bjt wrote:Not to be a total nudge, but can someone clarify for me what a Sicilian Slice is? Is it like what you get at D'Amato's on Grand by Bari? (Served room temp and slightly oily and bready in the best way--but not focaccia with a topping!).

It can be served hot, but other than that, you've got it.

bjt wrote:(Served room temp and slightly oily and bready in the best way--but not focaccia with a topping!). Or is it more of a triangular sliced thing?

Not sure why the emphasis on "not focaccia," because I think that's pretty much exactly what Sicilian pizza (Sfincione) is: focaccia with tomato sauce and onions (often breadcrumbs and grated cheese too).

Interestingly, though sfincione is clearly the common Sicilian term for sheet pizza or bakery pizza a la Masi and D'Amato's, the Sicilians in Tampa (mostly with roots in Alessandria della Rocca) call it schiacciatta -- anglicized, or perhaps more properly hispanicized, as scachata. My limited looking shows schiacciatta is usually the Tuscan term for a bread that is, essentially, focaccia. (The recent Tampa discussion reminded me.)

At any rate, this seems like a fine idea for great lake. They can get some use out of the residual heat in the oven at the end of the day, use up any remaining dough (presumably after adding olive oil), and provide a ready to eat product with shelf life. I'm guessing a round trip cab ride to Taylor or Grand might be more economical, depending on how many slices you are looking for, but I'm all for bakery pizza on the north side.

I'm really hoping that Pasticceria Natalina gets into the sfincione business. They are making bread, after all. And Sicilian. Show us how it's done.

JeffB wrote:I'm really hoping that Pasticceria Natalina gets into the sfincione business. They are making bread, after all. And Sicilian. Show us how it's done.

It would be the best slice of pizza $53 can buy!

JeffB wrote:
I'm really hoping that Pasticceria Natalina gets into the sfincione business. They are making bread, after all. And Sicilian. Show us how it's done.

I was under the impression that PN was selling bread, not making it. I think they are working with a third party "artisan".

Selling someone else's stuff? Sort of seems out of character for the place. OK.

JeffB wrote:Selling someone else's stuff? Sort of seems out of character for the place. OK.

Not so out of character. Been doing it with the gelato for quite some time now.

As far as the "Is it focaccia or is it Sicilian pizza?" question goes . . .I don't think that they are exactly the same thing but super close cousins. Focaccia is more puffy and chewy. If you go to, say, D'Amato's, you can buy focaccia with tomatoes and olives and herbs and even a sprinkling of cheese. It is a smaller loaf, usually sold round-shaped. But their Sicilian slices are denser, not so fluffy (dare I say heavy, but in the best way). It literally has half the "height" of their focaccia but is actually heavier. They bake these in big sheet pans and serve them at room temp. They slide them into a paper bag which immediately gets the oil showing up on the bag. This "pizza" is much more substantial and satisfying than eating focaccia. At least, the D'Amato's version I've been enjoying the last 15 years.

But I am still wondering if Nick at Great Lake will be serving this type of Sicilian pizza -- the sheet pan style? Served at room temp . . . maybe I'll just duck my head in there tomorrow night and ask.

bjt

I haven't been by GL since the weather has gotten nicer. Can someone give me an idea of what the wait has been recently weekday versus weekend? This is for earlier arrival like 5:00-5:30pm. Thanks

And is the mortadella pizza back? Rumor has it...

I grew up eating Sal's pizza in Mamaroneck, NY--they make the best sicilian in the land--sold by the slice--it is in NO WAY FOCACCIA! Although it is cut in rectangles and has a thick, chewy crust--it is still 'za and has cheese, etc. It is fantastic--but something that is not room temp. like Damato's focaccia.

And, PN is selling it's bread made by a guy who is I think Italian--out of another kitchen. The taste I had was not special for me--better bread for me is from Fox and Obel.

Good news for those who get misty-eyed while fighting for that protected American right restaurants have to charge whatever nutty prices they want: Great Lake has raised the price of a mixed green salad from the already-silly $10 up to an even more patriotic $11, and the cheapest pizza on the menu has gone up to $21 (or $25 if you add pepperoni.). Adding garlic or onion is still only $3.

I broke my Great Lake virginity this week (unless you count what happened on that road trip we took in college to Rochester). The pizza's as good as people say.

Kennyz wrote:Good news for those who get misty-eyed while fighting for that protected American right restaurants have to charge whatever nutty prices they want: Great Lake has raised the price of a mixed green salad from the already-silly $10 up to an even more patriotic $11, and the cheapest pizza on the menu has gone up to $21 (or $25 if you add pepperoni.).

