Michelle Obama Basically Said Grimaldi's Beats Chicago Pizza

"Chicago-style pizza may owe its existence to a bad enchilada. When partners Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo planned to open a restaurant, Sewell, a native Texan, wanted to feature Mexican food. But one of the sample meals the partners tested made Riccardo so sick that he rejected Mexican food entirely. Riccardo suggested pizza, which he had encountered in Italy--as indeed many American servicemen were doing during World War II. Sewell's complaint with pizza was that it was insubstantial, little more than an appetizer--and readily available in Chicago's Little Italy neighborhood besides. Sewell wanted a substantial, meal-size pizza. After some experimenting, the partners devised something with a thick crust and plenty of cheese. Pizzeria Uno opened on this date at the corner of Ohio Street and Wabash Avenue."

July 20, 1997, edition of the Chicago Tribune

So in other words, even the inventors of "Chicago Pizza" know that its not pizza.

Whenever I stumble upon one of these pizza debates, the "NY pizza" claims always strike me as such BS. It should be a question of individual pizzerias, because unless you go to one of the maybe dozen excellent pizza places (ok, maybe more, I dunno, but in any case a tiny, tiny *fraction* of NYC pizza places), you are gonna get a pure-shit slice.

My question, not being familiar with Chicago pizza, is, If you go into a regular pizza joint, not one of the frigging legendary places, are you more likely than not to get a delicious slice, whatever its characteristics?

If so, give the prize to Chicago. You definitely cannot make that claim with NY.

You are incorrect in every way.

You expect me to take seriously the food opinions of someone named "cannibal"? What's you favorite topping -- earlobes?

Noses.

you are obsessed!

I've had the best reviewed pizza in Chicago, I've had the best reviewed pizza in New York, but NEITHER of them are better than pizzas from Arizmendi Bakery in (here it comes) the San Francisco Bay Area:

http://www.arizmendibakery.org/

Basically it's New York style with hippie flavoring (organic dough and toppings, worker-owned store). Bring the First Lady there, she'll change her mind quick. (Not about San Francisco pizza in general, to be sure, most of it's ass. Arizmendi is the exception.)

New York style with "hippie flavoring" Like what? Patchouli and head lice? Fuck your fake ass hippie pizza. Thanks for making my vomit in my mouth reading that description, I'm sure it tastes a lot better than rotten hippie pie.

You people don't know what real Chicago pizza is. It isn't the deep dish that is served to tourists. I have that occasionally, but real Chicago pizza is crispy thin crust cut into squares. The crust is thinner than the hand-tossed crusts in NY, and it is crispy enough to support the toppings. You don't need to fold it over (you can't really). Plus, you get a choice between pieces (don't call them slices) from the middle, or pieces on the edge that have a handle.

The best pizza places for thin crust are the neighborhood ones. Of the chains, Aurelio's is pretty good. Also check out Connie's on the South Side, and Leona's on the North side.

Plus, there is also a difference between deep dish (Lou Malnati's, Uno, Due) and stuffed (Giordano's). Get things straight, people. Apparently most New Yorkers, and sadly, Michelle Obama, don't know what they are talking about.

sounds wak

kinda like your mom

ohhhhhhh!

At least my mom's not on the cover of Wakness Weekly

ohhhhhhh!

>agrees with matty

This is news worthy ? Really ? Someone please let me know when The First Lady takes her clan to a Boston Market Restaurant and states that there chicken is better then Kentucky Fried Chicken ! Then and only then will I be impressed with this story !

But the big question is whether Michelle tried pizza cones. Somehow, I don't think she's that much of a masochist.

I think cannibal is my new favorite gothamist poster.

Your'e a good sport. I had fun.

I've tried every type of pizza at least seven times more than anyone else in this thread. I've found the NY-Chicago argument to be irrelevant. They are both inferior to making it at home on a baking sheet. My homemade baked potato pizza is far superior to anything you can buy.

Cook up some bacon until it is crispy. Slice up a potato. Fry it in the bacon grease until it is somewhat soft. Knead your dough to fit your baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with olive oil before adding the dough. Pour melted butter and chopped garlic over the dough, then add your cheddar and mozzarella cheese, potato, and crumbled bacon in that order. When the pizza is done, add the chives and some sour cream. Thank your friend Urinal Gum.

