tale is a bit of a ride. Zane Caplansky, once upon a time known as Zane Caplan (the Caplans also being a prominent Canadian political family) claims the inspiration to open up his namesake deli came back in 2007 when a friend reneged/forgot a promise to bring him back a smoked meat sandwich from the famed Schwartz's of Montreal... the unfulfilled craving morphing into motivation to just try making the darn thing himself in his backyard. 

While Caplansky is far from shy about sensationalizing his food (or himself), it's undeniable he hit upon something special almost instantly. In 2008 he set up shop as a pop up kitchen (something not as common in those days) to sell his sandwiches in the Monarch Tavern. The immediate demand was far beyond anything he could've imagined, as this type of inspired Jewish deli cuisine just wasn't common in Toronto at the time... well, not south of Eglinton at least. His pop up kitchen sold out of meat multiple times during what would turn out to be a relatively brief residency in the limited confines of the Monarch.           

                                                                    (image from Google Street View)
     

By 2009 it was time to spread the wings and a space on the northwest corner of College and Brunswick became available (as an aside: a now-former-friend's first Toronto apartment was directly above this storefront, but he moved out maybe six months before Caplansky's Deli opened up there... something I always found amusing back during the height of the deli's fame. He should've stayed just a little longer! Bastard). 

Anyhow, at this moment in time Zane Caplansky himself was far from satisfied with just this single successful location: he was thinking of an empire. Imagining a fleet of food trucks (leading to the much-followed-upon-a time Thunderin' Thelma), locations across Canada, his mustards on grocery shelves from ocean to ocean. He wanted far more than just a simple classic Jewish delicatessen slinging smoked meats on an unassuming corner of College Street... no, he wanted Caplansky's to be a national brand. Thus came the pitches to Dragon's Den, the television appearances, newspaper and magazine interviews, even a radio show? No clue how that worked exactly but the point is, this guy was putting in a lot of energy towards his brand (which is essentially himself and his food) being omnipresent. 

Did this big focus elsewhere hurt his actual restaurant? Hard to say "eureka that's obviously it" but it does seem (from both my own memory and general consensus at the time) that the reputation of Caplansky's Deli did slip considerably after those initial years of untamed success. Combine that with the cost of brisket spiking and well, prices went up, portion sizes went down... while the food lacked much of the same magic as before. Some speculation from this Reddit thread suggests they were changing meat providers semi-regularly, which can't be good for the consistency of your product. 

Regardless, the facts are that in June 2016 the landlord (righteously or not) locked out the doors of the deli at College and Brunswick. Zane Caplansky legally fought it and was able to reopen not long after... but the damage had been done. In early 2018 that flagship deli on College closed again, only for good this time. Within a month so had the Yorkville location, his co-owner buying out the share and shutting it down. Caplansky's variety of specialty mustards do still exist, which you can indeed find if you look around hard enough... but being a moderate player in a niche condiment market is a long, long way from what was grandly envisioned just a decade and a half ago. And that's coming from me, the fella who every week signs off by warning you not to spill that stuff.  

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While objectively good drama, it's a bit awkward to bring up all this backstory here considering that Zane Caplansky himself neither owns nor operates the delicatessen at Pearson Airport which bears his name. Does or should this review even count because of that? Nevertheless... onward we go. Plus, what other opportunity am I ever gonna get to talk about this? I legit loved Caplansky's Deli in the early 2010s, though full honesty I'd often forgo the sandwich because... it was really the smoked meat poutine that did it for me...

 

 

This photo is from 2014 (really had to get a shovel through my photo archives to find it) and so a fair bit past the peak of Caplanskymania... I do remember this still being quite tasty but perhaps missing the sheer mind-melting excellence of the earlier days. The sort of blended mash of smoked meat they'd use wasn't quite as meaty or saucy in the dish. For a little while though... this was not only a worthy successor to Mel's in the Toronto smoked meat poutine game, but one far surpassing that predecessor (I'm as nostalgic as they come but looking back those Mel's fries were pretty rough). 

Now, after all those years and along the way getting into this whole "food reviewing" game (there's a joke in here somewhere I just can't find it)... I was incredibly curious how Caplansky's, even this stand-in shadow semi-knock off version of it... would hold up against my memories. With plenty of time before my flight (not something I could've said a year prior), it was time for a test down memory lane.

 

                        

Caplansky's in the airport (Airplanskys?) is very much like your typical airport bar/restaurant. Seriously, is there some kind of mandate that any such establishment in any airport has to be aesthetically the same? I've been in multiple international airports recently and the colour scheme of this Caplansky's is near exact to a bar in the Amsterdam airport (Schiphol!) where I had a Heineken while my departing flight was three hours delayed. I feel like it's either "bright with light brown tables and counters" or "darker pub lighting with deeper browns and false windows". Yes, I notice weird unimportant stuff. 

