Day 4, 2024: L'industrie (West Village, NYC)

 

exterior

 

DAY 4: OCTOBER 4th, 2024

LOCATION: L'industrie (104 Christopher St, New York, NY 10014)

GUEST(S): Jason Farr, Jon Monje, Ange DeManti

ORDER: 2 slices of Margherita (Tomato sauce, mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil, parmigiano, basil), 1/2 slice of Pepperoni, 1/2 slice of Burrata, 

REVIEW: 

A captain of L'industrie! In 2018, my pizza guests and I sat in three of the four stools in a small Williamsburg, Brooklyn slice shop called L'industrie. Despite the coziness of the dining area, we were not rushed nor crowded while we ate our delicious pizza. We were blown away at the attention to detail for each component of every slice received.  From the blending of the flour to the sourcing of the ingredients to the expert baking techniques in the state-of-the-art electric ovens. So good, I awarded L'industrie a Slicey Award for "Best Slice."  Thankfully, in the six years since, the focus on the product and the superb recipes hasn't changed a bit.  What has changed is that people have taken notice. So much so, that the original spot expanded into the adjacent storefront and, more recently, L'industrie opened up a full fledged sit-down pizza shop in Manhattan's West Village.  But no matter how spacious it is, it cannot even come close to satisfying the demand. The line at lunch runs down the block. Once you order, expect to stand in no-mans-land awaiting your name to be called. Lucky patrons successfully jockey for a table, or a chair, or even some wall space to lean against. The rest take their slices to go. One bite in to a L'industrie slice and the waiting and jockeying all make sense. This pizza is amazing and definitely worth the wait! 

PHOTOS:

pepperoni slice

white slice

L'industrie slice

Day 4

slice of Margherita

margherita pie

state of the art electric ovens

line inside

line outside

VIDEO:

coming soon

MISCELLANEOUS:

Sean Taylor, Ange DeManti, Jon Monje, Jason Farr

1. Jason Farr hosts a podcast called There It Is that has more than 350 episodes! I was thrilled to be featured in episode #362 (link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/no-362-magnet-theater-co-owner-sean-taylor-on-improv/id1121482982?i=1000670573803)

2. Jon Monje and his fiancee went on a cruise recently and did pub trivia every night.

3. While Ange DeManti doesn't eat meat, she loves a good anchovy and rightfully wonders why the 90's didn't.

RATING:

 4.72/5

• VALUE:
   4.5/5


• AMBIENCE:
   2.5/3


• TASTE:
   10/10


• SERVICE: N/A

17/18 = .944 x 5 = 4.72

Day 3, 2024: Roberta's Penn Station (Midtown, NYC)

 

exterior

 

DAY 3: OCTOBER 3rd, 2024

LOCATION: Roberta's Penn Station (One Penn Plaza, Plaza 33 East, New York, NY 10119)

GUEST(S): Robin Rothman, Jimi Rossi, Katie Barry

ORDER: 2 slices of Bee Sting (tomato, mozzarella, soppressata, basil, chili, honey), 1 slice of Cheesus Christ (mozzarella, taleggio, parmigiano reggiano, black pepper, cream), 1 slice of Margherita (tomato, mozzarella, basil, extra virgin olive oil), 2 slices of Alt Normcore (sungold tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, garlic, basil)

REVIEW: 

From bohemian to mainstream. Since my endearing introduction to the original Bushwick, Brooklyn Roberta's back in 2009,  I have had the good fortune to eat Roberta's signature pies out of mobile ovens in 2011 and food booths in Urbanspaces in both 2019 and 2022.  Now there are outposts from Nashville to Singapore, frozen pizzas shipped world-wide, and a brand new opening of a full service Roberta's overlooking New York City's Penn Station. A far cry from the pirate radio station and an herbal greenhouse in the backyard of the original, the new Midtown rooftop venue boasts a backyard surrounded by thousands of people in the shadow of the Empire State Building.  Once the brand new crew familiarizes themselves with the red hot-burning wood-fired brick oven, they will be churning out evenly-baked tried-and-true signature pies just like the original. With a menu that extends far beyond pizza and a full bar, the new locale could be the perfect place to meet friends and family by a major transit hub. I will definitely be back to Roberta's Penn Station. 

PHOTOS:

Take-out R-slice on first floor

Roberta's rooftop

Upstairs kitchen for dine-in

Upstairs indoor dining area

Margherita pie

Bee Sting pie

Alt Normcore pie

slice of Margherita

Cheesus Christ

Day 3

slice of Bee Sting

slice of Cheesus Christ

underside

collage of all four pies

VIDEO:

coming soon

MISCELLANEOUS:

Robin Rothman, Sean Taylor, Jimi Rossi, Katie Barry

1. Earlier today, in-the-field reporter Katie Barry did a feature on police protection of New York City synagogues. Also earlier today, actor Jimi Rossi played an in-the-field reporter doing a feature on police protection of New York City synagogues.

Sean, Katie, Jimi

2. Jimi and Katie and I are all on a Thursday night bowling team called Strike Up the Band. It's part of the Broadway Show league and it is tons of fun.

3. After pizza and before bowling I ran home to watch the New York Mets win one of the most improbable games ever. They were down two runs in the ninth inning against one of the best closers in the game when Pete "the Polar Bear" Alonso hit a three run homer to turn the tables on the Milwaukee Brewers. The lead held and the Mets have advanced in the playoffs to face Robin Rothman's Philadelphia Phillies. #lgm

RATING:

 4.05/5

• VALUE:
   3/5


• AMBIENCE:
   3/3


• TASTE:
   8/10


• SERVICE: 
   3/3

17/21 = .810 x 5 = 4.05