/and eff the health reform bill

you sound like youre from Chicago

nobody likes you dude

Why do other cities like Chicago even try to compete with New York on ANY level, ESPECIALLY pizza? It's only because they are all they way out in the middle of nowhere that they would dare have the balls to make statements like that. I guess by the time you even get to Chicago after you drive or fly over corn and serial killers for hours you forget what civilization and pizza is.

Chicago should not even be allowed to call that shit "pizza".

And for those comparing NYC to Italy, of course everything is better in Europe, thats not what we are discussing. NY VS CHI only

This argument is so stupid because people are comparing New York-style with Chicago deep dish. Chicago deep dish is not "Chicago-style" pizza. Chicago-style is the thin pizza that you get in Chicago, pizzeria and it's cut into squares.

Im comparing things in New York that are called "Pizza" and things in Chicago that are called "pizza". Since Chicago calls deep dish "pizza" its a fair comparison.

But there are three different foods that go by the name "pizza" (actually 4 if you consider the wood-fired oven European style available at some nicer Italian restaurants). Thin crust is the standard, and it is different from what you'll get at Grimaldi's. Deep dish is what you'll get at Uno's or Malnati's. Stuffed is what you'll get at Giordano's, and is more like baked lasagna minus the lasagna.

As far as NY is concerned, John's is the best I've had. I'm not sure why MO would choose a tourist trap like Grimaldi's.

Grimaldi's is indeed a sub par tourist trap. Poor MO's handlers control everything she does so she has no choice in the matter.

Cannibal clearly has a bias and no logical or rational arguments on this entire page. As a non-biased 3rd party who does not live in either city, New York is (and this would be agreed upon by most people) a shit hole in most ways when compared with Chicago. Sorry Cannibal, but you are clearly wrong.

Of course I have a bias. My family are all NYers and this is an article about NY on a NY blog.

I am proud to live in one of the greatest cities in the world.

And for you to live in neither New York or Chicago and to say " New York is (and this would be agreed upon by most people) a shit hole in most ways when compared with Chicago." shows that YOU not only have no logical or rational arguments, but are delusional as well.

If your city was so awesome, why are you do have Gothamist's balls in your mouth?

Considering how hard it is to even come by a good slice in nyc those are some pretty bold statements. How about you go eat some shit on a shingle. You probably couldn't tell the difference between that and what most of manhattan considers a pizza slice.

Also you come from city that happily puts ketchup on hot dogs. Nuff said.

ketchup is offered for hot dogs, like it is anywhere else in the country. Its not like the hot dogs come with condiments on them.

Apparently you've never been to a real hot dog place. Don't go by what's at Wrigley Field, either (unless you went to the Chicago Hot Dog stand). Drop into Gold Coast Dogs or any decent neighborhood place and ask for a hot dog with everything on it. You'll get 7 toppings, but ketchup won't be one of them. Superdawg refuses to put it on. They make fun of you and tell you to deface your hot dog yourself.

ok I'll take your one decent hot dog vendor and raise you 10,000 more, on every corner. WITH KNISHES. When you get knishes and pretzels at your hot dog stands then we'll talk.

Also this is the city that gave you Michelle and Barack Obama and therefore this whole news story. No one would give a shit if she hadn't visited. Therefore. Chicago wins!

You didn't give us the President, just his wife. And the fact that Michelle is FROM Chicago and thinks NY pizza is better says a LOT. No one cares about Chicago EVER. Not newsworthy.

I helped elect him state Senator, fuck you very much. And he was a State Representative from Chicago before that. Let's give credit where credit is due. :D

ok you can have credit for voting, but not for having good pizza.

I mean U.S Senator.

The only thing Chicago wins is the World's Biggest Bummer prize.

If you love Chicago so much why are you ALWAYS posting on Gothamist???

Go back to Chicagoist!

Can a man not love New York and Chicago, both?

It's like Oysters and Snails, my friend. :D

In Chicago you have to ask especially for ketchup packets at any respectable hot dog stand. Totally fowned upon, as it should be.

Have you ever left new york by any chance?

Chicago does not have respectable hot dog vendors. Don't mess with Hebrew National.

"Have you ever left new york by any chance?"

I have been to every state but Hawaii, including taking a year off to do nothing but travel the US city to city, solo. I have lived in Italy and China as well as over 10 US cities, including Chicago, where my sister taught at the Oriental Institute and my boyfriend at the time was in boot camp. I am constantly traveling for work and family.

So, yes.