Looking over Airplansky's menu, I was saddened to see they didn't offer my once beloved smoked meat poutine. Bah! Forget the European adventure I'm going home! Actually, they do sell regular poutine as a side... but where's the fun in that? Not discouraged (I guess that would be 'couraged?') I decided on their Reuben-style smoked meat sandwich (plus fries of course, which were separate) totaling in around twenty-five bucks or so. It's airport food, I wasn't expecting a bargain. 

 

    

Still a sizeable sandwich though, with a healthy portion of fries and the pickle spears are a nice (and arguably mandatory) touch. I settled into the emptier gate adjacent to where my flight was departing and dug in, trying not to look like too much of a savage as I went to smoked meat town. 

 

 

On the fries quickly: they're oily with a light crispiness (which I like) and aren't all that salty whatsoever... which while fine I would've liked just a tiny bit of seasoning. It's been so long I can't recall if Caplansky's fries were always this way (this did seem familiar) and don't forget this Airplansky's is essentially a totally different entity now (at least operation-wise). How faithfully they're following original recipes (if at all) I can only guess.  

I liked them regardless. They didn't taste super fresh but these were far from old or stale, and that oily crispy texture really helps it along. Mediocre fries elevated by good texture and being cooked just right.

 

 

Now for the main event. Perhaps I'm out to lunch here (I mean this was literally my lunch har har har  you know what I mean) but I think the Reuben aspect of this sandwich is a bit of overkill. It brings more flavours I suppose but conceptually I don't really need the slaw (smartly they didn't use sauerkraut) or the Swiss cheese or the Russian dressing all over this thing, because all that extra stuff does detract/distract from the main attraction of smoked meat goodness within. I actually quite like Reuben sandwiches for the record but this here is a little more advanced than corned beef. The sauce and cheese especially just seem a bit too insistent rather than complimentary. It's not a great match.

Regardless, that doesn't change my overall impression that is was still a very tasty sandwich. Best smoked meat in the city? Maybe not... but there's no denying its merits remain intact. Tender, not too fatty, just the right level of encrusted black pepper flavour and that distinct cured beefiness running through with minimal chewy or dry bits... just consistently enjoyable texture and flavour all the way through. You've got some nice rye bread (toasted and buttered up so it is real damn oily) holding it all together, plus a chomp of those pickle spears just match so wonderfully on an especially meatier bite.     

The dressings aside, I think there's a good balance here between smoked meat and bread also. You've got plenty of that smoked good stuff, but also just enough of that toasty buttery rye to make it feel like you're eating an actual sandwich rather than a slab of meat with a couple refined grains thrown in. Plus, this was indeed quite filling: by the time I was hungry again I was walking around in a totally different continent, so well done there.

 

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Overall! 

As people, we definitely tend to romanticize things, people and or places we've encountered and frequented in our past, with food experiences likewise not immune to that. If you had a time machine, you'd more than likely be very surprised at all the previous things you thought were incredible in the previous moment but now don't quite hold up to this current version of yourself. I went into this review contemplating this very thing... that there was a very strong chance Caplansky's now (especially considering the story I spent 85 percent of this article telling) wouldn't be quite as incredible as I'd thought it was a decade and a half ago. And frankly, yeah. It wasn't. How could it be? Reality can rarely live up to a romanticized version of itself.

Putting that aside... this still being a quality smoked meat sandwich? Have to agree there. I really did enjoy this from the first bite to the last, and the smoked meat itself had absolutely wonderful texture. The flavour comparatively, perhaps a bit more faint... it's good but also not the most vivid smoked meat I've ever had... but all of it together, definitely a positive. 

So yeah, I think I probably recommend trying Airplansky's... especially in the scenario of waiting inside Pearson Airport for a flight. Actually, I suppose that's the only scenario I can recommend them... huh. Well, it's definitely not worth buying a plane ticket for. But if you happen to be there, it will still hit the spot. 

 

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Fishy Business

While I was in London (England) I thought it would be prudent to try some fish and chips at some point I was there, so I did a little quick research to try and find what the most acclaimed places were. 

Go figure, in the end I never ended up actually trying any fish and chips in those four days (D'oh!) but this particular article from a well known local blogger about what he particularly looks for in a fish and chippery, well just in general I found it quite insightful regarding this classic dish. Check it out:     

https://youngandfoodish.com/the-best-fish-and-chips-in-london/

 

 

Fording The People

Just a reminder: this guy and his whole government* fucking sucks. We're back baby!

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-bill-60-housing-9.6990632   

 

 

Tuesday Tune

I don't really want to get into too much emotional detail about how yet another November just kicked me with a spiked boot in a new very sensitive place (fuck November, lets leave it at that for now) and I guess my life isn't quite the same now. I don't think of friendships or people like the way I did before... which is probably bad but, ah whatever. I'll live. 

