DOUGH by Licastri

USA 🇺🇸🍕

COVID-19 UPDATE: Though primarily a takeout joint, DOUGH by Licastri has an outdoor deck that remains open for warmer days.

 

EDITOR'S NOTE: Written by Joseph Gessert, photographed by Liv Dillon.

Staten Island pizza is commonly cited but rarely appreciated in full by New Yorkers from the other four boroughs. Though challenging without a vehicle, diners that make the drive (or subway/bus/train ride) are often rewarded with pies that are as billed: as good or better than your average pie from Brooklyn or points further afield.

 

Many Staten Island pizzerias serve whole pies rather than slices, and these come in a variety of perspectives: neighborhood pizzeria (Villa Monte, Nonna’s, Brother’s), old school (Denino’s Pizzeria Tavern, Joe & Pat’s, Lee’s Tavern), newer school (Pizzeria Giove, Campania), and close to the ferry (Pier 76, the now-defunct Paulie’s). A newer entry in that second-to-last category is Richmond Road’s Dough by Licastri, which opened in 2016.

 

Gourmet pizzas and creative toppings are more common in Brooklyn and Manhattan than Staten Island, but Dough by Licastri combines genuine creativity with a rock-solid grasp of pizza basics—their dough, as you might expect, is fantastic, their sauces are balanced, and the pies do not drown in toppings. The results are nothing short of inspiring.

The Hotter than July ($24, above) is a spicy meat-heavy red pie, topped with fennel sausage, hot soppressata, fresh mozzerella, pecorino, and grilled long hot peppers, and finished with fresh basil and jalapeno honey. The garbage pie is a common menu item at Staten Island pizzerias, in which (generally) three meats and a couple of of veggies are combined on the same pie. This is in the same spirit, but whereas garbage pies tend to be enjoyable but less than the sum of their parts, the Hotter than July ingredients cooperate in an ensemble effort, every bite a little different, and everything a little bit better than it would have been on its own. Which would already have been pretty fantastic.

 

 
Over on the white pie side of things, the Popeye and Olive Oyl ($22, above) takes a white spinach pie and adds red onion, substitutes smoked mozzerella and bechamel for the white component, and tops it with pickled teardrop peppers. This Peruvian ingredient is one you have likely not had on a pizza, but which you might find yourself asking for side orders of to add to future pies.

One such option for that is the Pistachio Pesto Pie ($22, below), which substitutes pistachios for basil and adds bechamel and sausage to the mix. It is rich and nutty and again genuinely makes sense when you eat it, which you will want to do again as soon as possible.

 

 
Besides pizza, Dough by Licastri has sandwiches, salads, and a handful of similarly-creative appetizers. During a recent lunch an impulsive order of mac & cheese eggrolls ($10.50, below) was far superior to other deep-fried mac-and-cheese products, served with sweet chili sauce and complicated by blue cheese and (inevitably) bacon.

 

The eggroll wrapper kept the mac and cheese moist and, just, wow. You might find yourself almost annoyed to have one more thing to order besides the amazing pies.

 

 
For the car-less, you could plan a lovely and extremely caloric daytrip of taking the ferry and then the train to south Staten Island, combining a visit to Dough by Licastri with a pie from the nearby Lee’s Tavern, or even a third stop at Pizzeria Giove. Beautiful High Rock Park and Historic Richmondtown are also within easy bus or bike distance if you need to walk off the pizza.

 

Though the restaurant itself is minuscule, outdoor dining is available on a surprisingly pleasant back deck fenced off from Richmond Road, and diners are encouraged to BYOB. You might see turkeys walking by on the sidewalk as you eat your pie. You might also find yourself wondering if this could be not just the best pie in Staten Island but one of the very best in the city.

 

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DONGAN HILLS Staten Island

1456 Richmond Road

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Mill Basin Deli

USA 🇺🇸

COVID-19 UPDATE: Takeout only, no outdoor dining. Their website contains an online ordering portal.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Written by Joseph Gessert, photographed by Liv Dillon.

Old school Jewish delicatessans are an endangered species in south Brooklyn, and throughout the five boroughs. Last spring Avenue U favorite Jay and Lloyd’s fell victim to 2020's winding road, but carrying on the torch on a quiet block near the Kings Plaza Mall is Mill Basin Deli, which opened its doors in 1973. Their delivery fleet proclaim “Brooklyn’s Best Pastrami,” and on that count they may well be right.
 

