Gridskipper First Bite: Pizzeria De Santo

Yesterday night, since we live around the corner and because it was ball-shrinkingly cold, we ordered a 14" cheese pizza with sausage from the latest addition to LES pizzadom, Pizzeria De Santo. The experience, less than divine and more than delicious, was fulfilling. As is always the case in these things, it is easiest to define by negation.

First of all, this place is no Pala, and doesn't aspire to that sort of haute pizza a taglio. The pizzas are typical Neopolitan affairs, that come in cheese, margherita, white and grandma. Grandma comes with mozzarella, fresh garlic, basil and fresh cherry tomatoes. The extra toppings are your standard pizzeria fare: sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, etc.

Second of all, the place is no Otto. P.D.S.'s crust is of the more tender variety. Evoking Frankie's (minus the char), the crust was chewy but not too chewy. It could have been, honestly, a little more crisp. It is here that P.D.S.'s debt to Lombardi's and Carmine's comes through. In fact, the chef here used to work at both places.

Thirdly, despite the obvious appropriation, Pizzeria De Santo is not Una Pizza Napoletana. That is, the mozzarella was fresh but not nearly as sweet, the sauce wealthy but not nearly as rich and the sausage, well you could get sausage. But what it lacks in quality it makes up for in quantity. Not only can one get pizzas but, from what we hear, the meatball parmigiana is rumored to be one of the best in the city.

In the final analysis, Pizzeria De Santo, like a number of recently opened places in the LES (that place, Sugar, for instance) are adequate but not outstanding. A good option when walking outside freezes the piss inside your urethra but if it doesn't hurt to walk, we'd recommend Lil' Frankies or Una Pizza.

Next week: We taste Cronkite!

Previously: Black Chicks are Always Game, Franksgiving in the LES