Which is why I invest in TIPS, the patriotic way to hedge against pizza price inflation risk.

-Dan

dansch wrote:

Kennyz wrote:Good news for those who get misty-eyed while fighting for that protected American right restaurants have to charge whatever nutty prices they want: Great Lake has raised the price of a mixed green salad from the already-silly $10 up to an even more patriotic $11, and the cheapest pizza on the menu has gone up to $21 (or $25 if you add pepperoni.).

Which is why I invest in TIPS, the patriotic way to hedge against pizza price inflation risk.

-Dan

I think you should have disclosed this clear bias earlier in posts where you backed the right of owners to charge crazy prices at Great Lakes, the Green City BBQ, and Natalina's. Financial self interest might have been guiding your reports more than taste.

Kennyz wrote:

dansch wrote:

Kennyz wrote:Good news for those who get misty-eyed while fighting for that protected American right restaurants have to charge whatever nutty prices they want: Great Lake has raised the price of a mixed green salad from the already-silly $10 up to an even more patriotic $11, and the cheapest pizza on the menu has gone up to $21 (or $25 if you add pepperoni.).

Which is why I invest in TIPS, the patriotic way to hedge against pizza price inflation risk.

-Dan

I think you should have disclosed this clear bias earlier in posts where you backed the right of owners to charge crazy prices at Great Lakes, the Green City BBQ, and Natalina's. Financial self interest might have been guiding your reports more than taste.

My plans to nominate TIPS as a GNResource have just been undermined.

-Dan

Kennyz wrote:Good news for those who get misty-eyed while fighting for that protected American right restaurants have to charge whatever nutty prices they want: Great Lake has raised the price of a mixed green salad from the already-silly $10 up to an even more patriotic $11, and the cheapest pizza on the menu has gone up to $21 (or $25 if you add pepperoni.). Adding garlic or onion is still only $3.

I broke my Great Lake virginity this week (unless you count what happened on that road trip we took in college to Rochester). The pizza's as good as people say.

I would of figured you would of been immune to sticker shock for sublime food by now. I remember when I first started perusing the board and complained about a $10 roasted chicken.

In my mind, even if you have stratospheric prices already, and they are still lining up out the door and have a 2 hour wait on a regular basis...

Go ahead and bump the prices again. Be careful though as the fickle crowd can turn on you in a New York minute.

In my heart I do not feel that they are in it for the long haul anyway. Make as much money as you can and retire.

I seriously doubt anyone is getting wealthy in a 14 seat pizzeria that is open for five hours (or so) per night on Wednesday through Saturday. Regarding the salad, $11 is not at all unreasonable. There is enough for four people to share and everything on the plate represents the best of the farmers market. Given the size and quality of their pizzas, I think $21 is very reasonable. It's probably no more (or maybe less) expensive on a per square inch basis than Spacca Napoli, Crust or Castel Gandolfo.

I probably only eat here three of four times per year as it does take a bit of planning and I don't eat pizza that frequently and it's somewhat difficult for a group of as few as four. I've never been less than delighted with my meal (save for one pizza that had celery root) and am always happy to pay the bill.

If financial gain was solely the motivation the time to cash in was immediately after the GQ article. 98% of pizzerias in the country would have rode that wave for as long as it lasted.

Question: if there are 4 of us on a Saturday, do we risk not getting seated at all that evening if we go around 6? I saw a post in the thread about someone being turned away at about 7:30.

I do also understand that we should get there before opening if we wanted to sit right away, but we'd actually prefer a wait, as we were planning to head over to Hopleaf in the interim. We don't want to be left without pizza, though, so do any of you with Great Lake experience have any suggestions as to when to get there? We're very flexible. Thanks so much.

Here's the funny thing: my gf and I decided to go to Great Lake last Friday and figured, what with the Chicago Mag #1 ranking nary a month old, that our only chance of making it in was to arrive at opening; we figured there would be a line, and we might as well get in it.

Well. For starters, they open at 4:30 now; there was no line. And my girlfriend was late--like an hour late. Yet, at 6:30PM, nearly half the available seats were available; we sat down immediately, and it never really got all that busy.

Nick Lessins's pizza makes me sad: it is both simultaneously a sort of art, and as such a fragile and nearly transcendental object, and yet also ephemeral, disappearing far too quickly; it is just seems to me to be worth too much to be shaped into the mere confines of pizza. I always feel like it is gone forever before I even dig in--and we ordered two pizzas this time.