As any past visitor to Katz’s Delicatessan will know, house-made pastrami and corned beef do not come cheap. Despite its outer-borough location, Mill Basin Deli is no exception to that rule. The hot pastrami sandwich ($20.95, below) comes with a cut option of regular, lean, juicy, or extra lean.

 

As is the tradition, the piled-high rye bread comes accompanied by a pickle (sour or half sour), mustard or Russian dressing, and the usual desultory coleslaw. In defense of the pricing, the sandwich is good for two meals, and the pastrami lives up to its billing.
 

Even better, perhaps, is Mill Basin’s corned beef, served here on an open-faced kosher Reuben sandwich ($22.95, below). For the not-strictly-kosher among us Russian dressing, though it might not be a favorite to most diners, finds its niche here, a perfect complement to the tang of the sauerkraut. Again, you might not want to attempt this whole thing in one sitting. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Apparently it can be Kosher!]

Potato latkes, knish, and other Jewish deli mainstays round out an extensive menu. Stuffed derma ($9.25), also known as kishke, is served in two large slices of sausage casing stuffed with a dense and rich bread stuffing, slathered in brown gravy. Though often made with matzoh flour, Mill Basin’s version tastes more of rye.

Kasha varnishkes with gravy ($5.25, below) consists of buckwheat and bowtie pasta dressed in that same thick gravy. It’s hearty, heavy, and bridges the transition of Jewish delis from inexpensive immigrant food purveyors to their current status as somewhat fancified relics of neighborhood tradition. Despite the twenty dollar sandwiches, this simple peasant dish helps remind diners of the pathways that brought this food to Brooklyn, and the humble origins of many of our ancestors, whose diets were likely light on the corned beef and heavy on the buckwheaand kishke.

 

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MILL BASIN Brooklyn

5823 Avenue T

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Lions & Tigers & Squares Detroit Pizza

PIZZA 🍕

Detroit-style pizza proves that the pizza emoji is not all-inclusive. In fact, it does not even begin to describe the experience of eating Detroit-style pizza. Humanity has a long way to go with such narrow-minded emoji options.

I often stay away from pizza supremacy battles. New Yorkers can be quite stubborn about what does and does not make a real slice. Folks like to have favorites and be passionate, I get it. My opinion about pizza is usually: "Yeah, I'll eat that."

I do have a soft spot for the thicker entries into the pizza lexicon, though have always been a bit underwhelmed by the most common of these in New York: the Sicilian square slice. It never had enough sauce for me.

Since early September I have had an ongoing repeat client right around the corner from Lions & Tigers & Squares, bringing me to this subway station at least twice a month. I cannot stop coming to this pizza joint, I just can't. So I figured I should finally talk about it, even though we do not do a whole lot of pizza on these pages.

Squares are cooked in industrial pans.

First of all, they do not sell slices, they sell squares. There is a good chance you will hear them have to explain that to a walk-in customer while you wait. Sold in a gut-busting giant rectangle cut into four "squares," bring a friend and share or come very hungry. In all the times I have tried, I have never finished the whole thing in one sitting. The closest I got was avoiding the crust on the last two slices, but then you kind of miss the point.

That crust is crispy and a little burnt and part of what makes the pizza from Detroit. The origins of this were cooking in industrial trays that were meant for other uses and had nothing to do with pizza, creating this unique shape and thickness. While the bottom and sides get crispy, the middle is still chewy and soft.

"The classic" is only $5.

An always generous layer of toppings is laid on top, with a nice double puddle of rich sauce. Most patrons seem to take the meatless "Classic" which turns out to be very economical, but other pies available include pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, and a vodka sauce slice just in case you needed everything a little heavier.

Pepperoni $11.

I am officially addicted.

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CHELSEA Manhattan
268 West 23rd Street

Map of Eat the World NYC:

Adobe Blues

USA 🇺🇸 (New Mexico)

Since 1992 the foods of New Mexico have graced the north shore of Staten Island, and only the locals seem to have been privy to this information. Why didn't someone tell the rest of us, we are definitely willing to cross harbors to come.

