G Wiv wrote:but I seem to remember Bill in Santa Fe, who uses a wood burning Italian pizza oven, saying he adds wood shavings to boost the oven temp just before, or with, adding a pizza to the oven.* Bill, is my memory correct?

Gary,

You will see buckets of sawdust or kindling next to many pizza ovens in Naples and next to mine also. The biggest challenge for quickly baking this kind of pie in intense heat is to ensure the crust and the toppings reach the perfect point of doneness at the same moment - the window is very small and even pros can't always hit it right as you can see from the posts above. In practice, if you wait until it looks done, it is probably overcooked.

The heat conducted from the deck of the oven to the bottom of the pie is responsible for cooking the dough. The heat radiated from the coals and flames of the wood fire help cook the toppings. After baking each pie, I toss in small pieces of wood which catch fire immediately with the flames arcing up the sides and down from the dome onto the top of the pie. Sometimes I use sawdust, but the small pieces of wood release more heat to help keep the oven at optimum temp.

Yes, the light from the fire helps illuminate the pie, but for me that is a beneficial side effect.

I have enjoyed the posts and photos in thread. You are all very lucky to have such a class act in your city. (insert emoticon for envy here).

Bill/SFNM

Since I have yet to be steered wrong by something posted on this board, Mr. X and I ventured over to Spacca Napoli last night. Naively, I thought a Wednesday night would be a quieter night than, say, Friday. Word is out on this place. We had a 20-30 minute wait having arrived around 7:30. Fortunately, it was a pleasant evening so a few minutes spent outside, followed by a complementary glass of Prosseco and a slice of imported Provolone once we graduated to the line inside, made the wait bearable.

I fall in the camp where good service enhances the overall dining experience. I could be eating the nectar of the gods, but if delivered by a surly, unhelpful server, the nectar loses some of its delectability. Fortunately, that was not the case at Spacca Napoli. Amedeo was a charming server, willing to answer our questions and knowledgeable about the menu. His recommendations on the wine (Falanghina for X, Nero D'Avola for me) were spot on. We started with the Zucchini alla Scapece. Like others have conveyed, the mint and zucchini is a surprisingly good combination. We shared the Salsiccia e Broccoletti and the Funghi. Both were delicious. I thought the Funghi had a surprising amount of flavor for something that didn’t seem to have much on it.

The only possible misstep of the evening was when we were asked if we wanted dessert while I was still holding my last bites of Salsiccia e Broccoletti in my hand. I’m picky that way – let me finish my dinner before inquiring about dessert. Amedeo gracefully returned later as requested and we ordered a Tiramisu. The staff seems to really enjoy working there and the owner is warm and friendly, if not working too hard. (He was sitting on the bench by the door as we left and he looked beat!)

Some guests were leaving as we were waiting. They assured us it was worth the wait. I would totally agree.

-The GP

How long do y'all think the wait on Sat would be? Is this the kind of place one could call ahead for? I have plans to have dinner with my dear ma (who lives in ravenswood) and I thought this would be a good option, but she's an ornery bird and I don't know if she'd stand for standing when there's eating to be done.

They do take reservations.

Only for 6 or more it would appear. I have to hurry and make some more friends!

I visited a couple weeks ago (after exposure in the Reader) on a Friday night. A 1 hour wait... for a party of 2.

I called this past Sunday at 5pm for reservations for the same night around 8pm and they said "we are not taking reservations tonight". I asked approximately how long the wait would be and they said "uhhh I don't know". We decided not to go.

I wouldn't go back unless I had a booked reservation. Hopefully next time I call they'll be taking them...

I don't know if they are going to allow this on a regular basis, but I put our name in (for 2) and said we'd be back in 45 minutes (it was an hour wait as well). We went to the Rail for a drink and when we came back our table was ready.

We went about 2:00 Saturday afternoon and the place was only about 1/4 full. We were seated and served immediately (and the pizza was all that others have said).

We decided to try this place last Saturday evening. Despite our intent to make a reservation earlier that day, we could not get through to a person on the telephone... so we just reported to the restaurant at around 7:30pm. The wait ended up being about 45 minutes (for 2) as we had been told upon arrival. How could we complain though when one of the owners kept us in good spirits with a glass of prosecco each and occasional offerings of warm foccacia from the pizza oven! Other people were ordering bottles of wine and appetizers to enjoy as they waited. On the whole, I would call the wait rather convivial and fun.