Yeah: $61 for two pizzas and a salad. Still, that crust.

Update: four of us did go on Saturday, and planned to meet around 6. Two of us got there early (5:50?) and put our name in. There was a short line of people getting on the list at that time, and they were quoting about an hour and a half. Excellent - time to head to Hopleaf.

The other two met us there, and we got a round, and decided that with the hour-and-a-half wait plus the time waiting for our pizza once we sat down, some mussels were in order. The mussels, frites, and bread were on point on Saturday, and were an excellent first jab in the 1-2 punch.

They called at about 7:10 to let us know that our table was available "if we were still interested." Indeed we were, so I left the others to settle the tab and picked up some wine at Andersonville Wine & Spirits (mediocre - should've planned ahead). We headed back to Great Lake (I confess I walked quickly, fearing they wouldn't hold it, but as the evening went on, we saw many tables being held for people straggling in from elsewhere in the neighborhood).

We got the #1 (tomato, mozzarella, dante, etc.) with half creminis (I guess they're still willing to do that)? The cremini side was delicious - incredibly mushroomy, and the crust lived up to the high praise it's received. We also got the #2 (white pizza with zucchini). I initially thought the spinach/green garlic looked more interesting, but it couldn't have topped the pure green sweetness of the zucchini, which contrasted nicely with the pepperoni we added to it. The spinach would probably have been better sans pepperoni anyway, and we had a meat-desirer in the group.

It was definitely excellent pizza, and the wait's not so bad as long as you're planning in an aperitif (or a pot of mussels) beforehand. It's not like you have to sit outside until your table's up. I'd go back, for sure, but I'll keep enjoying Coalfire for more impromptu excursions.

We did see some people turned away at 7:45, so the 7:00 hour seems to be one in which you take your chances.

pamiam wrote:...picked up some wine at Andersonville Wine & Spirits (mediocre - should've planned ahead).

Andersonville Wine and Spirits has some excellent wines in the sub-$20 range. I've founds more than a few hard-to-find bottles there and have generally been pleased with their selection. One of the guys there (I don't remember his name, but he is always there) is quite knowledgeable about wine.

You could also try In Fine Spirits, further north on Clark. They have a decidedly more upscale selection.

Andersonville Wine & Spirits
5201 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60640-2101
(773) 769-0858

In Fine Spirits (retail store)
5418 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60640-1210
(773) 334-9463

Darren72 wrote:Andersonville Wine and Spirits has some excellent wines in the sub-$20 range. I've founds more than a few hard-to-find bottles there and have generally been pleased with their selection.

To be fair to Andersonville Wine & Spirits, I was in a rush to get in and out, and was somewhat restricted by requests for white wine (needed something pre-chilled). With your heads-up, I'll give it another shot when I have more than 5 minutes to make a choice.

did they ever serve sicilian? was kind of curious to try it.

$22 for a 14" pizza seems a little pricey, doesn't it? I realize this is "the best pizza you'll ever have in your life omg!!1!" but, still...

soltro79 wrote:$22 for a 14" pizza seems a little pricey, doesn't it? I realize this is "the best pizza you'll ever have in your life omg!!1!" but, still...

Might try it once.

Whoops! I went on a Friday a couple of months ago. There was no drama. My friend was about an hour late. We passed on the salad because it looked like a side-salad for 1 (size only, not contents). Clearly, they must have changed it since someone above said it was more than enough for four.

Glad we got the mushroom pizza. The crust was very good with a surprising amount of chew.

I may even be able to get my husband there after all.

There were several posts a couple of months ago that Great Lake would be serving Sicilian slices to go this summer. Did that happen? Has anybody seen them?

jpo wrote:There were several posts a couple of months ago that Great Lake would be serving Sicilian slices to go this summer. Did that happen? Has anybody seen them?

If 'Sheet Pan Square Slice' = 'Sicilian slices', a menu I found on Zagat indicates yes.

$4.00

The prices on that menu have not been updated to the latest reports.

Panther in the Den wrote:

jpo wrote:There were several posts a couple of months ago that Great Lake would be serving Sicilian slices to go this summer. Did that happen? Has anybody seen them?

If 'Sheet Pan Square Slice' = 'Sicilian slices', a menu I found on Zagat indicates yes.

$4.00

The prices on that menu have not been updated to the latest reports.

Yes. They were available when I was there a few months ago.