A Brooklyn Pizzeria- on Mission Gorge Road; NY Style Pizza without the attitude

mmm-yoso, the blog, is back with Cathy talking today.  Kirk and Ed are merely eating somewhere -one of them in California, the other in Arizona- so they, too, can blog soon.  This is a fun hobby we have.

Hi. So, anyhow, The Mister and I were out last Sunday, looking for something cold to drink in the humidity that is "summer" (for all of two weeks) to those of us who now live in San Diego and were on Mission Gorge Road.  We saw "yetanotherStarbucks" and stopped.  A few doors down, this placard caught my eye:

This storefront was a Republican Party Headquarters for the 2004 election, and I never paid attention to it once  "Frank's Happy Chef" closed in the mall ( We really liked Franks- Greek and wonderfully fresh; it is now an Indian Buffet).  There is a Souplantation in there, but the parking situation is kind of  horrid since there are quite a few places to eat and it is within waking distance from two Kaiser Hospitals.

I stepped back and saw the signage with the not too original name (or so I thought)..."Pizzeria, Etc."

We ventured in and grabbed a menu.

I saw the name and website address "A Brooklyn Pizzeria". Hmmm. Other NY Style pizzerias sometime have "an attitude" with us. No names shall be mentioned here. You know where I mean, and I do like their pizzas.

It is not air conditioned inside, but we did not want to take a whole Cheese Pie home...and, they had salads on the menu (unlike my prior Favorite Pizza Joint in San Diego).  We said we would  eat in, ordered a small antipasto salad ($5.50) and a Cheese Pie ($11.00- $1 less than where we usually go) Of course all pies are the same 18 inch size and made in the NY style. There is a case of ready made pies, where you can order a slice or two at the front door, just like at that place with an attitude.

Nunzio prepared our small salad in two bowls for us- which was nice.

Not much lettuce (which I did not want anyhow but suspect we would have gotten more of if we got the salad "to go") but a provolone/capicola roll, some cut up mortadella and Genoa salami along with gardiniera, fresh tomato, cucumber, olive pieces, onion and a pepperocini, all tossed with a nice Italian dressing and topped with shredded mozzarella.  Brought out to our table- nice.

The cheese pie.  Again, brought out to our table, (unlike being set in a window with merely the toppings of the pie yelled out, so you can go and pick it up yourself, like at that other place).  Nice, thin crust, good, salty, fresh tasting mozzarella with a very good, rich, tomato-y sauce.  We did add oregano which was on the table.

When we finished, we went up to ask about dessert with the  leftover pizza on the pan and Nunzio boxed it up for us.

This place serves excellent Pizza. (There is a daily special of 2 slices and a drink for $6) and somehow I suspect the sandwiches are great also.  They also sometimes have Zeppoli (2 for $1), although not the day we were there.  I *love* Zeppoli and can find it on occasion only at Solunto Bakery in Little Italy.  The people who work here are all very nice and friendly and efficient.  Try to stop by.  You will like it and won't get yelled at.

A Brooklyn Pizzeria 6171 Mission Gorge Road San Diego 92120 phone (619) 584-9000(fax) (619) 584-9004  Sun-Thurs 11a.m.-9 p.m, Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-10 p.m. website

Comments

[mizducky]

That shopping center does have one of the more crazy-making parking lots out there, doesn't it? That Indian buffet is actually quite nice--don't let the fact that they took over the space of a former favorite restaurant put you off checking it out. And thanks for reporting on the pizzaria. I confess that, as an ex-pat New Yorker, I have tended to avoid anyplace out here that purports to serve New York style pizza for fear it would just never measure up to my memories. But I guess I just need to get over myself and check it out, huh? :-)

[Michael]

I love hearing about new places. Gotta go and try them. thanks

[Birdie]

This is one of my favorite places! One evening I rang and begged for a pizza to be delivered. Alas, I was informed I was too far away. Five minutes later the owner called me back to inform me of a closer pizza place that would deliver to me. That action has solidified my loyalty!

