Saturday, March 11th, 2006, 1:00 PM Grandpa's Brick Oven Pizza, 4973 Broadway, New York, NY (Inwood), 3 slices of pizza at $1.90 each Until someone proves otherwise, I maintain that Grandpa's Pizza serves the finest Manhattan pizza north of 118th St. It's one of the few places I've been to that reminds me of Patsy's in East Harlem. And since I used to basically live in Patsy's, that's quite a compliment (although let me be clear: I'm not saying this is as good as Patsy's. I'm just saying it reminds me of the Patsy's style). The crust is super-thin and respectably crispy. And the cheese (which is a forgettable afterthought on most pizzas) is noticeably good. Just be sure to get it fresh. The reheated slices I received this time around were dissatisying compared to earlier visits.

Thursday, March 9th, 2006, 2:45 PM Muzzarella Pizza, 221 Avenue A, New York, NY (East Village), 1 slice for $2.00 I have yet to find a quality East Village slice. So when I passed this tiny shop's weathered facade and noticed the sign offering "classic south Italian fare", I had to check it out. It looked old-school legitimate, like it just might be a diamond in the rough. Alas, my hopes quickly faltered when I bit into a totally ordinary and forgettable slice of pizza. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Thursday, March 9th, 2006, 2:00 PM Sullivan St. Bakery, 73 Sullivan St, New York, NY (SoHo), 2 slices at $2.50 each Straight out of jury duty (I was dismissed), I cruised up to Soho to kill two birds with one stone: 1) fill an important gap in my knowledge of the New York pizza scene and 2) grab some lunch. The pizza here, which is nothing more than tomato paste spread over freshly baked bread, is much simpler than usual. Spices aren't used, so the raw tomato flavor really comes through. Some may find this unappealing. But give it a chance and you'll appreciate the balance (it took me a few bites to adjust). These guys know what they're doing. Trust them and they'll take care of you.