Motorino

Last night, Miel and I decided to add some cheer to the gloomy day in NYC by making our long-anticipated trip to Motorino in the East Village for some pizza and wine.  Motorino has gotten rave reviews since it opened in the space that used to belong to Una Pizza Napoletana, but would it, could it, live up to all the hype?


We arrived around 8 on a Tuesday (a great time to go if you don't want to wait in line).  Service was quick and friendly.  We ordered a bottle of wine, the Nero D'Avola:

Which was not great but, given the price, not bad either.  It was fruity enough - but maybe just a bit watery?   It was fabulous with the pizza.  On to the pizza.  I am a big fan of salt, so I really really enjoyed the slight salty flavor of the crust.  Miel and I ordered the famous brussels sprout pizza (shown above), and the soppressata piccante:

Both were very good - but not superb.  While the crust was great - chewy, full of flavor, charred just enough (and I am NOT a crust girl), I will say that the center of both pizzas was floppy and too soft - it was impossible to pick up without the pizza flopping over and the toppings falling all over your plate, or, as in my case, your lap.

The brussels sprouts pizza tasted a bit of overcooked brussels sprouts, but was saved by that terrific crust, a salty, meaty smoked pancetta, and the mozzarella and pecorino cheeses.  These were obviously top quality ingredients - the pizza was tasty both right out of the oven, and after it had cooled a bit.  The soppressata piccante, featuring mozzarella, soppressata, garlic, oregano, and marinara sauce, was the winner by a long shot.  The spicy soppressata, salty crust, chewy/creamy mozzarella, and sweet, fresh tomato flavor of the marinara sauce went together beautifully. 

While Motorino is not my favorite pizza spot in the EV (that award still goes to Gruppo and their meat lover's pizza), I did love every bite.  I will certainly be back for more!