RiverWester wrote:There are huge differences between SN and Naples Italy...

Yes, the waiters at SN speak Napolitano with a Tuscan accent, they couldn't produce a copy of la Smorfia when I needed one to pick lottery numbers, and there's never a scippatore around to snatch the occasional purse. I trust RW will agree with me that a cholera outbreak at SN would make it much more authentically Neapolitan.

Uè, guagliò, some one needs to play Cardinal Filomarino to your Masaniello.

Choey wrote:I trust RW will agree with me that a cholera outbreak at SN would make it much more authentically Neapolitan.

Would that be sufficient to move it out of the realm of "Disney-stuff"?

Look, RW, between this and the hot dog thread, it's clear you're just looking for ways to invalidate otherwise great restaurants.

Judging by the time of those posts, I tend to question the...um, clearmindedness of the posting. Just a thought.

If the above post by Riverwester is meant sul serio, I nominate its author for this year's:

Premio della Zucca d'Oro

Or, as those of us who speak Neapolitan dialect say:

'o Premmio d'a Cucozza d'Oro

This prize, one of several awarded annually by the Academia of which I am currently president, is bestowed by the faculty members of the Sezione Italo-romana to that person who most strikingly exhibits the intellectual qualities of a pumpkin in connexion with matters of Italian history and culture.

Dicette 'o Riverguestë, a mme nun piace nisciuna menestä!

Dicette 'o prufessor Andogne, chestä cucozza è na vera scalognä!

Antonius

Since 'O Cucuzziello has the Premmio locked up, can I submit for the second place Cetrulo 'e Chiummo ?

Sì certo, Don Giusé', se volete veramente, però credo che ci saranno tanti altri candidati molto più fessi. Tutt'altro, ci ho l'impressione che voi, amico mio illustre, non siate né fesso né sciocco e non abbiate le qualità intelletuali di un cetriolo. Infatti, vorrei prendere quest'occasione per informarvene che la facoltà della sezione italoromana dell'Accademia sta considerandovi per una cattedra onorifica.

A proposito, è vero, pel premio della zucca d'oro, è chiaro chi lo prenderà.

Mi sento oggi un po' poetico:
Dicette 'o gran citrulo, mo me ne vaco p'o fa' 'nculo.

Con il più gran rispetto per la Vostra Eccellenza,
Don Andogne
presidente dell'Accademia

Typos fixed.

I can read Italian (including some lingua toscana), but it's much more fun to see what Google has to say:

>>>Yes of course, Don Giusé 'if you want to really, but I believe that there will be many other candidates much fessi. Quite, I have the impression that you, my distinguished friend, or you are not stupid and neither fesso not have the qualities intelletuali a cucumber. In fact, I would like to take this opportunity to informarvene that the power section italoromana of being considerandovi for catedra honor.

By the way, it is true, pel prize pumpkin gold, it is clear who will take.

Today I feel a little poetic:
Dicette or large citrulo, mo I vaco p'o ago 'nculo.

With the greatest respect for your Eccelenza,
Don Andogne
President of the academy

Mmmm, machine translation...even more felicitous than machine politics.

Spacca Bullshit-a-Napoli is like a Gentile trying to "authentically" try to recreate a Tel Aviv deli without making the proper props.

Ah, Riverwester, this is one of the funniest lines I have ever read! You have inspired me to leave lurker-status and make a first post, so cheers. I'd love to hear the "proper props" one would make to the non-existent delis of Tel Aviv...

As you might imagine, the moderators have had a lot of discussion about this thread, which treads the line between productive discussion and pointless provocation. In our opinion, it seems best to lock this thread for the time being.

Locking a thread is always a difficult decision because continuing discussion is what we’re all about, but when that objective is stymied by name-calling and continuing bad feelings, it seems best that we all take a time-out.

Hammond, for the moderators

Just a quick note about our many visits to Spacca Napoli Pizzeria at 1769 W. Sunnyside --we live part of the year in Campania--home to among other things Naples, and by default--the noble pizza.

For years, we thought Chicago simply didn't have it, get it, or want it. Real pizza does exist--the type you find in the warrens of Napoli, where the wood over blazes, dough folds, buffalo mozzarella drips, and tomatos burst. It is found at Spacca Napoli. They truly have the x-factor of the neapolitan pizzeria down--the wine is made from indigenous grapes, charming and perfect appetizers, the decor warm, and the hospitaliy never pretensious. It's friendly.

Perhaps there is a market (up-market?) for something else--where there's the ever-present but subtle hint of the snooty, the wine pairings that simply shouldn't exist, and the over-priced pizza with toppings that would provoke religious disbelief from any true Napolitano.

Chicago is very lucky.

From one Saint to another... There is a huge Spacca Napoli threadhere, and it's what got me to subscribe to the forum!!!

The other thread was locked after the Riverwester awesomeness.

This is a great post to start a new thread, st. sophia, and welcome to LTH!

Why is that thread locked? It didn't really seem like anything was getting out of hand, and locking the thread only hurts Spacca Napoli, it seems.

It'll be back. It's just a cooling-off period.

Thread unlocked.

Cara Santa Sophia,
Benvenuta in questo bel Forum.

Choey
Ammuinatore (Assistente) nel Board

Oderint, dum metuant, and all that. Still, you'd look pretty spiffy in a toga picta.

