Best NY Style Pizzeria in Orange County area?

[New Restaurant]

Seemed pretty honest and real, IMO.  However, being a NYC guy for like 30 years or so, without midtown Manhattan traffic, a loud background filled with car horns beeping, a police car or two or three and a fire truck attempting to get through the standing traffic with their sirens blaring and air horns going, without several people yelling into their cell phones everyday cuss words and assorted other NYC everyday 'stuff', it just ain't NYC pizza somewhere else, even if it taste the same.  Oh yeah, standing on the NYC sidewalk, bold legged, eating that slice you just got at the sidewalk window, adds that unwritten quintessential extra taste of NYC pizza, instead of on the bench along the nice quite & clean streets of S. California, IMO anyways.

[hotsawce]

Come on, you know better. That screen baked pizza better than the two hearth baked ones? 

Trash video trash tastebuds.

I was expecting the worst, but was pleasantly surprised. The only pie in that video that is all-around unappealing to me is Prime. (Though obviously I'm judging purely based on the visual.)

[hammettjr]

Come on, you know better. That screen baked pizza better than the two hearth baked ones? 

Trash video trash tastebuds.

Not enough sauce or cheese for me to be interested. Looks like a "lite" flatbread

[wotavidone]

I'd a voted for the Pizzanista, just based on the softer crust and the dripping oil.

[Glutenboy]

I visited Prime a while back and wasn't too impressed.  Though I disagree with the guys in the video that LaMonica is good, I thought they hit the nail on the head where Prime is concerned.  The crust was very not bad; though I didn't see the color, top or bottom, that would've resulted from a particularly hot oven.  The topping, though, was kind of dry and joyless.  The price of a large sausage pizza, however, probably brought Prime's management a great deal of joy.  If the Pizzanista slice hadn't had a doughy-looking white bottom, it would have won the visual competition for me.  Out of the pizza they tried, it probably did anyway.  Mozza is very good, but, as Jonas said, it doesn't belong anywhere on this particular list.

Oh!  Yeah!  This thread was asking where good NY-style pizza could be found in OC.  Sorry!

I have no idea. 

[jkb]

Not enough sauce or cheese for me to be interested. Looks like a "lite" flatbread

Late-to-the-party, but I wouldn't write that off based on looks.  $3.50 for a slice is nuts.

[Glutenboy]

Late-to-the-party, but I wouldn't write that off based on looks.  $3.50 for a slice is nuts.

I'm writing it off based on eating it.

[Little bean]

I was doubting that a few minutes ago making ramen for my son.  But whattaya know, there it is!

You shouldn’t store things in the cans in the fridge.

[jkb]

You shouldn’t store things in the cans in the fridge.

It was fresh.  It went in a Cambro.

[Little bean]

It was fresh.  It went in a Cambro.

That’s good, botulism is real

[jkb]

That’s good, botulism is real

pfft...  I eat botulism for breakfast.

[Pazzo]

This is the most entertaining thread I've read on here.

[TheDukeofNY]

Seemed pretty honest and real, IMO.  However, being a NYC guy for like 30 years or so, without midtown Manhattan traffic, a loud background filled with car horns beeping, a police car or two or three and a fire truck attempting to get through the standing traffic with their sirens blaring and air horns going, without several people yelling into their cell phones everyday cuss words and assorted other NYC everyday 'stuff', it just ain't NYC pizza somewhere else, even if it taste the same.  Oh yeah, standing on the NYC sidewalk, bold legged, eating that slice you just got at the sidewalk window, adds that unwritten quintessential extra taste of NYC pizza, instead of on the bench along the nice quite & clean streets of S. California, IMO anyways.

Would agree with this. Context is somewhat important as is presentation of food in say, French cuisine.  a hot and humid NY summer, and a slice at 11pm on paper plate with the honking horns and the dirt and grime off the street cleaners. 

[hammettjr]

I'm reminded of the comment below. I liked it and was surprised it didn't generate discussion

...I've recently started to think about the related idea that pizza, like wine, has a sense of place. And perhaps pizza, like wine, tastes better in the places where it was originally made?

People come from all over the world to try nyc pizza. Yet the technology and ingredients exist everywhere in the U.S. to produce great nyc style pizza. Why isn't there great nyc pizza in LA (for instance)? Could it be that it doesn't taste as good in a place where it's always sunny and the people are a little more laid back? Maybe people need to eat nyc pizza in nyc, where it's a little grimy, the servers are fast and surly and cars have the right of way over pedestrians in every situation.

Likewise, why hasn't ca pizza taken off in nyc? Maybe to  really appreciate ca pizza we need to sit outside, surrounded by blue skies, the warmth of the sun on our face while sipping a good a ca wine.

Best,

[Pazzo]

I'm reminded of the comment below. I liked it and was surprised it didn't generate discussion

That is a great comment by quietdesperation, and very true. I used to drink Tomasi Valpolicella at Piazza Erbe in Verona and it was amazing. The first time I grabbed a bottle in the states and opened it up I thought maybe my pallet was more sophisticated and I didn't enjoy the wine anymore. I realized that I still had the pallet of a high school sophomore when it comes to wine and it was the atmosphere that changed, not the wine or my taste.

[jkb]

I'm reminded of the comment below. I liked it and was surprised it didn't generate discussion

Pizza and wine are both simple.  Wine takes time and terroir.  Pizza is just minutes with commodity ingredients.  There lies the difference.

[Gian323]

Depends what you want. In downtown Fullerton I usually get a cheese (plain) slice at the Bowery. Not a traditional NY slice as they go a bit heavy on the toppings but great quality and flavors regardless. Not a big fan of the pesto and ricotta slice but their "butcher" and "Luau" slices are excellent.

Havent tried Johnny's in Newport but it's on my to-do list now.

I agree that for a better NY slice LA is where it's at:

Joe's plain (cheese) slice is my favorite in southern CA so far, and their fresh mozz+marinara slice is great

Prime has a great square slice with pesto and ricotta (they're plain in the case and they add pesto post-bake)

[Glutenboy]

Would agree with this. Context is somewhat important as is presentation of food in say, French cuisine.  a hot and humid NY summer, and a slice at 11pm on paper plate with the honking horns and the dirt and grime off the street cleaners.

How do you fit the honking horns on the paper plate again? 

Sorry.  I know this one's old, but I can't get enough of the Duke now that he's gone.

[adamr06]

Here is the LA episode of The Pizza Show, featuring Prime, Pizzanista, and Delicious.  Unfortunately, they don't stop in OC.  All of the pizza on this video looks very good, but I'm sure they put their best foot forward for the cameras.