Koi Asian Bistro, Vienna, VA *** CLOSED ***

8413 Old Courthouse Rd

Vienna, VA

(703) 394-5205

*** CLOSED ***

Koi Asian Bistro occupies the old Ega Restaurant space in the back of a small strip mall near the corner of Chain Bridge Rd and Old Courthouse Dr. in Vienna.  We’re starting this entry with the location of this Tyson’s Corner gem because if you don’t know it’s there, you’ll never find it.  Once you’ve found the place, you’ll soon discover that the food, the service, and the price make the search worth it for some really good Asian cuisine. 

We’ve been to Koi for lunch twice and had the buffet.  Although tucked away in a far corner of the restaurant, the buffet was fully stocked with a cross-section of treats from various Asian cultures.  There are few surprises on the buffet:  A rich pumpkin broth, some typical wonton soup, samples of tempuras, fried rices, dishes that were plentiful, fresh and tasty.  The trays of sushi were also plentiful; if a bit typical with avocado and crab stick California maki rolls, and nigiri pieces (salmon, yellowtail, ebi, and tuna) that were all fresh and served with the standard staples of pickled ginger and wasabe.  

The serving staff was the real draw to Koi.  An attentive, knowledgeable, and pleasant minded staff seemed to take a few steps beyond what would be considered normal service.  Water glasses were kept full; plates bearing the remnants of a previous trip were bussed immediately before the new plate of goodness arrived from the buffet. They checked on us during the meal and her sense of pride was evident as she talked about the genesis of her restaurant.

Koi does a great job making a rather large space seem personal and intimate.  Several private dining rooms that hold about 8 – 10 diners line three larger rooms with open tables and booths.  Each table is equipped with a Gogigui grill (Gogigui literally means "meat + roasting"), the Korean style built-in grill for roasting meats.  A fourth larger room in the back of the restaurant is reserved for large parties that can hold about 80 – 100.  This room even comes with a karaoke machine for guest’s entertainment.  Bathrooms are very clean. 

We have not yet ordered directly from the menu, but some friends recently visited Koi for a first account of some menu items.  Here are their comments: 

“We ate there with our bridge club on Friday night and were all very pleasantly surprised at how nice it was.   And the food is good, too.   Our dinners included decaffeinated green tea, miso broth, a small salad, entrée, and a sample of their “ice cream with rice skin”.   Wow!    We ordered the honey/butter sweet potato appetizer and it was wonderful and had the blackened cod which we enjoyed.   We also had the chicken with vegies, but the sauce contained shell fish.   So she took it away and brought us the dish without the sauce.   We were very pleased with the place.” 

The next time you have a yearning for some good Asian food and can’t decide on the rich variety of Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and Thai cuisines in the Northern Virginia area head out to Koi and get some of the best from all the Asian cuisines. 

I-Thai Restaurant, Vienna, VA

8607 Westwood Center Dr.

Vienna, VA 22182

(703) 975-8785

What a pleasant surprise!  Although not everything was set up in this brand new restaurant when we ate there in the first week of February 2012, there was plenty to enjoy here.  Tucked away in a Tyson’s Corner (technically Vienna) corporate office building (if you ever wanted to know where Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus official corporate headquarters was located, it’s next to this restaurant!) this place serves up some very tasty Thai food.  The dining area is divided into two rooms with simple decorations and plain furniture that are clean and attractive. 

We went with our friends and we all agreed that despite the restaurant still ironing out the service routines and the bar set-up, the food was delicious.  Our appetizers included Tom Yum vegetable and tofu soup, Vegetable and Soft Tofu soup, Calamari, and Blanket Shrimp.  All were well-prepared and tasty.  Our entrees were Crying Tiger (a delicious beef dish that we felt was one of the most delicious beef dishes we ever had) that came with delicious sticky rice in a very unique container, Mango Curry with tofu (they had no problems at all substituting the green beans with any other vegetable, we selected broccoli), Cashew Nut Tofu and Pad Se Eew with Seafood.   All dishes were wonderful and we thoroughly enjoyed them.  For dessert, we all had the traditional Mango and Sticky Rice, which was good, but nothing particularly noteworthy differentiated it from other Thai restaurants.

Their house Merlot and Chardonnay wines added a nice bonus to our meals.  The meal cost us about $50 per couple with a glass of wine, but not including tip. We came here because we got a Specialicious coupon, which is a great way to explore new restaurants.

Overall, we would definitely return to i-Thai. 