Use the corner door straight into the bar, what they call the saloon, and you just might fool yourself for a moment that you've somehow tripped into the southwest. Don't look at those photos of police on horseback too closely though, because if you read the subtitles you will see this is just a photo shoot on Staten Island. Not quite the wild west. The rest of the photos show similar things and add to the overall fun, making you want to stay in this half rather than sitting down at a proper table.

Music seems to go between delta blues or old country from Tennessee and the like, not quite on point but in the background enough not to disturb the efforts of an arid dessert.

New Mexico is a state with its own cuisine for sure. Sometimes called southwestern, but not to be mistaken for Tex-Mex, this is a thoroughly distinct fusion of indigenous, Spanish, and Mexican kitchens. The use of local chile peppers is more important than anything else. The state often jokes that they have an official question: "Red or green?" This refers to whether you would like your dishes spiced with local red chile or green.

Unfortunately at Adobe Blues they use both very sparingly. The red chile con carne ($5.50 cup, above) had all the right base covered but needed a little help to give it kick. This lack might just be for the audience, Staten Islanders maybe just do not like their mouths to get fiery. The bowl of chili is served with a small round cake of jalapeño corn bread, which despite its name also had no spice in its dense, moist body.

Luckily any order will probably arrive followed by a group of three or four bottles of different salsas that you can add to anything and everything. Do just that and the chile starts to be really enjoyed.

On a second visit I went all in with the blue corn enchiladas ($12 at lunch, above), chicken or ground beef rolled up in blue corn tortillas and smothered in cheese. They do ask you the official question here, so I of course opted for the half and half solution. By the time it reached me, the red seemed to have won the war and advanced well into green's territory.

Again both of the chile sauces were without kick and took some work, as did the beans and rice. It's a long way to Route 66 from here, and this shows through.

I would not hesitate to return just for the environment of the saloon though, definitely a unique place in the city. They rotate a few good beers on tap, including at least one Staten Island brew on the occasions I was around.

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NEW BRIGHTON Staten Island

63 Lafayette Avenue

Map of Eat the World NYC:

Lee's Tavern

PIZZA 🍕

Lee's Tavern fell into my world by accident. A job I was doing nearby ran over, leaving no time to get back home or to regular football bars. With only a few minutes before Tottenham's kickoff in Champions League, a quick Google Maps search gave this as the closest options for sports bars.

"We don't watch soccer here." was the straight-faced answer of the bartender when asked to find the game on.

When another guy gave the channel the game was on and beer was served, the menu started looking very appealing and this playful joke (maybe?) receded from memory. I am the kind of person that despite needing a great deal of variety in my diet, I am never not in the mood for pizza.

There are a few appetizers, but pizza is the special here. Looking into it later, Lee's is actually well known for their pies. I just got lucky.

On the menu, there are three pies that are listed as "Our Pizza Favorites," including the fresh homemade mozzarella & basil ($8.50, above). This price will get you what they call "bar size," a generous portion for one. A full large pie will run $15.50 if you bring a group.

Feel free to create your own combinations as well, which was done on the sausage and pepperoni ($8.75, below). The hands of the pie maker seem more giving when it comes to meats, so this was a favorite and ordered on both trips made here. They make the crusts thin and crisp, and at least on the bar version it always kept its form and never sagged in the middle like a typical New York slice.

The tavern itself is enjoyable, usually full of action despite having a lazy feel to it. Local customers were constantly coming in to place and pickup orders for pies to go. The dark woods and men at the corner of the bar seem to have been here for a long time. The bartenders know most people and have their drinks ready by the time they take off their coats.

As for traveling the world, the conversations at the bar will definitely talk about how CNN is "fake news" and something about the Clinton's being criminals. Both of these topics came up unironically on each of my visits. But yield traveler, this is not the right time and place to get into an argument. Enjoy being in the red America, and don't let anything get between you and this wonderful pizza.

DONGAN HILLS Staten Island

60 Hancock Street

G-Knows Cheesesteaks

USA 🇺🇸
(PHILADELPHIA)

In Philadelphia, you are either a Geno's person or a Pat's person. Just south of downtown, the pioneers of popular cheesesteaks are just across the street from one another, and locals and visitors alike pick sides and line up for long periods of time to enjoy them. For the uninitiated tourist, this can be somewhat intimidating and stressful as people in both lines do not appear that different from each other. It must all come down to politics. I am sure some choice disparaging remarks about the wrong cheesesteak in the wrong place could definitely cause a political uproar in Philly.

