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| Sal’s NY Pizza |
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Before marrying an Italian boy from Brooklyn, this naïve Nebraska girl thought pizzas only came in small, medium or large, and were always delivered within 30 minutes or they were free! Ordering a “slice” sounded like just buying 2 eggs instead of a dozen to me- it simply, wasn’t, done...  ~ ... so when The Man took me to Manhattan in 1994 and gave me a true education in pizza, New York style- I was truly amazed by the massive slices, variety of ingredients, and the crisp, thin crust! And not until Sal’s NY Pizza, have I experienced this bliss in NoVa. Gotta start with the atmosphere- what a pleasant, casual, family-friendly place to get a slice. Flat screen TV set on Nickelodeon aside, Sal’s is original with charming accents of both New York and Italy. Comfortable seating for two or for large groups, interesting decor, and a welcoming feeling. When the weather is fine, you can dine al fresco near the fountain, and people-watch in the plaza. The service is straightforward and efficient- they take your order, they get the order right, you collect your food, baddaboom, baddabing! The Man ordered his standard favorite- a Chicken Parmesan sub. It was stuffed with tender, juicy, fried chicken breasts, covered in a hearty, flavorful sauce and mozzarella cheese. It was hot, tasty, on fresh Italian bread, and simply delicious. He also ordered a rice ball, an Italian traditional side filled with meat, rice, peas and cheese and smothered in ragu and ricotta cheese, . The Man’s used to rice balls being just about the size of a baseball; Sal’s are the size of a softball! A wonderful and tasty treat, but do yourself a favor- only order one- it will serve a family of four! I am somewhat adventurous, so I tried Sal’s White Pie- a sauce-less delight with fresh garlic, ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheese on thin, crisp, Neapolitan crust. I added sausage- which was not ground, to my surprise, but cut from links and generously covering the slice. Wow. It was spectacular, the cheeses flirtedwith the edge of the slice, the creamy ricotta melted in your mouth, and the garlic flavor was delicate and a perfect accent to the sausage. What a slice! I can’t believe I ate the whole thing… We finished off with what The Man called the “true test” of Sal’s ability to bring NYC to the Broadlands- the Zeppolis: globes of fried dough covered with powdered sugar, so simple, yet- the only good Zeppoli, is a great Zeppoli! Sal’s staff kept a watchful eye on our progress through our meal and had our Zeppoli’s ready just as we finished stuffing ourselves on our dinner. They were served exactly as we had them at the San Gennaro Feast in Manhattan in 2000- in a brown paper bag, piping hot, the powdered sugar becoming a decadent, sweet paste. Better have clean hands, because you don’t use napkins to get that sugar off of your fingers- you become a kid again, licking every finger clean. It ain’t health food folks, these deep fried treats are the Italian version of homemade cake donuts with no rules and no holes! The bag absorbs most of the grease, the sugar absorbs the rest! (Your thighs will absorb any grease that’s left.) Thick, delicious, and lip-smacking good- a great Zeppoli doesn’t taste greasy at all! From the first bite, the boy from Brooklyn was very impressed, and made it clear that Sal definitely brought Brooklyn home to the ‘burbs. Summer is coming and we look forward to walking to Sal’s for a slice and some authentic Italian Spumoni, to booking Sal’s for Little League end-of-season parties, and to The Man getting a taste of home without driving four hours, because~ Sal’s NY Pizza Passes with Flying Colors!
(703) 729-7791
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