It's a well-known fact that the pizza popularized in America is a distant cousin of the original Italian version from Naples. Some Neapolitan purists would even go so far as to claim that there are only two true varieties of pizza, the Marinara and Margherita; the former topped with tomatoes, oregano, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil, and the latter made with a light tomato sauce, fresh basil, and mozzarella, both baked in traditional wood-fired brick ovens.
Brick 266, which opened on Park Avenue near the end of last July in the space formerly occupied by Cuomo's Neighborhood Deli & Market, offers pizza that lies somewhere between the American and Italian versions, but with a distinct Park Ave twist: each of pizza varieties is named after well-known streets that intersect with Park Avenue. For instance, diners can choose from options like the Alexander (somewhat akin to the classic Margherita, with tomatoes, basil, fresh mozzarella, and a choice of pesto or red sauce), the Goodman (a spicy collection of jalapenos, banana peppers, and onions), or the Berkeley (featuring ham, sweet onions and pineapple), all of which are baked in the restaurant's centerpiece 15,000-pound brick oven, hand built by owners John and Kim Toscano.
"Most pizza chains in Rochester have pizza with a thick crust, where you eat one slice and you're full," says John Toscano. "We wanted to bring the brick-oven-style pizza to Park Ave so that people can enjoy a nice thin-crust, tasty-topping pizza with a glass of wine or a beer."
Brick 266 does offer a wide selection of wines - many of them local - and beer. Notably, the eatery offers $4 bottles of wine (the small, single-serve variety) so that patrons can always get a fresh, newly opened bottle.
In addition to brick-oven-baked pizzas, Brick 266 also offers wood-fired pizza rolls, somewhat like stromboli, and patrons can choose up to three from the nearly 20 varieties of toppings. Those are then wrapped in the signature dough and fired up in the oven.
To find Brick 266 in City Newspaper's online Restaurant Guide - including a map, user reviews, and more - click here.
Brick 266 is located at 266 Park Ave. Prices range from $4 to $12. It is open daily 11 a.m.-10 p.m. For more information call 730-8153 or visit the restaurant's Facebook page.
More garbage
Health nuts and foodies may hate to admit it, but garbage plates are probably the most iconic dish of Rochester. Originated by Greek immigrant Nick Tahou in 1918, the garbage plate has been a Rochester mainstay ever since. Nick Tahou Hots - now run by Nick's grandson Alex Tahou - still makes the original garbage plate (for which the restaurant owns the trademark). And while many other restaurants and diners have had success with their own versions of the dish - from "trash plates" to "dumpster plates" to "refuse plates," and every other garbage synonym you can imagine - plate purists will tell you the only way to truly enjoy this Rochester delicacy is to have the original.
While the flagship Nick Tahou Hots still stands at 320 West Main Street, plate fans now have a second location that serves the legendary dish. On Tuesday, August 3, Nick Tahou Hots opened a new location in Henrietta in the space formerly inhabited by El Parian Mexican Grille. While Tahou's new digs provide 2,500 square feet of space, as well as longer hours, one key ingredient to the nearly century-long run remains the same: that specialty dish. While Tahou's does offer several items in addition to the garbage plate, including chicken tenders, a fish fry, Italian sausage and more, a trip to Tahou's without ordering a plate would be like visiting the zoo without seeing the animals.
For those readers who may be new to Rochester (or for anyone who has been living under a rock), here is the guilt-inducing combination of ingredients that make up the trademarked garbage plate: a choice of meat (typically two hamburgers or two hot dogs, red or white) atop a pile of home fries, macaroni salad, or baked beans, smothered in ketchup, mustard, onions, and Tahou's own hot sauce. Seemingly endless variations exist, and Tahou's happily customizes plates to diners' desires.
The new Nick Tahou Hots is located at 3070 W Henrietta Rd. It is open daily 10 a.m.-midnight. For more information, call 272-1182 or visit garbageplate.com.
Buy local, vote local
Want to help bring some deserved attention to our fair city? Vote for the Rochester Public Market (280 N Union St) in the America's Favorite Farmers Market contest, sponsored by the American Farmland Trust. At the press time, the Rochester Public Market was leading the "Large Markets" category with more than 3,400 votes. You can also vote for several of Rochester's suburbs that have markets competing in other categories like medium, small and boutique markets.
To cast your vote, visit farmland.org/vote and type in either the market's full name or "Rochester" to see a full list (a technical glitch on the website only brings up one market if you type "Rochester, NY"). Voting ends August 31.