Ichiban Sushi, McLean, VA

6821A Old Dominion Dr
McLean, VA 22101

(703) 448-9117

A gem for sushi lovers, Ichiban is a cozy 15-table restaurant in the heart of McLean. Since its opening 13 years ago, it has built up a loyal clientele, who are friendly with the owners, chefs and staff, and come here regularly to enjoy excellent fresh food, and be a part of a dining family "where everybody knows your name..."

This was my first time visiting Ichiban. One of the first things that struck me was how busy the place is, which is definitely a good sign. At dinner time on a weekday evening, not only were all the tables full, turning over rather quickly with a steady stream of people at the door, all the chairs at the small sushi bar were also constantly filled with customers who clearly knew what sushi is all about.

There is a standing menu, which we barely considered because the list of fresh sushi listed on the whiteboard was extensive and diverse enough to make a full meal. Our dinner included White Tuna Avocado roll, Real Crab Avocado roll, Manhattan Roll, Yellowtail Scallion roll, Spider roll, and Umagi (all with brown rice except the Umagi was with white rice) – all delicious and more than filling for 3 people. If you like avocado, this place goes heavy on avocado in most of its creations. Price was more than reasonable - about $60 (including tea and soda, but not including tip) for 3 people.

The quality of the food more than compensates for the nonexistent decor and a rather hectic ambiance. You'll be lucky to get a corner table or one near a wall for a little more privacy to enjoy your dinner, which is truly worthwhile.

We had a wonderful evening with friends and were able to relax and enjoy because we were immersed in a conversation of talking, laughing and eating great sushi. Overall, I would definitely not return here for a relaxing evening, but would definitely return to Ichiban for some good sushi! 

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UPDATE (1/28/12):  Ironically, while strolling the streets of Moscow this week, Ichiban's "twin" was found.  See pic above.

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In another sushi-related item check out:  A sushi roll in Yekaterinburg, 2.5 kilometers in length, took 15 hours to prepare

Ireland's Four Provinces, Falls Church, VA

105 W. Broad St.
Falls Church, VA
(703) 534-8999

Ireland’s Four Provinces is a tale of two restaurants. Weekdays and weekend evenings, it’s a very nice Irish Pub serving fine bar food and the perfect pint. On Sunday morning it becomes an entirely different place. Ireland’s Four Provinces becomes a cleaned-up, relatively refined dining establishment that offers one of the best and economical brunch buffets in Northern Virginia. We’ve tried the brunch there a few years ago, and can honestly say this “Best of NoVA 2010” winner* has not skipped a beat. In fact, it is maturing with age. This place does a great job of mixing the local feel of a nice neighborhood bar/restaurant while representing the best of Ireland’s pubs (it just takes one visit to the men’s room to see a poster entitled, “The Urinals of Ireland.” Take a guess where you'll find the poster hung in the men's room).

Friendly hosts guided us past those without reservations (we highly recommend reservations if you’re planning brunch during the busy hours around noon) and sat us in a very crowded dining room. Drink orders were taken and off to the buffet we strolled. The buffet, situated in the bar area is cramped, but fully stocked and frequently replenished with fresh foods. The array begins with cold salads, salmon and breads. The warmer foods are presented next with a wide variety of breakfast fare including French toast, waffles, scrambled eggs, breakfast meats, corned beef hash, eggs Benedict, spotted dick (yes, spotted dick), and the assorted accoutrements to compliment all the above (syrup, butter, cream cheese, etc). This is followed by some assorted lunch fare including the almost mandatory Sheppard’s Pie. The end of the line sits an omelet and a roast beef station professionally manned by a chef ready to take your omelet order and slice some roast beast. On the way back to the dining room is a table containing a wide variety of juices and for those who believe its “5 o’clock somewhere” a Bloody Mary station.

Everything we took from the buffet lived up to our expectation as evidenced not only by our empty plates but by the frequent return trips to the buffet. All the food was fresh and well stocked. The eggs were light and fluffy, the waffles were crispy and the eggs Benedict came with a very creamy hollandaise sauce. Coffees, waters, and sodas were kept full by a very attentive wait staff. Hosts frequently checked (but not too excessively) to make sure our brunch experience met our expectations.

At $16 bucks per adult, this local Falls Church City Sunday brunch is a local best bet. Just be sure you make reservations first.

*According to Northern Virginia Magazine

McLean 1910, McLean, VA - CLOSED

1394 Chain Bridge Road
McLean, VA 22101
(703) 356-1700

Several months ago one of us dined here with a neighbor and had an enjoyable dining experience despite the pricey menu.  So, when a Groupon came out for McLean 1910, we jumped at the chance to dine here together and save a few bucks. 