Dinner was very good though in the end it seemed like the check was a bit high for a pizza dinner for two. We shared a tasty antipasto misto as an appetizer (vegetarians beware: this is not a plate of marinated and roasted vegetables like what you might enjoy at Bocca Della Verita, but rather an assortment of charcuterie, cheese and olives). The pizzas (a funghi and a buffalina) were excellent - good, thin crust baked just enough and topped with fresh, quality ingredients that shine through their simplicity. All this was accompanied by a bottle of a fine, full bodied red (the name of which escapes me now, I am afraid - although in the description it was likened to a barolo). The wine did contribute to the nearly $80 ticket.

We'll be back every now and again - for the fine food and the folklore (it's pretty animated there!), but this probably will not be a regular destination for us. We'll return also to check on the space under construction on the Ravenswood side - it's the future art studio of the wife of one of the owners. She designed (and did?) the mosaic work that adorns the oven; some of her work also is hanging in the restaurant (paintings and photography). A multi-talented family!

Is Spacca even approachable after the LTH downpour and Pat Bruno's recent gushing? I need to expend my lactose points wisely and hate to be seen in public .

-ramon

LTH,

This thread is starting to get boring, and I'm not going to help, once again Spacca Napoli was spot-on, in fact the anchovy/onion was even better than last time as the sweetness of the caramelized onions was slightly more distinct and lent perfect counterpoint to the salty bite of the anchovy. Rounded out the meal for two with an antipasto misto, bianca di bufala (pizza) and bottle of prosecco.

Was nicely busy last evening about 8, and Pigmon and I spent the 15-minute wait chatting with other customers, including members of the Chicago Pizza Club and a small group of Ladies who Lunch, or in this case dinner. .

Like most restaurateurs, Katsu and his wife Haruko don't get out to eat often but love to try new places. Ellen and I had told them about Spacca Napoli and it seems they've been twice together and Haruko a couple more times with friends for lunch. To say she likes Spacca Napoli would be mild understatement.

Enjoy,
Gary

Piling on to the boredom,

We went last night for a quick dinner (around 6, just about when Mike G and his family were finishing up, if I spied him correctly from across the way) and had yet another fabulous meal. I think they have really hit their crust stride; it's been just perfect on our last several visits, at least for our tastes. The stuff they're puttin' on the crust ain't bad either.

Tried their basic marinara pizza for the first time and since it hasn't been commented on yet, just wanted to note that I found it very tasty. Marinara, olive oil, basil, and garlic. It's one of their few, if not the only, pizze with garlic and the flavors were great. A touch on the sweet side as one would expect from a marinara, but nice balance. At 8.50, and lacking cheese, it's a good option for cheaper, lactose-free fare, should anyone be craving such a thing while at Spacca Napoli. And a good option if you're saving room to finish, say, your dining companion's heartier funghi e salsiccia pizza.

Ramon, to touch on your question about the crowds, last night around 6 there was no wait for a party of 2. Seemed to be about 75% full. Maybe a touch more. Based on our experience, I'd say you're better off going earlier than later. We've tried going at 8:30 or later on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and encountered substantial waits on all four days.

Oh, and lunch never seems excessively crowded, based on the handful of times we've passed by.

just about when Mike G and his family were finishing up, if I spied him correctly from across the way

Indeed you did. But what would be the point of adding to the monotony here?

Right after the Reader piece it had a line as early as 6, but last night we walked right in, too.

Okay, what could I possibly have to add after this restaurant has been discussed nearly to death? THE SERVICE!

My friends and I had the pleasure of dining at SN last night. Two of us arrived to wait for a table (after reading on this board that there were waits even on weeknights). Our name got called before our third diner arrived. We told who we thought was the owner this when he seated us, and he indicated that this was not a problem and seated us anyway. At this point, we assumed that our dining companion would be joining us within a few minutes....unfortunately, due to some transportation issues, this delay turned into forty five minutes. We were mortified...ordered wine and appetizers. We felt awful at taking up a table and our waitress' time. At this point, the line was not long. Two people or so would show up and then, be seated within five to ten minutes. We kept apologizing and even considered sitting back down in the waiting area. Even in the face of this really annoying situation for a restaurant and a sever, everyone was extremely gracious (in a genuine way). We profusely appologized and told our waitress, if they didn't want us to get up from the table, to at least ignore us or not worry about us until the 3rd diner arrived. This wasn't the case - we were still treated attentively.

