Day 3, 2015: Ribalta (Greenwich Village, NYC)

DAY 3: OCTOBER 3rd, 2015

LOCATION: Ribalta (48 East 12th Street, Greenwich Village, NYC)

GUEST(S): Michael McLarnon, Robin Rothman

ORDER: 2 slices of DOC, 1 slice of a 4 Formaggi, 3 slices of a Capricciosa

REVIEW: 
Vera good! Ribalta offers an alternative to traveling to Italy for an authentic Naples style pizza. Certified Vera Pizza Napoletana, this Union Square area pizzeria provides its pizzaioli training and ingredients required to cook pizza in the traditional Neapolitan manner.  Our waitress and, not surprisingly, a large percentage of the clientele spoke Italian. Everything from the flour, the yeast, the tomatoes, the buffalo milk mozzarella, and even the founder and head chef Pasquale Cozzolino are imported directly from Naples. For this reason, it comes as no shock that the DOC (Denominazione di origine controllata) is the crown jewel of the menu. The rich San Marzano tomato sauce combines with the creamy bufala mozzarella cheese and fresh cut basil upon an expertly sculpted and slightly charred wood-fired crust resulting in the perfect Margherita. Other signature pies offer additional high quality ingredients and flavor combinations including fancy cheeses and imported meats. The full menu and ambiance suggests Ribalta is much more than just a pizzeria. I can't wait to go back for another DOC and try the Roman style pies which might not be Vera Pizza Romana, but I have no doubt they are also vera delicious!

PHOTOS:

DOC (Margherita)

4 Formaggi

Day 3

Capricciosa

a slice of Capricciosa

Vera Pizza Napoletana certified

Pizzaiolo and wood-fired brick oven

MISCELLANEOUS:

My pizza guests

1. Michael McLarnon is a sketch and improv comedian that plays the mandolin, is on a B league dart team, and helped me code the mobile version of the Magnet Theater's website.
2. Robin Rothman and I proctored a mock SHSAT today in two different areas of Manhattan at the same time.  The SHSAT is the standardized test that 8th and 9th graders take to gain admission into public (specialized) high schools in New York City.

RtoL: TJ & Dave

3. In the evening we watched TJ and Dave - two of the greatest improv comedians alive.  Here is a bootleg photo of the two involved in a show that ended in a standing ovation.  You have to see these guys live to believe it.

RATING:

  4.52/5

• VALUE:
   4.5/5


• AMBIENCE:
   3/3


• TASTE:
   8.5/10


• SERVICE:
   3/3

19/21 = .905 x 5 = 4.52