Despite the beautiful wooden tabletops, the over-the-top minimalist décor gives this place a sterile feel.  The large windows seemed to open up what is a rather a small dining space with a full bar in the back behind the booths.  One nice thing about the spacing was that we felt we had some privacy at the booth which we always prefer.  In other words, other diners, that were scarce anyhow, were not breathing down our necks.   

This mid-to-upscale restaurant was named for the year the municipality of McLean was established by the founder of the Washington Post and its first editor, John R. McLean.  For many years, McLean’s Three Pigs barbeque resided in the corner lot in this McLean strip mall laced with nick-knack shops, a lighting store, a Russian store, a pharmacy and a paint store. 

Although the menu was rather limited, we appreciated the fact that McLean 1910 serves humanely-raised meats and other sustainable ingredients.  The server, Eduardo, helped us to select our food.  Our appetizers included a rich Lobster Bisque and the “1910 Salad.”  The bisque’s aroma and taste were superb.  We had to order a second (or was it the third?) plate of fresh bread to dip into the bisque—a combination that represented the best lobster roll this side of Boston.  A signature bread spread on the table was a combination of a green chimichurri sauce and a white bean sauce.  Neither of these was particularly tasty, though the presentation had an aesthetic appeal, but the rest of the food more than made up for it. 

For our entrees, we ordered the Buccatini pasta and Diver’s Scallops.  The homemade pasta was thick long tubes of spaghetti in a rich tomato-based gravy, spinach and pine nuts, as well as two slices of garlic toast.  The scallop dish was served with a green-tinted lemon caper sauce.  The five scallops sat atop a circular presentation of spinach sauté, tomato, garlic and an abundance of crunchy fennel root (perhaps they can back off on the fennel a bit).

From the bisque to the check, the attentive service, including a visit from the chef, made this an enjoyable dining experience.  Though the meal was indeed pricey, the quality of the dining experience was worthwhile.  It might be a good venue for small special occasions or special nights out rather than a regular place to visit.  It will probably be a while until we return.

Visit the Tysons Corner Blog

Many thanks to the folks over at The Tysons Corner blog for linking this site to their very informative blog.   Check them out for all that's going on in the Tysons area including: food, traffic, culture, retail, commuting, future planning, smart growth and all things development in Tysons Corner, VA.

Famous Dave’s Barbeque, Falls Church, VA

Multiple locations nation-wide (5 DC-area outlets)

370 W. Broad Street

Falls Church, VA 22046

Arriving at Famous Dave’s Barbeque was like walking on the set of “Rawhide”.  Additional Clint Eastwood credits included some phenomenal movies, so with a “Sudden Impact” and a “Fistful of Dollars”, “Bronco Billy” and the “Enforcer” Drifted out to the High Plains of Falls Church to “Go ahead--make my day” to grab us some grub “In the Line of Fire” at Famous Dave’s on Main Street.  To “Hang ‘em High” with this “theme”, here’s “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” of Famous Dave’s.

The Good: 

This place serves breakfast.  Our server told us that they were only two of the 50-60 nationwide stores that serve breakfast.  They really had no choice.  Prior to becoming a barbeque joint, the Original Pancake House stood in this Falls Church strip mall.  We arrived just in time to allow us to pick from either menus.  Our breakfast selection included a fluffy three-egg omelet constructed with their signature brisket, cheese, and mushrooms.  Accompanying the omelet was a cheesy-potato bake (hash browns with cheese) and some bacon.  Bread on the side was supposed to come with the meal but did not arrive (more on that in the “Bad” section); but all-in-all the breakfast was good.

The décor is unique and appropriate.  The décor was about what you’d expect from a place that serves mostly barbeque items.  Having eaten at other barbeque places (Red, Hot and Blue, Rocklands, King St. Blues), this place has the theme nailed.

Barbeque sauces.  If you’re a fan of barbeque sauce, this place is for you.  Not only was there six (there “could have only been 5, do you feel lucky?  Well, do ya’ punk?”) individual sauces to accompany any order, but the server described each sauce by pouring out the regional sauces on a plate in the shape of the first letter of the sauce.  A small chip bowl was presented to taste each sauce.  Since we were first-timers to Dave’s, they presented us with a take-home bottle of their signature sauce (for free, not “A Few Dollars More”).  Nice touch, so ask for a bottle if you’re a first timer.  The sweeter sauces were, well, sweet, and the hot fire sauce was “Firefox” hot.  The other sauces were ranges of these spectrum ends with varying degrees of tang, spice, and savory, and sweet.

