The Jersey Shore style that seemed (to us genteel Texans) to characterize the good folks at Florio’s on first arriving on our own shores appears to have mellowed over time — though that might not be apparentto first-timers. Pennants proclaiming allegiance to Jets, Mets, Nets, and the NYPD abound, and, yes, there are still rules. “All orders after 9 must be to go,” for example. And if you want a pizza that’s half bianca, half mushroom with meatballs, ain’t gonna happen. It’s the white mixing with tomato part that’s the problem, FYI.
But Rosie will allow you to put sliced meatballs on half of a white; that, apparently, is not a profanity. And it’s also not bad at all. Florio’s crust, for starters, is of the quasi-crisp style — not as boastfully blistered as one emerging from a tony Neapolitan wood oven, but good on its own merits. The basic bianca employs both ricotta and provolone drizzled with olive oil and spiked with garlic and red pepper flakes. It’s just cheesy — and just spicy — enough, and almost as good cold. The addition of meatballs doesn’t make bianca better — but it does add a layer of nuance.
These are not flagrantly flavored polpette (by this measure, Mama’s meatball Parmesan could be the perfect platform), so they gently insinuate their way into the cheese. I liked both.I haven’t liked the subs as much in the past — not because of the fillings, which can be very good indeed, but because of the bread. To one brought up on the homemade variety and later brainwashed with the crusty-loaf mantra, the flimsy stuff of most subs fails to impress; there are lots of ovens apparent in the kitchen, so couldn’t something better be expected?
Stopping just short of aggressively crusty, of course. But other offerings from the ovens are very impressive indeed. Among Patty’s Delectable Desserts, the chocolate cake, when available, is not to be missed, and I am now a convert to the astonishingly moist banana cake with its indulgent cream cheese frosting. Eat your heart out, JWOWW.
