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Video: George R.R. Martin Finally Finishes His Guide To NYC Pizza
By
Ben Yakas
Published Dec 4, 2018
Modified Dec 4, 2018
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original photo of Martin: Anatoly Maltsev/EPA/Shutterstock
By
Ben Yakas
Published Dec 4, 2018
Modified Dec 4, 2018
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Do you ever get the feeling that George R.R. Martin will do literally anything to get out of finishing the A Song Of Ice & Fire series? It's been well over seven years since the release of A Dance Of Dragons, and in lieu of the long-awaited new GoT book, Martin has released spin-off books like Fire and Blood, he's helped adapt his 1980 novella Nightflyers into a TV show, he's started non-profits, he's cameoed in Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!, gone to some Dead shows, campaigned for Hillary Clinton, and he's blogged way too much about the Jets.
The latest iteration of this phenomenon: to promote Fire & Blood, Martin gave his guide to NYC pizza. Did we really need the creator of Game Of Thrones to confirm what we all already know, that NYC pizza is by far the best in the world? Probably not, but at least he gives John's on Bleecker Street a much-deserved shoutout.
Here's what he had to say:
New York City Pizza is the best pizza in the world. I think the secret to the best New York pizza is number one, the crust has to be thin. The thinner, the better. The crust can't get too thin. But it also has to have a flavor to it. And the best New York City pizza places, and many of them are good.
You can walk into any place in New York pizza street place, and get a slice, and it's better than what you'll get in 97% of America. But the very best are the handful of places that still have coal fired ovens. A coal fired oven gives the pizza a taste. It gives the crust a char and a smokiness that you get from any other thing.
So a couple of days ago, I ate at John's on Bleecker Street, and they have a coal fired oven, and it was just amazing. It was terrific. Lombardi's, also down in Little Italy, is another coal fired oven and another place that's really wonderful. If you go over to Brooklyn, there are some amazing pizza places over there that you can check out. Di Fara's is one. You have to stand in line for three hours, and then you get in and they have four tables. The pizza is amazing.
Don't get any weird stuff on it, though. None of this sprouts or pineapple or anything like that. You get a basic plain pie, cheese, maybe some pepperoni, maybe some sausage, you know. But don't go crazy with the toppings...get the basic, pure pizza experience. New York City pizza, food of the gods.
I can't wait to get Martin's take on ultra-realistic Shar-Pei Ice Cream.
Tagged
game of thrones
george r.r. martin
pizza
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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