The Bad: 

Table space.   A rack of paper towels, the array of the different sauces, condiments, and accoutrements, place settings, and menus left us little room to eat.  Good thing we didn’t order the big rack of ribs, as we would have to hope an adjacent table was free just to find room for the side orders.

Incomplete order.  As mentioned above, the breakfast came “Every Which Way but Loose”, but without the ordered English muffin.

The wait staff.  Not very knowledgeable about the menu, but to their defense, the restaurant was only open a few months.   What our server lacked in knowledge made up for in her bright personality and honesty. 

The Ugly: 

VEGETARIAN WARNING:  This place is NOT for you.  We were hard pressed to find something on the menu that did not contain meat.  Granted, this is a barbeque place, but some attention should be paid to those who prefer something without beef, pork, or chicken.   Having scoured the menu for anything void of animal, we consulted with both the server and the kitchen manager.  Reviewing just about everything on the menu and looking for alternatives, the kitchen manager suggested the Veggie Burger.  What veggie burger?  It was not on the menu. The manager explained that it is on the catering menu, but he could prepare one for us.  Not wanting to leave hungry, we opted for the mediocre veggie burger with a side of slaw and fries (which were actually pretty decent if used with the variety of sauces available at the table).

Parking.  We were lucky.  We got “rockstar” parking; however, luck aside, it seems like it will be a challenge to find a place to park in the limited available spaces. 

Our experience was not exactly “Heartbreak Ridge”; but not the kind of place to rush to “Any Which Way You Can”.  To paraphrase a line from “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”… In this world there are two kinds of people, my friend. Those who eat meat, and those who do not.  You decide.

Merkamo Ethiopian Restaurant - Springfield, VA

7020 Commerce Street
Springfield, VA 22150
703-639-0144

If it wasn't for a Groupon, I would not have tried this restaurant, and am I glad I did! A little out of the way for me - all the way in Springfield - Merkamo was definitely worth the drive.

Located in a small strip mall in an area overrun with strip malls of all sizes, Merkamo is a cozy low-key restaurant with about 15 tables in all, and a full bar and a large flat screen TV (tuned to CNN), which is particularly convenient to keep company for those dining alone.  At lunchtime on a weekday in December, about 6 of the tables were full.  This seemed to be a restaurant enjoyed not only by Americans, but also by Ethiopians living in this area, which is a great sign of really authentic food. 

The restaurant itself was open and sunny.  Even the bathroom was pleasant!

The two ladies that explained the menu and served the food could not have been more hospitable and attentive.  They are also, apparently, part-owners in this family restaurant, which according to a review in the Washington Post means "beautiful" in Ethiopian.  This makes sense because my experience was nothing short of beautiful.

I over-ordered with the hopes to be able to take some food home with me, which worked out well.  I got the house special Merkamo Vegetarian Combo that included five vegetarian samplings, four of which were pretty standard, but the fifth was a dish with cold beets, which was absolutely amazing - and unique.  I don't think I ever had beets at an Ethiopian restaurant before, what a wonderful combination of flavors and textures and temperatures. 

I am not typically a big meat eater, but when at an Ethiopian restaurant, meat is a must.  The tibs were probably one of the best I ever had.  Importantly, ventilation at this restaurant was pretty good, so the sizzling tibs smell did not absorb into my clothes or hair.  I also had a house specialty Merkamo Kitfo (I ordered mine well done, not in the more traditional tartar) that came with two sides - cheese and spinach.  They were all delicious.

 

Most amazing was the awaze sauce, which the restaurant offers on the side to spoon out to one's individual taste.  This red flavorful spicy sauce was so delicious that I asked them to sell me some to-go, which they did.  Wow, what a treat.

I don't think there is much more to say about this restaurant other than - if you like Ethiopian food, go here.

Lincoln Restaurant, Washington, DC

1110 Vermont Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20005
202.386.9200

This is probably our first blog on a restaurant in DC, not in VA, and unfortunately this was not a positive experience.  Not that there is a shortage of excellent restaurants in the District.  Lincoln is just not one of them.

To begin with, the main room was so noisy during lunch time on a Thursday that we had to request to be seated in the back room, where we could have a conversation without having to scream over the noise and strain to hear each other.  Reservations are highly recommended because for some strange reason, probably a relative shortage of decent business lunch locales in this particular area, many tables, at least in the main hall, were filled. 