I finally found out about and tried Spacca Napoli and although personal tastes are obviously a factor, I thought it was the best pizza I have had in Chicago period. Besides the pizza being great, the attention to every detail re: ingredients and cooking was remarkable. The proscuitto with my starter was the best I can recall in Chicago. The pizza itself was heavenly, very, very thin but that's how I like it. I watched them cook it and it took less than 90 seconds! I had a Zabaglione for dessert, it was the creamiest, airiest I have ever had and the Marsala was wonderfully subtle (the Marsala is often too pronounced for my taste). And the liquori afterward were excellent. It was not inexpensive, but it was the finest pizza I have ever had. I live about 80 miles away so I can't go often, but worth the drive IMHO.

Hi,

While I recall the events that caused the thread to be locked. It was apparently unlocked sometime ago. These topics have been merged to continue on the SN commentary.

Regards,

From the SN Website:

"We are now members of APN (Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani). Spacca Napoli will be honored as the first in the US to receive membership in this prestigious and select group at the Campionato Internazionale, an international pizza competition held in Naples each May."

While I enjoyed my pizza at SN yesterday, I also noted a significant change for the worse from past experiences. The pizzas were all way overtopped. The funghi looked nothing like the pictures from early posts in this thread. Those pictures show a well-balanced pizza with a scattering of sliced mushrooms. Yesterday's pizza was loaded with what seemed like literally triple the amount from the pictures and my past experiences. Unfortunately, the mushrooms were also slimy and rubbery - reminiscent of the canned variety, and not at all what I remember from past visits. The bianca pizza with broccoli and sausage also had way too much topping.

I still maintain that the crust at SN is so good that you can't ruin it no matter what you throw on top. They tested that theory a little too much yesterday though.

Kennyz wrote:While I enjoyed my pizza at SN yesterday, I also noted a significant change for the worse from past experiences. The pizzas were all way overtopped. The funghi looked nothing like the pictures from early posts in this thread. Those pictures show a well-balanced pizza with a scattering of sliced mushrooms. Yesterday's pizza was loaded with what seemed like literally triple the amount from the pictures and my past experiences. Unfortunately, the mushrooms were also slimy and rubbery - reminiscent of the canned variety, and not at all what I remember from past visits. The bianca pizza with broccoli and sausage also had way too much topping.

I still maintain that the crust at SN is so good that you can't ruin it no matter what you throw on top. They tested that theory a little too much yesterday though.

Wow. I had precisely the same experience on Saturday night with the funghi. My date had the Ubo from the specials board, which was also overtopped and just seemed sloppy.

Ed Levine, the author of Pizza: A Slice of Heaven (which more-or-less ignored Chicago altogether), posted this less-than-stellar review of Spacca Napoli: http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2 ... inois.html

Note that the book is really focused on New York City and New Haven, but names Pizza Bianco in Arizona as America's best pizzeria. This web site has a Chicago correspondent Daniel Zemans who's written perceptively about other Chicago favorties such as Vito and Nicks, Pequods, Art of Pizza, Coalfire, etc.

ld111134 wrote:This web site has a Chicago correspondent Daniel Zemans who's written perceptively about other Chicago favorties such as Vito and Nicks, Pequods, Art of Pizza, Coalfire, etc.

The Serious Eats website also counts Michael Nagrant, (MJN here on lthforum) as a correspondent.

It wasn't such a bad review, he did say that "he'd be happy eating SN's pizza every day". His quibble is with the bread. I do think that SN's crust quality has declined since they first opened, but that decline only goes from "top notch" down to "very good" in my estimation. So, I'm not sure I disagree with Mr. Levine in this respect.

There was one major disservice to SN in the piece:

Ed Levine wrote:But there was one disquieting sign: Jon Goldsmith was there but not making pizza. At least he wasn't making my pizzas.

To my knowledge, Jon G. has never held the pizza-making duties at SN. Pointing this out as a glaring negative is unfortunate since it's completely misleading to casual readers. I wish Mr. Levine would have taken a few minutes to talk to Jon about pizza-making at SN.

Best,
Michael

eatchicago wrote: I wish Mr. Levine would have taken a few minutes to talk to Jon about pizza-making at SN.

I don't think Mr. Levine took the time or made any effort to understand the Chicago Pizza scene, dismissing most of it out of hand for his New York centric book. He lost all credibility with me when he came here on his book tour and picked Flourchild's in Lincolnshire (is that place still open) as the best pizza in Chicago, ignoring or panning all of the pizza stalwarts in town.

Flourchild's in Lincolnshire (is that place still open)

No.

Ed Levine just doesn't like Chicago styles of pizza, and ends up elevating personal preferences to universal principles. Hardly the only one.

eatchicago wrote:I wish Mr. Levine would have taken a few minutes to talk to Jon about pizza-making at SN.

Michael,

As do I, Jon Goldsmith is involved in every detail, he can wax poetic on Caupto 00 flour for hours, but from day one he has had someone on staff working the wood fired oven. Starting with the talented pizzaiola Nella Grassano, who I believe Jon brought from Italy to make pizza.

Enjoy,
Gary

Mike G wrote:

Flourchild's in Lincolnshire (is that place still open)

No.

Ed Levine just doesn't like Chicago styles of pizza, and ends up elevating personal preferences to universal principles. Hardly the only one.

This is true, but he holds himself up as some sort of self-proclaimed universal pizza expert. He is no more qualified to pontificate on Chicago pizza than I am to do the same for New York pizza (though I'll add that I can at least appreciate New York pizza).

So who cares what this guy thinks? Is he particularly influential?