Chicago has no street vendors of hot dogs, which is no big loss (I'd never eat something from a street vendor). However, a Chicago-style hot dog beats the pants off one from NYC. Try Gold Coast Dogs if you are in downtown Chicago. In NYC, Shake Shack has a decent interpretation (down to the pinch of celery salt), but they use a cucumber instead of a pickle spear.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfehSPXSx74

if you would never eat something from a street vendor, that's your loss. Street food is well respected as an important part of a culture's cuisine, in its most basic delicious form.

Lets not get into a hot dog war, I don't want you to start something that you can't finish.

You're just being defensive. Ketchup on a hotdog is a CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY.

DAMMIT THIS IS ABOUT PIZZA, there is no way I would ever defend ketchup on hot dogs.

You know what though, at least in NY ketchup on hot dogs is largely a racial thing. I don't know why but if you're black in NY chances are you're putting ketchup on your hot dogs.

at least you can slice a pizza in NY, in Chicago its a chunk.

Instead of me eating shit on a shingle, hows about you go back to Chicagoist?

And come on, you're not going to win in a fight of NY anything versus Chicago anything, bless your heart.

I'd be pissed too if I were landlocked in the Midwest.

I admit our pizza is not nearly as good as a well made NY slice. But hey, you can't get a decent fucking taco in a city of 9 million. Pathetic! *Walks my midwetern ass to La Pasadita in Wicker Park*

you could if you weren't a tourist.

I have to agree there's nothing more culinarily offensive than ketchup on a hot dog.

Grimaldi's is not that great. Plus the line is filled with B&T. No self respecting New Yorker (person) will ever go there.

Now Lombardi's Pizza in Soho—that's great stuff!

It's filled with B&T? It's in BROOKLYN!

Giordano's isn't that great. Wasn't impressed. Lou Malnati's however, now that's a freaking pie. Holy Mother.

Good nyc pizza is good.

Good chicago pizza is good.

But bad new york slices are really really bad.

also comparing the two is stupid. they're totally different things.

You know what's better than all that? New England style pizza.

that sounds suspicious. Does it involve seafood

It's popular in Chicago for some reason. They call it "new haven style" but people in new haven have never heard of it. Very very thin crusts with extremely light and delicate toppings like garlic and truffle oil or red onion and bacon. It's thinner than new york style but still foldable. I haven't seen it anywhere outside of Chicago.

Its popular in Chicago because the people there like to make up new foods and call them "pizza". The term is used loosely there for any food involving cheese and carbs.

agreed!

With her ability to define best from good pizza is Michelle southern Italian?

pizza hostilities...what a country!

hotdogs are merely vessels for spicy mustard, just as cake is a merely a vessel for butter cream frosting.

and that should have been a comment to jenchungsbaby at 3:43pm

in soviet russia, pizza eats you!

Tea baggers prefer deep dish

In other news, the sky is blue.

yeah, no shit michelle

also it's practically diet food compared to deep dish

Way to fight obesity!

I would say that the problem isn't really with the pizza, it's with pizza + playing 6 hours of xbox and sitting on you ass.

Sheesh let the woman have a Pizza. She's already pretty skinny to begin with.

Once again the First Lady proves to have impeccible taste.

I don't really think one type of pizza is necessarily better than the other, they both have their strengths and weaknesses.

you so PC

She's right. It's like comparing apples and oranges. Anyway, Italian pizza is far superior to what you will find in either of these American cities, but I think that goes without saying.

No, its like comparing apples to turds.

Entirely. I've lived in both cities, and Chicago pizza is closer to a crusted lasagna than to New York pizza. That doesn't mean it's bad -- it's fantastic, actually...particularly a nice spinach pie with a good salty-sweet crust and a just-spicy-enough sauce -- but it's just not even the same creature. (And if you've tried the stuff at the Pizzeria Uno here...I don't know why, but it's just not the same. You gotta go to Chicago to get a decent Chicago-style pie.)

Which is better? Man, it depends on what you're in the mood for. Want a big, rich, gut-busting meal that will fill you up for a cold winter night? Chicago. You could walk off a desert island, having not eaten for a month, and you wouldn't be able to finish a medium Giordano's.

Want a gourmet, cracker-crust pie that will hit the spot without overwhelming? Or a slice late at night from a guy at a window? Then you've got to go with New York. Both good -- but not even remotely the same.

Where's Matty when we need him?

oh hai ;)

The only way this could be worse for Obama is if she had called Chicago pizza retarded.

Or if she called the pizza "a big f'ing deal."