When we sat down, a staff person silently poured what seemed to be filtered tap water into empty jelly jars, yes -those that are sold in grocery stores filled with marinated or otherwise prepared preserves, and also sometimes used for storage of food, or nails in a garage. These empty jelly jars were also suspended from the ceiling at varying height for what passes as decoration in this establishment.  The water was room temperature, but there was no ice in our jelly jars - ice had to be requested separately and seemed to have taken some time to obtain.

The menu offers an upscale American cuisine (yes, there is such a thing - funnel cake and all).  No bread or anything of that sort was placed on the table.  In fact, the service, or rather the hospitality, was rather scarce, but I will get to that shortly.  Our appetizers included a butternut squash soup in a noticeably oversized white dish and macaroni and cheese in what seemed like a miniature skillet in which it was baked.  They were nothing short of, well.....  average. People, really, it's macaroni and cheese.     

For entrees we both had chicken pot pies.  My first reaction was that - hey, this is not a pie!  The baked dry chicken-vegetable mixture was topped with a overly crispy puff pastry that shattered all over the table when poked with a fork.  It looked as if someone dropped the rock-hard empty puff on top of the baked meal.  As my friend noted, they served us the airplane-size version of a meal, where not only was the dish tiny, the bread was stacked on top of it to save space.  Where is the golden crust baked around a savory juicy mixture that IS the chicken pot pie?  Not here!  It tasted...well, again, average, but the presentation lacked appeal and if you've ever had a great chicken pot pie, this was a major disappointment.

On to the dessert.  We shared a funnel cake, which again.... average and overpriced.  The tiny portion came with strange unsweet, tasteless sauces on the side.  Sauce with funnel cake?  Seriously?  How pretentious can you make a funnel cake??? It too, was consistent with the rest of the meal - blah.

The service was as disappointing as the taste and the presentation of the food.  Several waiters came up to us to take our order, tried to give us the wrong food, and the wait staff in general seemed disorganized and confused.  Maybe there was confusion over who takes care of the customers seated in the back room.  Besides us there were several other tables with people, and perhaps the problem was that this was during a busy period - lunchtime. 

I would like to say one last thing about this restaurant named after President Lincoln, okay maybe two more things.  One: without getting too much into it, I would like to point out that the floor, and I think several walls or something like that, were lined with pennies.  Now, I understand that pennies don't present much value anymore and there is talk about the Treasury Department discontinuing minting pennies.  But nonetheless, pennies are money. Come on people, lining the floor with MONEY?  Yes, yes, I realize that Lincoln is on the penny.  I am thinking the way the devaluation of the U.S. Dollar is moving, the trend is toward renaming this restaurant Washington within say, a few years, and wallpapering it with dollar bills?  Just a thought.

Two: In third world countries, in fact in most of the world, including the United States of America, jars are used for storing food, not for serving it.  Glasses are an accepted vessel to deliver drinks.  If we have extra jars in our midst, it would be best to either re-use them for food storage or recycled into other glass items that may be in higher demand than storage vessels.  But even in third world countries, it would be an insult to serve someone any drink in a jar.  There are drinking glasses for that.

Lincoln disappointed from every aspect.  The jars added insult to injury.  

Joe’s Pizza and Pasta, Vienna, VA

435 Maple Avenue,  

Vienna, VA 

703-281-1111

 Joe's Pizza and Pasta came highly recommended by a neighbor, so it was worth a visit. On a Sunday at lunchtime, the restaurant seemed relatively empty, despite its $9 all-you-can-eat option, which seemed like a sensible deal. The all-you-can-eat deal included a relatively limited salad bar selection, a soup, and a choice of several (three or four) kinds of pizza. Most patrons seemed to have been attracted by this deal and were going up for seconds and thirds, but the variety that was offered was not terribly appealing to me, so I decided to select from the menu.

Let me just say, that the first thing that I noticed about the restaurant was that it was big and run-down. The bathroom probably has not been updated since its establishment in 1978. There is not much investment in renovation, which keeps the overhead costs low – read: and prices reasonable. The staff hustled – well, primarily the wait and bus staff hustled. The manager, Franco, seemed to be relatively clueless and idle, but still pleasant.

The hostess first seated me in a dark corner of the restaurant between a wall and the salad bar, even though the huge hall was pretty empty. I asked to be seated in the sunlight on the other side of the restaurant, which she accommodated. As I followed her to the table, another noticeable factor was the clientele – there were not many people there, but the ones that were there were primarily over 60. There were also two tables with families and very young children.

