[Jersey City] Razza Pizza Artigianale from Dan Richer

[Rail Paul]

Pete Genovese of the Star-Ledger visits Dan Richer's new place in Jersey City. The founder and co-owner of the acclaimed Arturo's in Maplewood wants to operate the best pizzeria in the world, in Jersey City.

 

 

Both pizzas we tried on a recent night — a margherita ($15), and a Farm Pie ($15) with fresh mozzarella, Jersey brussels sprouts, leeks and bacon emulsion — were terrific. Uber-fresh cheese, crisp crust, perfect char. No "soupy’’ anywhere to be found.

The ricotta crostini ($6) pairs standout bread with more silky, creamy cheese, and the fire-roasted meatballs (polpette al forno, $8) — are the kind of meatballs, and sauce, I’d happily greet the end of the world with.

Richer’s philosophy is fewer, simpler ingredients, but the homemade gnocchi with maitake, crimini and oyster mushrooms ($18) needed something — sauce, olive oil, herbs? — to raise it from the depths of bland.

The apple sauce ($7), made from Jersey apples, brown sugar and vanilla bean, is a creme brulee-like confection served on the chilled side, leaving us to wonder how wonderful it would have been warm.

 

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/dining/index.ssf/2012/12/success_from_simplicity_less_i.html

 

275 Grove St. Jersey City; (201) 356-9348. Evenings only. Closed Tuesday.

 

Three blocks south of the Grove Street PATH, at the old Majestic Theater. Opposite the old time den of thieves.

 

http://www.razzanj.com/

[Rail Paul]

Excellent / Top review in the regional NY Times. They liked just everything about it. The pizza, the superb coperto / bread, the gracious service, the ingredients, etc.

 

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/12/nyregion/at-razza-pizza-artigianale-in-jersey-city-taking-care-of-a-simple-dish.html?ref=topics&_r=0

[Sneakeater]

Wait a minute. I know just where this is. It could hardly be closer to the PATH. This is extremely interesting.

[joethefoodie]

He's a big bread guy.

[Rail Paul]

The area around the Grove Street PATH station is really hopping. Another location of L'atalier du Chocolat from Eric Girerd is opening a few doors from the same PATH station.

 

 

Girerd said the inspiration for his career was his uncle -- a patissier and chocolatier from Lyon, France -- and gaining a passion for the craft by working on cocoa plantations and cocoa farms in his native country.

His Jersey City location will have some new additions to the menu, including French pastries and ingredients such as balsamic vinegar and Lebanon black lemon.

Some of the signature ingredients used in many of Girerd's treats includes Chardonnay oak smoked salt, wasabi, and tropical ylang ylang flavors, he said

 

 

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2015/04/chocolate_pastry_chef_to_open_new.html#incart_story_package

[Neocon maudit]

What the heck just happened? [Hat-tip: Roz]

[Rail Paul]

This may be their water-buffalo cheese supplier for the mozzarella

 

http://greenacreswantage.com/

[Rail Paul]

The 114 comments to the review fall into a few predictable buckets. Folks who don't like hazelnuts or zucchini on a pizza. Folks who believe that nothing outside the five boroughs, or their own borough, is any good. Writers who appreciate a restaurant that doesn't require a second mortgage, and a three star restaurant that doesn't cost $100 a head or more.

 

One guy says that nothing holds a candle to New Haven pizza.

 

Another guy praises Homestyle, around the corner from him in Brooklyn.

[robert40]

Nothing stirs the pot quite like a pizza topic.

[Rail Paul]

I moved the discussion of stars, ratings, consistency, the inherent superiority of pizza and fried chicken over foods requiring skilled technique and complex construction etc over to the Pete Wells thread.