Arriving at Veloce, I immediately recognized it as the former wine bar Solex. Still owned by Frederick Twomey of Bar Veloce and Bar Carrerra, the East Village pizza/wine bar, with the help of Sara Jenkins (Porchetta, 50 Carmine), is a hit. We ordered two pies, white clam and mushroom, as well as fried porchetta meatballs and a ballaró salad to start. The Sicilian pizzas are served at the table in 12-inch pans, and as Tommy promised, the texture of Veloce’s pies is nothing like the Sicilians I’ve tried before. Veloce’s Sicilian is elegant. The crust is voluminous and springy, not thick nor dense. And the crispy edges are addictive. The clam pie (only served when they have fresh clams) is truly out of this world. The clam pie retained its springy, crispy texture throughout the meal. Topped with clam, garlic, oregano and Grana Padano, it was distinctly spicy though there were no visible red pepper flakes on the pie. It was actually the garlic that gave it that pungent kick that I found essential.