Thankfully obtaining a good one in Staten Island is very unstressful. An Italian-American named Giacomo (we'll assume he is the "G" who knows) has opened up a spot in homage to the city he spent much time in. He seems to let his affiliation known in the title, but I don't think any philosophical arguments need take place here. It's just a small casual spot with friendly people. The people I saw come and go in the short time I was eating my sandwich seemed like regulars.

So onto the cheesesteak, a creation of thinly sliced ribeye on bread that comes with American or Cheese Whiz. My cheesesteak ($7.50, below) came with a 75 cent upgrade to grilled onions and peppers and picked "wiz" rather than American cheese. I thought this was in fact the standard, but some further research online reveals the sandwich is enjoyed many ways.

When it arrived in front of me after a long afternoon of walking, I needed nourishment and went for a mouthful too fast. Be careful, it's hot off the grill, each one freshly made. Even with tentative plans to enjoy other food elsewhere later in the day, I devoured the whole thing and stuffed myself. It was too good to eat just half.

The place is housed in a three unit strip mall type building at the intersection of busy roads, has a few parking spots, and a small square space inside. A counter runs the length of the two windows with some stools, while two additional tables provide seating as well. It was mid-afternoon and not that busy, but half of the customers I saw seemed to get takeout.

You can take your cheesesteak a few different ways, and the menu goes on to cover fast food staples as well as "Hollywood Specialty Sandwiches" which name various creations after sports figures and actors. The only thing missing is a draught beer line, really. Philadelphia, welcome to the island.

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WESTERLEIGH Staten Island

1310 Forest Avenue

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Sons of Thunder

USA 🇺🇸

As you already know, poke is now a thing in New York City. In the course of a few months, about three hundred poke shops sprung up. First lesson, it's something like POH-kay, not pronounced like the finger jab. I have only been to Hawai'i once, and only had poke once. It came as an appetizer and did not change my life, reminding me of well-seasoned sashimi.

Hawaiian people share a love of raw fish with the Japanese, the basic ingredient of poke. The word actually translates to "small piece" and these small pieces of raw fish are generally eaten with the hands and lettuce, but here in New York a friendly version over rice has been adapted and forks and spoons are readily available.

At Sons of Thunder, in addition to a more mainstream American menu that is still yet to come, a poke menu of salmon, ahi tuna, octopus, and some weird non-fish option are about as complicated as things get. I asked what was most popular, and was told the half + half ($10.75, below) was the way to go.

I would certainly not disagree with the ways of the masses this go around, as I did enjoy both of these cuts of fish. It may seem odd to get raw fish from what feels like a fast food joint, but I have never been one to distrust anyone cooking for me. Who am I to even question the way such an interesting dish makes its way to our city?

Welcome to New York City, poke. Please don't turn into Chipotle.

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MURRAY HILL Manhattan

204 East 38th Street

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Eat the World NYC is and always has been free. No advertisements block the content or pop over what you read. If this website has helped you explore your city and its wonderful cultures a little better and you have the means to contribute, please consider doing so. Eat the World NYC is a labor of love, but also takes a lot of money and time everyday to keep running.

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Hard Times Sundaes

UNITED STATES

I tried at least three times to visit the Hard Times Sundaes truck on Avenue U in Marine Park over the past two years. All three times the truck was not around, for circumstances unknown to me. They were part of days involving many food options and either beaches or drives further afield, so I never held it against them. I wanted that burger.

The truck has moved to the back parking lot of the old Pfizer Building on Flushing Avenue in South Williamsburg. Finally my chance came in late December, far past the time when you can get a refreshing cup of Italian ice, pictures of which line the bottom of the truck's side. On a side note, are sundaes ever available here?

No matter, this is a burger truck.

And it is a good burger truck. The prices have gone up since the move to Williamsburg, the above single with bacon + cheese cost $7.75. The product is quality, you eat real foods, it does not seem unhealthy like most burgers do. When Pfizer closed its doors in 2008, it started a process of renovations that brought in a lot of creative food industry types, the kind of Brooklyn entrepreneurs known for artisanal goods and such. These people won't just eat any burger.