 

  

That's it for this week! Things may have been quiet the past month but that doesn't mean I wasn't up to anything (well, aside from being miserable a lot). 

Well, I've been quietly venturing out and working away... and so have backlogged quite a bunch of potential articles for this calendar finale of 2025... possibly even a Holiday Special thing? From me? Who am I again? So stay tuned here on this same West Collier Street time, same West Collier Channel. I might even be more cheerful, too (no promises though). Until next time, stay safe, stay warm and most of all! Don't pull a November and spill that mustard. 

 

 

*The fact our gullible apathetic province gave him and his developer goons another majority mandate this past February... well it helped supercharge distress that nearly killed me at the time and I'm not even being hyperbolic. Yeah, we're getting real here in the return of the weekly review show. Welcome back! Things are still a mess, there's at least some food we can talk about now.   

 

  

This Week In Pizza: Tony G's Pizzaria

 

 

When I checked out Cowabunga a couple months back, I got a few messages/recommendations from people (friends from Hamilton and nearby) suggesting I had to try Tony G's next and see how they compare. "No problem" I thought, seeing as I go to or pass through Hamilton occasionally and Tony G's happens to be a very walkable distance from the West Harbour GO station. Then I looked at my work schedule, noticed how many concerts I'd likely be scheduled to work in August and September, and realized... "yeah this is probably gonna be an autumn thing". 

Sure enough, fast forward into early October when I happened to be on a train coming back from St. Catharines, knew we were stopping at West Harbour, had my bike with me, and was feeling the inner growl of hunger. Too good to be true, perhaps? Part of me expected the pizzeria to be closed for some obscure holiday (The Day of Maximum Occupancy perhaps) and I'd have an hour stuck in downtown Hamilton. 

 

 

Nope! The Day of Maximum Occupancy must've been the previous week as Tony G's was indeed open for business this particular sunny Friday afternoon.

While the exterior of the place invokes the vibe of this being a spot that's been serving multiple generations, Tony G's has actually only been open for a couple of years. While some online posters claim there's a familial connection between Tony G's and well known Greek takeout spot Tony's Corner, I can't find anything concrete to verify that for certain. I can say, however, that chef Charlie Campanella has pizza-slinging in his veins... with the place being named for his uncle Tony (also a pizza maker) whose father also worked making pizza pies... making for quite a cheese-and-sauce family tree.

Another aspect to Tony G's adding to their "seeming much older" than they actually are: they're a cash-only establishment. As such I had to make use of their ATM and also didn't have appropriate change from my order for a tip, though I didn't see a jar either (sorry guys). Hopefully this review can at least somewhat make up for my lack of monetary preparedness. 

 

 

Obviously, the pizza is actually gonna have to be good for me to glow approvingly about it... so lets dive into what we have here. The pepperoni slice on the left doesn't need much explanation, but on the right we have a... don't actually know what they call this one (edit: "It's A Bronx Thing") but it's a white pizza with Italian sausage, rapini, pickled hot peppers and ricotta. Plus, a dip of their lemon garlic aioli.

 

 

I had a bit of time before the hourly train back to Toronto and so found a side street with a bench in which to sit and try these two slices. It must be mentioned how downtown Hamilton (at least the minimal amount I've seen of the western portion) is quite odd. A combination of rundown, abandoned derelict structures (with front steps occupied by colourful locals not shy with their ravings) next to elegant streetlamp avenues with posh restos and potted flowers along the curb (and quite a few hipster-like bars too). 

All this makes for an odd scene in the middle of the afternoon, wherein I'm eating pizza slices across the street from a patio way too buttoned-up for the likes of me... meanwhile you can hear the demented hollering of an unstable vagabond from a block away. I've been told that Hamilton has a severe homelessness problem (like Toronto though perhaps worse) and combined with rows of buildings that likewise have seen better days... this downtown is much like a garden where some of the plants are green, beautiful and healthy while others have withered from neglect. Very much one or the other. 

As for the pizza... well this here "It's A Bronx Thing" is actually also a rather delicious thing. These are very thin slices (more on that in a moment) and yet you do get a significant presence of cheese on here, both the mozzarella and the dollops of smooth, subtly sour ricotta. Even if it were just those two cheeses and the sausage crumble (itself in little bits but still juicy) this would be a damn fine slice... but the addition of those pickled spicy peppers and the oily rapini... truly takes it to another level. 

Just a wicked combinations of flavours. Slight oily bitterness, some pickled zing, a firm mozzarella to act as a foundation, a bit of juicy saltiness in the sausage and that neutral ricotta acting as a crucial balancer cutting through all of it. Ingenious. Legitimately one of the most dynamic pizza slices I've encountered in quite some time.

