Kesté and Co.
by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
June 17, 2009
MARGHERITA PIZZA
Co.
230 9th Ave
@ 24th St
New York, NY 10001
212-243-1105
Kesté Pizza & Vino
271 Bleecker St
@ Morton St
New York, NY 10014
212-243-1500
Margherita pizza at Co./Celia Cheng
Alongside yogurt and ramen, pizza has lately gotten a hip makeover in the City. I just checked out two new pizza joints, Kesté and Co., wanting to understand how pizza has evolved and what the new places are offering.
Kesté Pizza & Vino, the new Neapolitan-style pizzeria on Bleecker Street, boasts a specialized oven crafted by artisans from Naples, authentic ingredients and strict adherence to Neapolitan pizza making. All of this reminds me of the similar hype when Una Pizza Napoletana opened. What I love about both of these Neapolitan joints is the fresh, saucy fragrance of their tomato-sauce based pizzas. I always like to try the basic margherita pizza to test the flavor of the tomato sauce and the freshness of the mozzarella. At Kesté, the ingredients are fresh and flavorful, but I didn’t instantly think theirs was the best. I am, however, happy that there is a place in this neighborhood with quality gourmet pizzas. I will definitely stop by when I’m in the area.
Co., located in Chelsea, is the new pizzeria from Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery. The interior space with 54 total seats, mostly at communal tables, is minimalist, but the restaurant is bustling with patrons and high energy. The atmosphere is that of a restaurant not a pizza joint. There’s no doubt that Sullivan Street Bakery makes some of the best breads in town, so pizza doesn’t seem like a far-fetched expansion. And, indeed, the highlight at Co. is undoubtedly the dough, with the pizza bianco even tastier than the one sold at Sullivan Street Bakery, but the margherita and the bird’s nest (with raschera, Appalachian — both Piemonte cheeses — Parmesan, shaved asparagus, quail eggs, and shaved black truffle) were both a little dry for my taste. Naturally, their focus is on the dough, but I like sauces, so I prefer my margheritas slightly wetter. The salads were only mildly appetizing and didn’t wow me.
A friend asked me how the pizzas at these two places compare to each other and to other pizzerias I liked. Initially I responded that you can’t really compare a Neapolitan joint to a more Americanized place; it’s apples and oranges. But after some thought, I realized that regardless of the style, it comes down to what your palate prefers. So at the end of the day, I’d say I still like Franny’s best. It’s not the thin crust since I also appreciate doughy crusts, but the freshness of the produce and the perfect pairing of flavors that makes it so savory, and their appetizers are too delicious to pass up. For Neapolitan pizza, I will return to Kesté when the craving strikes. As for Co., I still prefer the bakery style mushroom, tomato or zucchini pizzas at Sullivan Street Bakery (and Grand Daisy Bakery). But preferences aside, the good news is that there are so many varieties and styles of quality pizza on the scene that there’s something for every palate.
Also in Chelsea, Italian, Pizza, West Village
