Old School Brooklyn Pizza: Di Fara

Plastered on the walls of the smoky interior of a little pizza joint in the Midwood neighborhood of Brooklyn are years of praise lavishly bestowed on Domenico DeMarco, proprietor and still principal pizza preparer. Since 1964, DeMarco has stood guard over the gargantuan oven with dough in hand.

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So why is the joint called Di Fara when it has always been DeMarco as the stalwart pizza maven? His original business partner was named Farina, and a portmanteau of their names became the famous Di Fara.



Now most people who pride themselves on NY pizza perspicacity will have much to say about Di Fara, but outside the NY circle, large as it may be, Di Fara has not reached the fame of some of the other pizza places. I theorize that this has nothing to do with the quality of the pizza, but rather on the refusal for DeMarco to scale up his operation. The pizza procuring procedure is Byzantine at best, and arriving with a guide is not a bad idea. After waiting the requisite wait in the line that forms outside the restaurant at all hours, make your way up to the counter and choose from the $5 slices or opt for a ~$30 pie. Someone, likely one of DeMarco's children, will write up your order on a scrap of paper and simply call you when it's ready. The additional wait for the pizza could take quite awhile, but you should make sure you return in time, lest your pizza be presented to another patron.



$5 for a slice of pizza. Expensive, yes, but Di Fara doesn't fail to bring in the crowd. Since I didn't make the trip out to Brooklyn too often, I had a slice of the thin, a slice of the deep-dish, and another thin crust pie. While utterly delicious, the pizza was undeniably oily. And though DeMarco might be making each pie himself, there were issues with consistency. Some crust comes out burnt, some too soft. The ingredients are tossed on capriciously by hand, though I'll admit there might be some sort of strategic topping placement that I didn't perceive. As you can see, the pizza is not much to behold, and from experience, I can tell you that next morning cold Di Fara's isn't nearly as appetizing.

Given the long wait, hassle of ordering, cost, and inconsistency, I can see why Di Fara is often a hit or miss for pizza pilgrims. Still, if you're comparing the best pies in town, you can't leave out Di Fara as a contender.

1424 Ave J
Brooklyn, NY 11230
(718) 258-1367
difara.com

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Mio Babbo's

(310) 208-5117
1076 Gayley Ave
Westwood, CA 90024

Adequately Fed: $15
House Salad with Italian Dressing**
Spaghetti Pomodoro***
Veal Piccata*****
(Out of Five Stars)

After reading the chapter on meat in Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking explaining the science of cooking, I felt compelled to order a veal entree. McGee writes that meat gains flavor from life, meaning older animals with exercise and varied diets produce more flavorful cuts. Veal is on the opposite end of this spectrum. Calves are deprived of movement, fed a fatty milk diet and slaughtered young to maintain supple flesh. I'm not going to enter into the morality of eating baby cows, but foodies should be able to appreciate an especially tender cut of veal.

A short walk from UCLA, Mio Babbo's is an unassuming restaurant small in size with a decor of simple elegance. The interior looks like a restaurant from the twenties. Private booths separate several tables in the small restaurant. My waiter and busboy were helpful and attentive, although the design of the tables allows for a great deal of intimacy with your dining mates.

Each entree comes with a salad or soup. My first course came quickly, dressing on the side, a delight compared to the soggy lettuce of some restaurant salads. The greens were topped with olives and chick peas, straightforward but a little different. Italian dressing was slightly bland for my tastes, but I like my sour foods on the tart side. Soon after the salads, the pasta and veal came. The simple tomato sauce over the spaghetti had a complexity that belied more complex herbs that I couldn't readily identify. Although it was tomato heavy, it was not overly acidic. While the pasta was decent, the veal really exemplified Mio Babbo's. Its lemon and white wine sauce enhanced the natural flavor of the meat and the layer of spaghetti below made a great companion.

Overall, I enjoyed this meal and rate this restaurant solidly. Every time I walk by, I take a glance at the daily special on the board in the window. Maybe next time, I'll have that instead.

Recommendation: I don't know if I would make it a point to visit, but I would come if I were in the mood for convenient, unassuming Italian.

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Pinocchio

3103 W Magnolia Blvd.
Burbank, CA 9150

Adequately Fed: $8

Ordered:
Garlic Bread*****
Greek Salad*
Veal Parmigana**
Chianti***
Gelato****
Cannoli*****
(Out of Five Stars)

First off, this is more deli than restaurant. You go up to a counter and order from items placed out in steam trays then bring your food to a table. This restaurant is actually attached to the Monte Carlo deli. From what I understand, Pinnochio is Southern-Italian cuisine.

The food is not particularly appetizing. It is better than Italian fast-food like Sbarro, but not by much. The salad was soggy and under-flavored, probably as a result of sitting in the large tray for too long. The veal was plain and unexpressive for so delicious a meat. However, the saving grace of taste was the garlic bread. Hot from the oven, this was the best garlic bread I have ever had. Two pieces come with your order, but I would not be adverse to ordering extra. At least the mediocre food comes cheap with each entree under $10 and the sandwiches even cheaper. You really do get what you pay for.

Although I would not recommend Pinnochio for its steam tray entrees, I would recommend it for its gelato and sobrettos. For $2.95 you can get five small scoops of any flavor. Between our two five-scoop samplers, I had amaretto, chocolate hazelnut, vanilla bean, tiramisu, dulce de leche, pistachio, mango, passion fruit, coconut and a cherry flavor that I have forgotten. In retrospect, I would not recommend you get five separate flavors, but rather focus on a few choice combinations so as not to get overwhelmed.

We took home two supposedly homemade cannolis. They were deliciously crisp with chocolate chips. The baked goods are highly recommended.

There was a small parking lot in the back as well as available street parking. The servers were helpful and in good spirits.

Recommended: Either come here for a quick, affordable lunch or stop by after dinner for gelato and cannolis.

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