“Well we’re movin on up,
– The Jeffersons
To the east side.
To a deluxe apartment in the sky.
Movin on up,
To the east side.
We finally got a piece of the pie.”
Perhaps my age is showing, but every time I think of the idiom “a piece of the pie,” I cannot help thinking of the late 70’s, hit TV show The Jeffersons. For those too young to understand my reference, The Jeffersons was launched in 1975 as a spinoff of another great sitcom, All in the Family. The show was about an affluent Black couple, George and Louise Jefferson, who had earned their way to an elegant and spacious apartment on the Upper East Side in Manhattan. Produced by Norman Lear, The Jeffersons lasted for 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes and it remains one of the longest running television sitcoms to this day.
Like George Jefferson, everyone wants to make it big, everyone wants to move on up and make a lasting impression in this world, like for instance, building a large chain of dry-cleaners from the ground up on a high school education. Believe it or not, one of the key elements of financial security hinges on frugality and, by the way, isn’t that what this column is all about?
So, while you’re working your way up to the big leagues, you can be careful about where and how you spend your hard-earned ducats. Since we’re talking pizza (did I forget to mention that?), maybe it would be wise to skip ordering the whole pie, and just take it slice by cheesy slice.
Since we’re talking pizza-by-the-slice, the best place to start would probably have to be Slice Pizzeria. Open since 2003 on St. Charles Avenue (there’s another location Uptown on Magazine Street), Slice is owned by the same folks who run Juan’s Flying Burrito. Among dishes like their tasty, New Orleans-style Barbecue Shrimp or Prince Edward Island Mussels steamed in a Pino Grigio tomato/basil broth, Slice offers every pie, even their specialties, by-the-slice. You could keep it simple with plain cheese or take a heartier approach with a slice of Meat Lover’s topped with pepperoni, meatballs, Italian sausage, ham and bacon. Personally, I like a fresh slice of their Four Cheese Margherita layered with fresh and aged mozzarella, Provolone, Parmesan, basil chiffonade and diced tomato. I can even add a half spinach salad with pine nuts and sun dried tomatoes (don’t forget the bleu cheese vinaigrette) and still stay under budget.
Across town, on the burgeoning strip of Tulane Avenue between South Jeff Davis and the I-10, lies Pizzicare. Opened almost two years ago by pizza aficionado Jeff Baron (who also owns The Dough Bowl and part of Crescent Pie & Sausage), this bright and clean pizzeria is one fans are willing to cross town for. Although they also offer some salads and a few sandwiches, the folks at Pizzicare have their eye on the ball and that means some really delicious pizza. Order a plain cheese pizza by-the-slice for $3 and add any topping you desire at 50 cents each or you could try some of their specialties at only $4. Try the ever popular Pancetta & Brussels Sprouts, Chicken & Broccoli Rabe or sink your teeth into one of my favorites, the Crescent Sausage Pie with Italian, chaurice and andouille sausage made by Baron’s “partner in crime” Chef Bart Bell.
Fairly new to the scene and making big waves in the pizza-loving community is the Bywater’s own Pizza Delicious. Native New Yorkers Micheal Friedman and Greg Augarten made their dream a reality by bringing a fond taste of home to the Crescent City. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 11am to 11pm, Pizza Delicious always offers three different types of pizza, garlic knots, rolls, plus an array of pizza and pasta specials that can change every day. By-the-slice, they only offer cheese ($2) and pepperoni ($2.50), but add a house salad with mixed greens, roasted peppers and provolone and you’re good to go.
Finally, though they don’t quite offer pizza-by-the-slice at Midway, I have to give them their “turn at bat” because their weekly lunch special comes pretty close. Located on Freret Street, Midway opened during the “Great New Orleans Pizza Craze” boom in 2011 and has been going strong with it’s Chicago-style, deep-dish pizza. Their specialty pizza’s include flavors like the Money Pie with spinach, pepperoni and meatballs, the Herb Tarlek with roasted chicken and Creole/fredo sauce, The Kingpin with house-made meatballs, shaved Parmesan and green onion or the Don Flamenco featuring sun dried tomatoes, prosciutto and Gorgonzola. But, to get a choice of pies by-the-slice, you have to try their so-named “FreretJet Lunch Buffet” where you get a choice of their special salads with all you can eat pizza for only $8.99.
*Article originally published in the September 2013 issue of Where Y’at Magazine
**Pizzicare is closed
