keste 10 /17/12

[thezaman]

 took a last minute trip to new york with a friend that is new to his wood oven and a first generation neapolitan. he has lots of memories of the pizza of naples. we got to the city at 5:30 and our gps took us to the street in front of the pizzeria parking was wide open. we ordered a margherita, and a salami pie. i think our timing was bad the dough was left over from lunch.it was very crispy, and didn't have that soft interior that i am use to. my friend commented that the restaurant must of made a crisper product for the American public.as we were eating they took the rest of the tray of dough downstairs and brought up a new tray which we watched them stretch and it looked like the pizza i am use to from keste's. the toppings and cheese were very good with lots of flavor.the pie would have been eaten and enjoyed by almost everyone. i was just being a picky pizza snob.
 we also did a 1 am visit to nicoletta's which we enjoyed a lot.not only was the pizza good the appetizers and pasta are a must taste.my only complaint is the sauce on the classico it needs to be a little milder so not to overpower the fresh basil and grated cheese they finish with.
 on thursday we hit forcelli for their marhgerita,we got the up graded pie with buffalo mozzarella.they bake the pie with just sauce and cheese then add the basil ,oil, and grated cheese after it is finished.the cheese did not taste much like buffalo mozz.it was lacking in that tang.the pie was very light on its color,cooked thru but light. toppings were just warm and I'm not a fan of raw basil on my margheritas.there was a lot of flavor coming from the high quality olive oil and grated cheese of which i  like on my pies. my friend felt it was closer to what we make in our ovens.he commented that i would chew him out if he served a pie that light.the trip was short and last minute so we only got two places in. next week we are going to try il pizzaiola,and a new neapolitan place that just opened in Pittsburgh.

[JConk007]

Umm? you said you were coming next week , While I was in Hilton Head ?
Oh well catch ya next time 
No Nicollettas pics?
J

[thezaman]

 i have them from our visit will post soon

[dellavecchia]

Lerry - Do they still make their own mozzarella?

John

[thezaman]

 john, yes they use bel gioioso curd

[TXCraig1]

Those pies also look like they were baked a lot longer (lower temp?) than what I've typically seen from Keste. I don't remember seeing pies from them where the mozz broke down and browned on the top like that. If anything, it's just the opposite and the mozz is not completely melted. Maybe that also explains the crispiness?

[scott123]

This is definitely a cooler oven/longer bake, as evident by the additional browning on the cheese, the crispiness and the lack of the leoparding on the rim. This is a bit strange, because when Roberto initially left Amano to open Keste, the bake times increased (to be eventually lowered when Roberto came back and raised hell), and now that he's left Keste to open Don Antonio, it looks like the exact same thing occurred.  It's almost as if the younger pizza makers, who might have possibly grown up on NY style, are attempting to NYify the pies when Roberto's not around.  It obviously doesn't work, though, because a cooler oven with a Neapolitan dough is a recipe for disaster.  Hopefully Roberto will see what's happening and lay down the law- again.

[thezaman]

 on the cheese it was a little dry and whitish. i think it may have cooked during the making process at to high of a water temperature. the pies cooked quick, the dough was shot. they removed the rest of the tray from service after our pies came out. i saw the tray  going down the stairs it was defiantly deflated.it was still a good pie just not what i am used to.

[jeff v]

I see this at Chicago Neapolitan places all too often. I've chalked it up to poor oven mgmt/not having it hot enough.

[Mal]

This is definitely a cooler oven/longer bake, as evident by the additional browning on the cheese, the crispiness and the lack of the leoparding on the rim. This is a bit strange, because when Roberto initially left Amano to open Keste, the bake times increased (to be eventually lowered when Roberto came back and raised hell), and now that he's left Keste to open Don Antonio, it looks like the exact same thing occurred.

You write with a seemingly very intimate knowledge of Roberto's business.

It's almost as if the younger pizza makers, who might have possibly grown up on NY style, are attempting to NYify the pies when Roberto's not around.  It obviously doesn't work, though, because a cooler oven with a Neapolitan dough is a recipe for disaster.  Hopefully Roberto will see what's happening and lay down the law- again.

 I assume, therefore, you know that the "younger pizza makers" you refer to include his daughter Giorgia.

[Ev]

I knew that!

[Mal]

indeed.
I read about it here:
http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2012/09/passing-of-the-peel-the-keste-has-a-new-pizzaiola.html

[scott123]

I assume, therefore, you know that the "younger pizza makers" you refer to include his daughter Giorgia.

No, Giorgia didn't grow up in NY.  I'm referring to Amano's and Keste's large number of American staff.  That being said, the pizza above reflects pretty poorly on Giorgia, though.  She did just take over the reigns, though, so hopefully she'll pull it together shortly.

From people I've spoken to that have worked for him, Roberto can be a very demanding boss, which I think he sort of has to be in order to maintain the quality of his product. I get the feeling, from the pizza above, that Giorgia might lack her father's stern taskmaster demeanor, and, if she wants to match his quality, she might need to rule with a firmer hand.

Regardless of the reason, you don't put out that kind of pizza without it getting back to Roberto so I'm sure this will get resolved one way or another.

[jamie]

No, Giorgia didn't grow up in NY.  I'm referring to Amano's and Keste's large number of American staff.  That being said, the pizza above reflects pretty poorly on Giorgia, though.  She did just take over the reigns, though, so hopefully she'll pull it together shortly.

From people I've spoken to that have worked for him, Roberto can be a very demanding boss, which I think he sort of has to be in order to maintain the quality of his product. I get the feeling, from the pizza above, that Giorgia might lack her father's stern taskmaster demeanor, and, if she wants to match his quality, she might need to rule with a firmer hand.

Regardless of the reason, you don't put out that kind of pizza without it getting back to Roberto so I'm sure this will get resolved one way or another.

So you mean Eduardo (Lalo)?  He's from Mexico.

[scott123]

So you mean Eduardo (Lalo)?  He's from Mexico.

  Fine. I'm referring to Amano's and Keste's large number of 'North American' staff.

[thezaman]

 guys, don't make to much of this,it was still a good pie.i hate eating a restaurants to close to changeover it is hit or miss.I'm sure georgia does a great job.
 i took three day off for this trip. the things i came home to that i was unhappy with were three pages long.tough to keep customers and owners happy.