The pizzas were great - as have been previously discussed - but we were seriously impressed by the graciousness of the staff of this restaurant...from the owner to the waitress and I felt the need to share!

PS - I noticed it did pick up more after 8. But since the pizzas are cooked so quickly in the oven, the tables move fast.

I've been to SN a few times now, and I will get in step with the parade of praise.

At the risk of boring Gary, I will add a specific that delighted me on my last visit.

The waitress presented five (!) different special pizza options. The last one on the list was labled "The Romana" and it included: mozz., tomato, anchovy, black olives, and capers. After a few bites, I dubbed it "The Brine-Lovers Pizza". Delicious competing salty flavors from the toppings contrasted the crust in a way that I had not experienced on a pizza before.

I have a hard time not ordering any special from SN that includes anchovy.

Best,
Michael

I arrived at SN today on the dot of 3PM, when they were set to close down the lunch service (In my defense, my car clock was not yet reset to daylight savings time and threw me off). In any case, I was seated with a smile before I realized my gaffe. Quite a contrast with the last time a friend and I showed up a full half hour before closing at Pine Yard in Evanston and were told the kitchen was closed.

GWiv, thanks for the info on this place. as you can see on the blog, we had very varied opinions of this place, and one guy whose opinions i don't hold highly at all, really hated it. but most of us were appreciative of the contrast between this pizza and the modern american interpretation of pizza. i will say that absence makes the stomach grow fonder, because as each day passes i get the urge to head to sunnyside and get a pizza. i was at the cheese stands alone last evening and if i hadn't spent my money on cheese, i would have gone in.

if you're interested, we have some pictures up of our trip on our site now, but i think they're similar to many of the pictures that are already on the thread.

thanks!

-francisco

(oh, and i found out the username i use is buttface. not really endearing, but what can you do? i forget the others)

buttface wrote:if you're interested, we have some pictures up of our trip on our site now, but i think they're similar to many of the pictures that are already on the thread.

I see that Candlelite scored higher than Spacca Napoli in your site's ratings.

Hoo boy.

E.M.

Well, with some folks actively disliking the style, it's not surprising that that's where the numbers average out. (Charred bottom? That's the good part!)

I'm more perturbed by the comments comparing it (or anything) to Domino's. My feeling is, one qualification for judging pizza should be an inability to remember what Domino's tastes like, it's been so long.

(Full disclosure.)

well, to be fair, we decided that if we had to have numerical scores, we needed a reference point and we randomly decided that domino's = 4.

and the guy that gave it a 2, his score was not used to calculate the average because even though he's our friend, once he decides to dislike something, you can't change his mind. we never use any of his stuff, when he bothers to write anything.

Erik M. wrote:

buttface wrote:if you're interested, we have some pictures up of our trip on our site now, but i think they're similar to many of the pictures that are already on the thread.

I see that Candlelite scored higher than Spacca Napoli in your site's ratings.

Hoo boy.

E.M.

And Home Run Inn blew Spacca Napoli out of the park (pun intended).

Perplexing.

Erik M. wrote:I see that Candlelite scored higher than Spacca Napoli in your site's ratings.

Hoo boy.

E.M.

Let's keep in mind that although Spacca Napoli is quite good at what they do and I really enjoy their pizza, they don't turn out Chicago Style Pizza, which may not earn it top honors in many Chicagoan's eyes. Being a strong proponent of Chicago Style, I would never recommend SN to, for example, an out-of-towner coming here on vacation and looking for Chicago's finest. It's just not an example of what brung us to the party, so to speak. As a change of pace once in a while, it's great...and you can't beat the dedication to the finest ingredients and traditional Italian method of pizza making... not to mention the outstanding service you get when you go there.

It's impossible to say anything about this place that hasn't already been said, but I can add one nugget of information. If, by some bizarre chance, you actually have some leftover pizza to take home (I forced myself to stop eating so I could share with The Squeeze), there's a trick to reheating it.

