I grew up in New York City, where great pizza is pretty easy to come by (if you know where to look), and satisfying pizza is literally on every street corner. (Is there a pizza more satisfying than a dollar slice? I think not.)
All that to say that I’m not generally on the lookout for great pizza. Great tacos? Yes. Great croque monsieur? Obviously. But I already have John’s on Bleecker. I don’t need to go searching for my be-all and end-all pizza when it already exists.
That said, when someone recommends a pizza as wholeheartedly as folks have been Stanning the ones at Pizzamarole, the pop-up currently in residence at Michelin-starred Rigmarole, I sit up and pay attention. And I’m very, very glad I did.
The menu at Pizzamarole is reliably short and sweet: just five pies are on offer at any given time, with a sixth “carte blanche” option allowing pizzaolo in residence Dan Pearson to let his creative juices run wild.
Pearson’s pizzas are a solid reminder that a great pizza begins with great bread: sourdough, to be precise, which this aficionado has mastered in time spent notably at one of my Paris favorites, Ten Belles. His dough is at once crisp and chewy, light and ultra flavorful. With lovely charred spots adding a welcome bitter note, the dough marries wonderfully with all manner of toppings.
Pizzas are served one-by-one so that the entire group can enjoy them at their best before moving on to the next offering. A classic margherita seemed like a no-brainer to begin, paired expertly with a glass of natural Brouilly from Romain Jambon. The tomato sauce was fresh and light with the ideal balance of sweetness and acidity, and there was just enough lactic mozzarella and fresh basil to finish things off.
For the follow-up, Dan was in charge: We gave him “carte blanche” and were bowled over by this offering: Fresh, nutty chanterelle mushrooms scattered generously atop a white pie alongside loads of fresh herbs and even more of that fresh mozzarella. Seasonal and rich without being overly heavy, it was the ideal follow-up.
To finish, we seriously entertained a third pizza. After all, while these ones were ultra flavorful, they didn’t sit heavy. But instead, we decided to act like grown-ups and go for something on the dessert menu: Apple crumble, laced with cinnamon and baked to order, topped with two scoops of the team’s homemade cheesecake ice cream. With a glass (OK, two glasses…) of Alessandro Viola’s late-harvest Grillo, it’s no wonder we reserved our next visit before we’d even put on our coats.
And it’s a good thing we did: This pop-up is only running until the end of February, so get there while you still can!
Pizzamarole – 10 Rue du Grand Prieuré, 75011