Anthonys Coal Fired Pizza

[JConk007]

So I had to see what all the hoopla was all about at this new Anthony Franco's  joint on route 17 n in Ramsey NJ. My friends who know what I do  have all gone ( and waited 1 1/2 hours? for this ? Most  said it was good?
Ughh maybe in Florida where Dan Marino primary owner hangs out its good ? but  Did not really do it for me.
I walked in around 2:30 and lunch crowd was still on, I took a look at the prep area and examined to 2 coal fired ovens. 1 was cranking out pizzas and 1 was making some wings and sandwiches. Which is what I wish I had instead. Talk about bench flour! This place Made Paulie gees looked like a light dusting! They had a tray of about 25 doughs out folded in half, stacked  and buried beneath the flour. The method here is grab 1 dough  open it (very close to 16" already)  so I am wondering if there is some type of sheeter in the back? slap the crap out of it to get the flour off and get people looking and wondering what was going on? stretch by hand for about 2 revolutions lay it on the peel with the cheater circles on it and dress. if a smaller size was ordered it was cut with peel to thecircle size and I think rest just thrown away. They also baked plain skins which the seasoned and docked heavily so they did not blow up. once spread it was a ring of oil of some type around outside edge. then a sprinkle of seasoning around same outside edge. Cheese went down first then the dollops of sauce. Into oven which I was told was 850-900 and cooked for 2 -3 minutes. 1/2 way through they cut the edges all around the pie with a pizza cutter, this is done on every pizza, maybe to avoid any growing and give it that coal fired look? They use a 16" solid metal GI type for everything turn remove...except the launch from the wood peel. I notice what I thought were La fede tomatoes but label was covered with Anthony sticker  Pie was marginal at best and dry and chewy I did a reheat slice tonight and thought it could have passed for a frozen pizza from supermarket. Wings and sandwiches looked great I took an order home and enjoyed the wings much more Not fried and dosed with red hot but coal fired seasoned and covered in onions. really quite good . I know they are a popular franchise but not  only a small step above dominoes in my humble opinion Quite pricey as well wings and a large pie 1 bottle of water $42$ buck!!
just my 2 cents
John

[Jackie Tran]

Wow!  Wings, a large pie and a bottle water, $42? And the pizza was just bleh?  I should open a pizzeria.  Geez....

[JConk007]

 oh I should mention it was a large pelegrino. and 20 wings! I pay $1 a bottle at RD ! yep $42 ! large pies are $16.75 and specialties are $19.75  and look at that slice, flat, no coricione, no stunning taste, no crumb stucture... very heavy and chewy.Maybe scott123 can shed some light as to the look of this dough after cooking. The  Bottom line is  its a chain, so cant have super high expectations, it was not as bad as others I have tried.  You Think I am a bit Napolatano predjudice now, or just picky?  I do like the La Fede tomatoes on of my favs! Yes Chau margins are very good with pizza. sure you have a cost breakdown somewgere in your notes
 John

[Jackie Tran]

Sh*t John, you didn't mention TWENTY wings!    Still that's a big price for crappy pizza.

You Think I am a bit Napolatano predjudice now, or just picky

BOTH!    You could probably get great non-NP pizza, but it's probably not going to be from a chain.   Yeah, I agree with you that pizza looks dense and heavy.  Chewy and dry only makes it that much worse.  Too bad.  Thanks for doing the write up.  Hopefully save some members a few $ by steering clear. 

Chau

[flyboy4ual]

That pizza looks horrible!  Good night!

Scott D.

[Bobino414]

John
I also tried Anthony's in their Tampa location.

The good-I do not seek out wings but as this was opening week, they brought some to the table to sample-very flavorful.  Also the salads were good.

The bad-1. pizza was baked to a charred cracker; cheese and maters o.k.
             2. pricey-think $1/ wing.

Bottom line-avoid the pizza!!

Bob

[scott123]

John, some places can survive multiple locations (Delorenzo's, etc.), but becoming a chain is the kiss of death for a good pizzeria. That cutter thing they're doing is crust abuse. My local pizzeria does that when I ask for a thin crust and it feels like I just had my dog put down. It's a happy, bouncing, CO2 filled, living crust, that these buttheads have to send a knife into and massacre.  What did it do to deserve this? Et tu Brute? 

[widespreadpizza]

The place near me (NH/MA border) is called Angelas.  Its an exact clone of Anthonys,  or an actual franchise with a different name.  It is decent,  but that cut the crust thing they do is just crazy.  I have asked them to omit this step and they did.  Medicore pizza at fuull price,  but still my best local option whtn I get a serious craving and I am not prepared.  As with most pizza outings,  they usually end up in disapointment.  -Marc

[JConk007]

Yeh I have seen a few places with a bubble popper but to cut the crust thing blew me away? Agree with scott why the murder of such an innocent. And when you have to put oil and herbs on the crust to give it any typeof flavor its a real tragedy. I was not seeking the wings I just heard about them so I wanted to try em pretty good, but I'll take a mellow mushroom over this stuff any day threes a Smash burger whatever that is going in next door. Not sure about anthonys once the excitement is over? Keats case I detect some coupons coming our way. I Wish them well
John

[Jackie Tran]

Yeh I have seen a few places with a bubble popper but to cut the crust thing blew me away? Agree with scott why the murder of such an innocent.
John

They figure they would do their customers a favor, since most people toss the bones anyway.   

[sum1else]

I went to Anthony's in Syosset, NY (Long Island). The food was between terrible and bad. I don't know how they expect to survive in Long Island... The pizza is pretty good out there

[chickenparm]

That looks like a Tombstone pizza!
 

[c0mpl3x]

this reminds me of another pizza shop i used to work for (well, by name only).

the first location, as long as you didn't get anything that used the pizza sauce (don pepino 2 cans to one can JO-DE sauce with basil, 1/4c basil, 2T parsley), it was good.  the sauce ruined everything it was on.  like eating ragu on a pizza, yet it got rave reviews how great the pizza was.  customers are so blind to good pizza nowadays.

[JConk007]

sauce was the only thing that was eatible! They use La Fede . yes very Tombstone ish wish I took a pic of the margherita That was interseting with disks of fresh? mozz semi melted on there ?
J

[soflnoles]

I have had Anthony's in Fort Lauderdale and it has never looked like the pie in this thread.  That pizza does look Tombstone. Of course, Anthony's is based in FL but it appears the spread of the chain has deterioated a once good product.