MNPC: Nicoletta

There are lots of restaurants in New York that open to much fan fair that I am often left wondering why. Being a huge fan of Chef Michael White, I got nervous with all the hoopla around his opening of a pizza place. Early reports were nothing short of amazing, so it was with excitement and a little trepidation that I went to Nicoletta with MNPC tonight.

Having just opened last week, I wondered, have all the kinks been worked out? I've also read a lot about the dough still being perfected. That being said, it's Michael White after all, what could be bad?

The menu of pizzas is short (10) but you can also get a classic and add your own toppings. The hardest part was deciding only four. Taking the advise of our waitress, we narrowed down our choices and ordered. 

I have to say that for being open less than a full week, all the kinks seem to have been worked out from my perspective. Our waitress was knowledgeable and friendly. She helped steer us toward some great choices and our pizzas were timed perfectly. (We ask for them to be staggered so they don't get cold as we eat.) I also liked that we weren't rushed when it looked like we might have been finished. For 'just a pizza joint' the service is on par with his high end restos like Marea or Ai Fiori. 

For pizza, we got the Tartufata

mozzarella, crema di tartufo prosciutto cotto, roasted wild mushrooms

Calabrese 

thick-cut pepperoni, homemade fennel sausage red onions, pomodoro, mozzarella

Brocolo

broccoli rabe pesto, smoked scamorza cheese cherry peppers, spicy bread crumbs

Classica

 pomodoro, mozzarella, basil

In the words of LGFEO, the first bite was "god damn delicious," as was every subsequent bite. No law of diminishing returns here. The dough is a little dense so definitely order less than you think you need (or not and take home the leftovers), but it's really tasty, chewy and crispy and not too sweet, the perfect vehicle for toppings. 

Everything seems to be taken into account here too. We all noticed sliver press able dots on either end of the table. What are they we asked our waitress. They are the spots where the pizza trays go in to. No metal tray holders taking up valuable table space here.

If you're looking for classic New York or Neapolitan style pizza, this isn't your place. If you're looking for really good pizza that's different, make this a must.