I asked truck owner Mr. Zurica how he likes the move and he briskly replied: "So far so good." I watched interactions with a few customers before me and noticed the senses of humor shared with his new clients is somewhat different than it probably was on Avenue U. I wonder if this truck is now a fish out of water. The product is certainly good enough to be sold anywhere, but will these new Brooklyn types put up with a guy from south Brooklyn? I hope so, because I will be taking that G train to drop in for a burger as much as I can.

WILLIAMSBURG Brooklyn

Rear of former Phizer Building

630 Flushing Avenue

Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop

USA

I enjoy places that are stuck in time, and not of the current crop of intentionally retro design and feel. Places that actually chose to forget the advances of decades. Even when the place lost part of its sign when the neighboring facade was enlarged, they just let the word "shop" get hacked and stand on "Eisenberg's Sandwich" alone.

This diner does specialize in the sandwich, and while they have many other items, make sure to eat one of them or you are missing some great and unique combinations. All the better to sit at the counter on a barstool if possible, for the full feel of the place. You get to watch the cooks and staff getting your order out (and everyone else's) pronto. It's fun to watch.

One of my favorite sandwiches, and also one of Eisenberg's most famous, is the peanut butter and bacon, a combination that does not necessarily sound enticing, but which is delicious, if you like these ingredients. The much more tame B.L.T. (below) also satisfies, perfectly toasted and light on mayonaise. The vegetables are not from the farmer's market, but are fresh and crisp nonetheless.

Eisenberg's is a gem, and enough off the radar of tourists that you can get a seat fairly painlessly on most days. Weekday lunches are definitely crowded, but it's all somehow bearable here. Grab an egg cream or a lime rickey and take it all in.

MIDTOWN WEST Manhattan
174 5th Avenue

Pat's Hubba Hubba

USA

This place was easily summed up by the ironic t-shirt the chef was wearing, that read "It's not a beer gut, it's a fuel tank for a love machine." The walls and ceiling are lined with $1 bills with messages from past customers, and the "menu" is a series of paper plates tacked on the wall behind the counter.

It seemed appropriate to have a hot dog here, as well as chili, so my first selection was simply to combine them, throwing in a slice of cheese as well. The hot dog with chili & cheese ($2.75, below) is quite good, the dog split and grilled crispy, and even the bun toasted.

The chili here is simply ground beef and peppers, and is plenty spicy. I would probably not prefer this over more complex chilis to eat alone in a cup, but it makes a good topping for all the various items. In the mood for more of that, I also got a small order of chili cheese fries ($3.25, below), which were not as satisfying, but still nice. Unfortunately the fries here are of the frozen variety.

Ask for a water, and you will be presented with the cup below. A pink tint is achieved by a "splash of fruit punch" and I am unclear on the origin of this one. Various places call it either Texas water or Hubba water, but either way it adds a certain charm and uniqueness to the meal. Free of charge.

PORT CHESTER New York
24 N. Main Street

Walter's Hot Dog Stand

USA 🇺🇸

If you have ever dreamed of getting a good hot dog from a Chinese pagoda, Westchester County has your place. Walter's is in institution, with consistently long lines and a building that is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Consider the experience the reason to come, as the dogs are fine, but just that. They split grill them here, and you can request all your condiments ahead of time. A single ($2.15, below) is a good introduction, but the short menu also includes the appropriately named double, a few different types of fries, shakes, and an egg cream.

I was also looking forward to the sweet spuds ($2.20, above right), but these are downright terrible. I am not sure a sweet potato was ever part of the process of making one of these, as a sweet orange goo comes forth when bitten into. Not my thing.

But finding a parking spot on a sunny afternoon, waiting in line with good-natured folks, and watching the orders get called is just simple fun. I am not surprised they are usually mobbed, it's a good place.

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MAMARONECK New York
937 Palmer Avenue

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Eat the World NYC is and always has been free. No advertisements block the content or pop over what you read. If this website has helped you explore your city and its wonderful cultures a little better and you have the means to contribute, please consider doing so. Eat the World NYC is a labor of love, but also takes a lot of money and time everyday to keep running.

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