LB Food Review

The folks at A Slice of New York Pizza in Seal Beach aren’t the chatty type. In fact, they’ve saved themselves the trouble of verbally addressing repeated inquiries by printing a list of frequently asked questions and their accompanying answers on the rear of their take-home menu; their responses don’t exactly paint them as a cheery bunch. The first on their list of most common queries reads “Is this real New York pizza?” with the answer flatly stating, “not even going to answer that.” At first, I found it to be a bit defensive. As if they’re avoiding the question because they’re not completely confident their pizza is 100% New York. But I’m guessing they meant it the other way – as in “of course it’s real New York pizza. Why would you even bother to ask?” But an answer with some measure of descriptiveness would’ve been nice. Something like, “Our pizza is 100% New York. Its thin and crispy crust, elegant layer of sauce, and smooth layer of cheese gives it the trademark foldability adored by all Manhattanites.” Undoubtedly, their actual response is all meant for show, opting for the stereotypically snarky east coast attitude to help carry the illusion that their diners are stepping into an actual New York pizza joint.

Personally, I’ve had the pleasure of stepping into this pizza joint on numerous occasions – no illusion is necessary when it comes to judging their quality. While it may or may not be a close representation of what you would get on the streets of New York, it’s by far one of the best in the area. Personal preference for thin crust over thick leads me to such a bold statement. Biting into a doughy slice of pizza means the taste of the bread dominates the taste of the sauce, cheese, and toppings, being largely responsible for that inevitably heavy, weighed down feeling, cursing your gut for the next several hours. A Slice of New York goes the other way, painting their masterpiece on a thin rail of bread, with an equally thin layer of cheese, and finished with fresh toppings for a great balance of every element, and giving the crust that great crispy, crunchiness in the end.

Unfortunately, there is a drawback – the price. A medium pizza measuring 14 inches will set you back around $15 ($11 for the cheese). Their 18 inch large pizzas are around $18 ($14.50 for the cheese). Compared to the great bargains at a corporate pizza chain, you’ll definitely pay a fairly steep premium at A Slice of New York. If you’re not looking for a whole pie, they do sell pizza by the slice and their all-day special offers two slices of cheese pizza and a drink for $5.99 (an extra 50 cents is tacked on for their other slices).

Be advised, seating is quite limited. A few small booths and a couple tiny tables are all they have to speak of. Considering that icy FAQ and their lack of interest with socializing, perhaps that’s a good thing. But we can cut them some slack. Their pizza is top notch and they’re probably annoyed by people who question its merit. In the end, I would tell these inquisitive people to stop asking questions and just try it. Any further notion to waste time by talking instead of sinking your teeth into that glorious thin crust will rush out of your head faster than a New York minute.