[Cathy]

Well Miz D, it may not be exactly what you remembered (as I get older, I find that certain things will never be the same...)but it is excellent pizza. I Have been meaning to try the Indian place out, just never got around to it. There are worse parking areas around town, though.
Hey, Michael! I guess this pizzeria has been around a while, I just haven't been in that area enough to notice it. Do try it.
Hi, Birdie -great story- One that all business owners should follow.

[Joanne]

When my husband and I lived in Allied Gardens we used to go there for pizza fairly regularly. The people were nice and the pizza always good! :) You're right about the parking lot though - it can be tough to find a spot sometimes.

[Cathy]

Hi Joanne- I love finding (or just knowing) these more 'local' places to blog about rather than the brand now 'see and be seen' places that are so publicized. This is a real food place.

[dave]

We found out about this place a couple months ago via Yelp. I agree, it's quite good. It is out go-to place for pizza now. Also, I really hate that "new yorkers are jerks" stereotype that that 'other' pizza place reinforces...

[Cathy]

Ah, Yelp...I merely drive around and stop at places, dave...interesting idea. Glad you know which 'other' pizza joint I mean. I do like the food there though and have found if I walk in and there is no line/it isn't busy, I don't get the attitude.

[bbqdreamer]

My wife and I have been eating at A Brooklyn Pizzeria since it opened a few years ago, as a nearer alternative to B...x (the place whose name shall not be said). She's from Philly, and I'm from D.C. and I grew up behind the counter of a pizzeria very much like Brooklyn.

Their products are familiar, as is the soap opera that goes with them. The short version: Lou started the place with Nunzio's help, they hired James, then Dennis, then James left, then Nunz left. Then Nunz came back, then Dennis left and Lou died. Then some other guy bought the place, hired DeNardo, then (in the last week or so) DeNardo and Nunz left.

This place has occasionally provided product that was fantasic, a real touch of home. The pizza crust is chewy and has that perfect yeast bite, and the sauce is wet enough to make "juice" but thick enough to hold the cheese in place.

Then sometimes, the food is just ok. Some guy named Jack answered the phone the other day and sent me an adequate calzone.

The difference seems to be Nunzio.

So now I'm back to driving 20 minutes to B...x, and I'm looking for Nunzio, who I think may have bought the place behind the liquor store at Zion and Mission Gorge.

The things we go through for a decent pizza...

[Cathy]

WOW! It is a soap opera. I do like the consistency of the
placewhosenameshallnotbementioned, bbqdreamer(and welcome to our Little Blog, by the way)and thought I could settle in at this place...it is indeed so much closer to home for me. Well, you are right, the quest shall continue. Of course, with my blogging about it...strange hobby, eh?

[bbqdreamer]

Cathy, I've been lurking for a couple of months, always enjoying your take on the many places in MY rotation. The strange part, to me, isn't that you write about this stuff; it's that you guys and I so often agree, down to the flavor of the soup, the quality of the service, and so on.

By the way, I just returned from that pizza place at Zion and Mission Gorge, where I asked about Nunzio. The fellow knew him but couldn't say where he is now. I have another lead though: New York Bakery on Main Street in El Cajon. Nunz used to buy sfogliatelle from them for the counter at Brooklyn. Great little shop, by the way.

[Cathy]

Hey, again, bbqdreamer...well, we are kind of in the same neighborhood...East of 15...but The Mister and I do drive everywhere (just click onto "What Cathy Eats" and you'll see stuff from La Jolla and Chula as well as Valley Center) and I think I have helped Kirk a bit by giving that "White Girl from East County" perspective on some of the places around here...Being Polish and raised in Detroit and marrying a guy from Finland who was raised in Boston kind of makes for an unafraid to experiment palate I think... Oh, and The Mister and I were at the New York Bakery last Friday for breakfast snacks...I do have photos on the camera still...no post yet. It is good there also. The new guy at Brooklyn is friendly. I will be getting a calzone from there soon, just not on a day when it is 95 degrees in Santee. :)

[Mike]

For anyone looking for Nunzio, he is now at Pop's Jersey Cheesesteaks in the Von's shopping center in Pacific Beach.