 

A tough act to follow in particular for this mere pepperoni slice (which I indeed tried second). However, this is a pepperoni offering deserving of much more than such a backseat distinction. Here you get much more of the heavily cheesy, greasy, saltiness one expects with a pepperoni slice worth its reputation. There's a pleasant buttery-taste to the cheese, great char along both the pepperoni cups and the edges of the slice (giving a delightful light crispiness) and the dough below (pardon the rhyme) has an awesome softness (both slices indeed have this). 

   

The fact that these slices have such a layered texture is extra impressive considering, as this photo demonstrates, how thin and floppy they are. Tony G's is indeed aiming to be an accurate homage to NYC pizza and they most definitely nail the thin, floppy element to their pies. All that's missing is a "Famous" "Original" or "Rays" in their name... Famous Original Tony Ray G's or something like that.   

A quick note on the dip: it's quite thick, gloopy and garlicky... with a very distinct lemony hint that really gives it something a little bit more than your typical good garlic dip. There's a zesty richness to this that's quite lovely, well done. 

Overall! You may have wondered why I misspelled "Pizzeria" a couple times here in the article (including in the very title of this piece). Well this is not a coincidental oversight... because as you can see in this picture of the exterior that I took myself... Tony G's actual sign above their front door says "Pizzaria". 

Being admittedly ignorant of these types of things, I wondered if 'Pizzaria' was an alternate spelling of "Pizzeria", a more traditional or regional configuration of the word that just isn't commonly used or seen. Nope. 

Perhaps a bit of stylistic license? "Aria" is of course an operatic term, an allusion to something sung solo within a larger composition of music... could this be their intention here in regards to pizza? Nope again. Their online accounts for delivery or Instagram all refer to themselves as Tony G's "Pizzeria".

Not only that, but in my research I couldn't even find somebody else mentioning how their sign has a significant typo, I mean... a typo misspelling what they actually are! I've checked this photo several times (along with Google Streetview) just to make sure this is actually true and not something totally fabricated in the bizarre illusions of my mind. Even after all that... I'm still only 99.9 percent sure this sign says "Pizzaria" (it does, right?).

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That off my chest, Tony G's can spell Pizzeria with an "x" if they want because bizarre typo aside this pizza is just exceptional. Magical with everything you'd want from a simple pepperoni slice, or the depth and lingering flavours from the more complex "Bronx" offering. Damn tremendous stuff that gets an 'A-' grade in my book, placing them in the middle-to-upper tier of a 'best pizza' conversation I've ever encountered. 

In fact, they were so good... and since I still had time on my way to the West Harbour GO station... I couldn't resist a fresh direct comparison. Saddle up, dear reader, because we're not done yet. You guessed it: a Slice Off between two of the best regarded pizza places in Hamilton... Tony G's and Cowabunga.

    

Obviously I've reviewed Cowabunga already so diving deep again into what makes their pizza so tasty and terrific is not necessary here. Rather, seeing how both places are inspired by the NYC thin style, I'm interested in how similar/different they are in this regard. Plus, it gave me an excuse to try Cowabunga's famous 1UP slice which I wasn't able to before. 

Hold that train! I've got pizza business to conclude here! 

Anyhow, while this photographic angle is a bit more flattering, Cowabunga is still the notably thinner slice. Which also gives them an edge in crispiness. Tony G's as such gives you much more of a cheese taste, and was generally a bit more charred as well. Not sure if Tony G's also does the sourdough dough thing (D'oh!) but either way it is much more noticeable in the taste of the Cowabunga slice. 

This 1UP from Cowabunga is indeed an excellent piece of pie... although I think I liked Tony G's a little bit better. A bit more body and texture to it, with an equally fantastic array of delightful flavours. The 1UP slice does get significant points for creativity though: it's extremely rich and decadent (thanks to the truffle cream in there) yet also with a significant lemon citrusy zing to it. Very heavy intense flavours (also on the saltier side despite it being a vegetarian creation) and it is definitely one I'd love to try again... Cowabunga was also at a disadvantage here what with it being the third slice I'd tried in an hour and those two from Tony G's were quite massive. Wasn't all that hungry anymore... but had to do this in the name of pizza science! (Pizzcience)

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Anyhow! Thus concludes this edition of, um, me trying Hamilton pizza I guess. I know Mai Pai is the third one people have told me I need to check out and I'm sure I will eventually... it's just that unlike Cowabunga or Tony G's they're not all that close to either the West Harbour GO Station or where my Hamilton bandmates live. I'll find a way! Until then, I've got a few European pizza slices to write about, a couple in particular that might just be even better than either of these Hamilton ones. Cheers!