The L Train Pizza Crawl

With a hungry stomach and a few equally hungry friends I recently set off on an L train pizza crawl. The crawl began at Artichoke, which I had been to, but wanted to give another go, then made it's way out to Motorino and Roberta's. With so many pizza places in the city it's hard to hit them all, and the new wave of more artisanal spots continues to fuel the pizza revolution here in NY. After another glorious trip to DiFara's a few weeks back I'm devoted to trying new spots.

Our trip to Artichoke began by standing in a 15-20 minute line, reasonable considering this place does get absolutely packed. My last experience at Artichoke was last summer, and I wasn't particularly impressed. I know many people swear by the pizza, but I just didn't find the namesake slice appealing and found some major flaws with the crust. Every spot deserves a second chance so we ordered up the artichoke slice and grandma slice. Cutting them up into bite-size pieces was the only way we could make it through the night and 3 pizzerias. The artichoke slice had a nice, salty flavor, but I still don't think that gooey mess belongs on a pizza. The crust was cooked better this time than last year, but not enough to sway me. The grandma slice on the other hand was much better this time around. The crust was surprisingly a bit too crisp for me, but the flavor is wonderful and fresh, and if in the neighborhood I would eat this again. Certainly not a slice I would go out of my way for, but I'm glad I made the return visit.

Hoping on the L train out to Williamsburg I was very eager to get to Motorino. Applauded throughout the city for their dough and pizza creations, my expectations were set pretty high. We ordered up three pizzas and an appetizer, keeping in mind that we still had one more eating stop coming up. To start, Fire Roasted Mortadella ($6) with housemade mustard. Arriving at the table all bubbly, it is hard to deny this giant chunk of fatty meat. A half-moon shaped slice, cut nearly 1/2 inch thick is paired with a delicious and potent mustard. Moving onto the pizzas we were served the Margherita DOC $13), the standard test for a pizzeria. The mozzarella di bufala, bright tomato sauce and fresh basil were very good and well balanced, but it was the crust that really impressed me (pictured). It was pillowy, yet crisp where it needed to be, with a nice texture, ideal chewiness and proper char. The Pugliese ($15) was our second pie, covered with creamy burrata, fennel sausage, broccoli rabe, garlic and chiles. Another success, this is a combination I've seen at many other pizzerias. Each ingredient paired well with one another and the crust again shined through. Our last pie was forgettable, the Anchovie ($10) as it was just too salty for everyone at the table. Topped with olives, oregano, capers and of course anchovies, a few bites resembled a salt lick. We didn't even finish this pie. Our pizza was, for the most part, very good at Motorino and I can see why they have garnered so much praise, but before we could get too comfortable we were off to Bushwick and Roberta's, about a mile walk East.

Roberta's is in a completely different neighborhood than Motorino, on a street lined not with stores and people, but rather warehouses and delivery trucks. There is little life besides Roberta's on the street, but once inside, the quiet, lonely street is an afterthought. This very commercial space was transformed into a very fun, wood-clad restaurant, complete with a bright red, wood-fired pizza oven. The pizza is a cross between Neapolitan and Roman, with a thin, yet not paper thin crust, and topped with a range of ingredients. The creamy mozzarella is made in house and many of the herbs are grown on the property. While the inside of the restaurant is nice, we made our way to the garden and promptly ordered up two pizzas, the Speckenwolf $14) and the special Lupo ($16). The Former is topped with crispy speck, onions, mushrooms, oregano and mozzarella. It was well-balanced with the creamy cheese, salty speck and fresh vegetables all working in tandem. The crust, not as good as Motorino, was good, but after sitting for a few minutes it becomes slightly tough. The special pie was actually very similar to the Speckenwolf, not something we intended to happen, as it has cotto ham, spring garlic, pesto, ricotta and mozzarella. While the ingredients varied, they both shared the creamy and salty elements. It was a good pie, with the spring garlic being my favorite component, but surprisingly fell a little flat on taste. With two pitchers of Victory Pilsner ($16) it was a great experience, and I'm eager to try their non-pizza dishes, like their roasted double pork chop and braised lamb pappardele.

Overall a ton of pizza was consumed, with a wide range of toppings and styles. Of all of the pizzas we ate my favorite was the Margherita DOC at Motorino for its simplicity, balance of ingredients and that superb crust. Not the best pizza I've ever had, but something I would easily recommend. Next on the docket for the pizza tours, not really sure, but I do want to visit Keste, Tonda, Lucali and the infamous L&B Spumoni Gardens in the near future.
Artichoke - 328 E. 14th St., New York, NY, 212-228-2004, Reservations - Not Needed, Price - Inexpensive ($4-8/person) Motorino - 319 Graham Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 718-599-8899, Reservations - Not Accepted, Price - Moderate ($20-30/person) Roberta's - 261 Moore St., Brooklyn, NY, 718-417-1118, Reservations - Not Accepted, Price - Moderate ($20-30/person) and cash only