Preheat your oven to 450. Throw the pizza directly on the rack and let it sit for a mere 15 seconds. No more, no less. It's not the same as eating it straight out of their oven, but it's close enough.

I found a nice insalata di mare on the lunch menu today, perfectly cooked (Even the mussels and the shrimp: no small achievement. A little more celery and some celery leaf, please.), backed up with a pizza napoletana (perfectly salty anchovies) and washed down with a lacrima christi del vesuvio. No time for a follow on nap, but otherwise a perfect lunch. At 1, the restaurant was about 80% full, with no wait.

Jon says there will be seating for 35 on the sidewalk in front as soon as the weather becomes more dependable.

Went for dinner today with a couple of friends. There was quite a line outside (we reached by about 6 pm, had to wait about 10 minutes before we got our tables) - but the wait was more than worth it.

The bufalini pizza there was excellent - exceptional quality of buffalo mozzarella, and one of the blokes I went with was raving about the proscuitto pizza.

All of us ordered tiramisu afterwards, and it was very good - minor drawback was the fact that it didn't seem to have been soaked in rum long enough, with the espresso/cocoa flavours dominating too much, but still, few complaints. Great to be having some authentic Neapolitan pizza after so long - will definitely be making another trip there sometime in the future.

On my last visit, the owner was offering free samples of various pizza to pedestrians outside. Perhaps if you just linger outside Spacca Napoli long enough, you could get your fill for free.
All joking aside, it's really great to see this place receiving such praise. I have known Jonathan, the owner, for a few years. His success is well deserved. He obviously has a passion for what he is doing and he takes it very seriously.

I was there last Thursday around 6:30, and had a 10 minute wait, so not too bad. We had the Salmon, and the Diavola, a diabolically spicy pepperoni, mozzarella, and basil pizza. I echo everyone else's sentiments about the greatness of the pizza.

My contribution to the thread is that we had the coffee gelato for dessert. I haven't had a creamier balanced gelato in a long time. The texture of the gelato was rich, and pliant, almost like silly putty, but with a deep rich cofee taste instead of the oily taste of boric acid. Yes, I chewed on some silly putty as a kid, who hasn't? I'll try anything once.

Anyway, the gelato had so much body that you could spoon out threads of the stuff like a heavy peaked whip cream. I asked about it, and they wouldn't reveal the source, except to say that a friend of theirs makes it at home....

My wife and I shared one scoop, which while calorically prudent, was utter personal folly. We live in the West Loop, and on the drive back down from the northside we must have passed 10 ice cream places. We had the urge to stop at each of them to recapture the gelato glory, but in our hearts we knew none of them would fill the void of the scoop we had shared at Spacca Napoli.

In case anyone has not seen the write-up in today's Cheap Eats section of the Tribune, giving Spacca Napoli a rare 4 forks:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/dining/chi-0605310192jun01,1,3797666.story?coll=chi-ent_dining-hed

I was there last night and I had the best pizza I've had there since my first visit, some six visits ago. I'm glad to see that their quality has not diminished as their popularity has soared, but as with most places, I think you will get a better product during the weekday, when they're not slammed.

Spumoni is one of those desserts that I absolutely love . . . when it's prepared right. Well, Spacca has one of the best versions I have ever had. It's from Lezza, which I now know is located in Bellwood.

On another note, has anyone noticed the cherry tree on the northeast corner of Sunnyside and Ravenswood, on the parkway in front of some industrial building. Well, the cherries are quite tasty . . . nice and tart and perfect while you're waiting for a table or after dinner. I noticed that it seemed to be quite popular tonight.

As someone else stated above, the numerous pizza specials were a very pleasant surprise. I had one of the white pizza specials which came with fresh porcini mushrooms (the only time I've had them fresh is in Italy) and truffled cheese with truffle oil drizzled over the top. It was out of this world! The truffle flavor did not overpower the mushrooms. My husband had the white prosciutto pizza and that was delicious as well but there was no way anything was going to top my pizza. We had the lemon ricotta cake for dessert--I love ricotta cheesecake and this was perfect. My husband dislikes cheesecake because of the heaviness but loved this one because it was light and not overly sweet. An appetizer, two pizzas, a very reasonably priced bottle of wine and a dessert came to $100 with a generous tip for the wonderful service. Well worth it in my opinion. This was our first visit and it will definitely go into our rotation.