While I was waiting for my food to arrive, I was surrounded by empty tables, in fact there was not another person eating anywhere in my sight-range. The only sounds I heard were a crying baby from somewhere behind me and music alternating between Italian opera and Latino pop. Not much of an Italian ambiance, what with my (very sweet) waitress from rural Russia, brown counter tabletops, and the Latino pop alternating every other song. OK, so much for the ambiance. Now for the food.

The appetizer of cheesy garlic bread consisted of four slices of bread that were garlicky and pretty tasty, but nothing special. I had to ask for a bowl of marinara sauce, for which the waitress afterwards told me she did not charge me the extra $2. The bread and the sauce were fine, but not great. My entrée was linguine with white clam sauce. They were unable to accommodate my usual request for angelhair / cappellini pasta or puttanesca sauce, which were not on the menu, but most other Italian restaurants can easily whip up a version of this. The entrée was just so-so, not bad, but not great, either. I requested additional marinara sauce for my bread, but the waitress told me that she would have to start charging me for it, per store rules. Fair enough, that’s the rule.

Overall, for my money and time, this would not be a place for me to return, although my neighbor loves it. If I want good Italian, I would repeat my two dining experiences at Rocco’s in McLean. Rocco’s prices are very comparable to Joe’s (see footnote*) with no the nickel-and-diming, the ambience better since Rocco’s is smaller and cozier, and the quality of the food certainly puts it ahead of Joe’s. Sorry, Joe!

* For example, garlic cheese bread is the same price in both restaurants and Rocco’s comes with plentiful super delicious marinara; the linguine with white clam sauce was lunch price $13 at Joe’s and dinner price $18.95 at Rocco’s

Is it really the water?

Having just returned from a short week in northern NJ, I did my best to return to the dining staples that characterized my youth growing up in Bergen County. If there is one constant to why I think food just tastes better in the tri-state area it is the water. This theory is evident in the breads produced in and around the Garden State.  Let’s examine a few:

Bagels.   My mother Fay is the consummate expert on a good bagel and I rely on her to ensure my bagel experience is the best that NJ can offer.  Indeed, my bagel experiences with my mother are rarely short of excellent.  She prefers Paul’s Emerson Bagels in Emerson, NJ (although I lean towards Ronnie’s in Hillsdale).   According to Fay, a good bagel is still warm in the bag, has a slight crisp when you delicately poke into its outer shell and an inside that is moist, airy, and a bit chewy.  The ONLY way to achieve this is to boil the bagel in water before baking it.  I believe the rest of the country either does not get this step or the water that the bagels are boiled in is just different.  This is why bagels outside of the tri-state area must be toasted before consuming and becomes more rolls than bagels.  IMHO, a toasted bagel is a ruined bagel.  

Pizza.  Pizza aficionados argue about the sauce, the cheese, and  the toppings.  Nope—none of the above—it’s the crust.  No need for further argument here (you can leave a comment though).   Is it the water that makes the crust good?  Perhaps.  Since the Lisanti Corp. carries the majority of tri-state boxed pizza supplies, cheeses, oils, sauces, carry-out boxes, etc., the one thing that differs from one strip mall pizza shop to the next is the locally-made dough.   I am convinced that if Lisanti also supplied the dough from say, Pittsburgh, the pizza would not stand up to what makes NY/NJ pizza great.  The pizza crust is what makes a pizza great.  Pizza crust should be thin, able to wilt a bit on the end when you pick up a slice (YES, PIZZA MUST BE CONSUMED WITH THE HANDS, folding the slice from the crust.  Save the knife and fork for the next time you’re in Chicago eating a pizza casserole).  I think the mark of a good slice of ‘zah is the first bite and the last bite.  Everything in between is spent thinking about the first bite and the anticipation of getting to the thicker crust (or as my kids used to call them “pizza bones” since they would leave a few on the plate after finishing a slice). 

Other water-based thoughts.  I’ve always thought the food just tasted better in NJ.  Chinese food, corned beef sandwiches, hot dogs (see the Rutt’s Hut post) all deserve a nod.  Jersey diners serve just about the best home cooking you can get.  Even the simple “buttered roll and coffee” duo tastes better in the tri-state area.  Is it the water?  Is it the nostalgia?  Is it simply that the tri-state palate demands quality foods and tastes?  Perhaps all play a part; however, with all things being equal, the water must have something to do with it.