Long Island Mike's, San Diego, USA, East Coast Style Pizza

There are several topics to cover in this post.  I've thought long and hard about separating them into individual posts, but they're so very connected/related that it makes more sense to keep them together.  So I thank you for your patience as we hit them, all of them, hard.

Let's start by the title, the very definition of this type of pie.  Long Island Mike's calls their pie a New York Pizza.  There is also a very similar, if not identical, Philly style.  Another similar is New Haven.  Then New Jersey.  Essentially these are the same pies, same thin crust, crispy on the bottom, minor un-sauced outer rim, cooked at a very high temperature, toppings are kept to a minimum.  Seems to me a better, more accurate name would be East Coast Style pizza.  I know those that those that hail from these specific places want this pie to be their own.  But, come on man, it's the same shit.  A minor tweak here or there is awesome and can make a difference, an enhancement for sure, but it's really just a variant of the original.   As all of these locale's are quite near, and all on the East Coast, to me the name seems more apropos.

So from hence forth I'll refer to this style as East Coast Style.

Now on to the latest pie in my mouth, Long Island Mike's


Long Friken Island Mike's = GOOD PIE!

5250 Murphy Canyon Road

San Diego, CA 92123-4367

www.longislandmikespizza.com

I'd say that this place is in Kearny Mesa, Long Island Mike claims Tierrasanta.  I'll not argue the point, it's close enough.

The suggestion for this place came from a colleague of mine, Mr. Carlo Alvear.  Carlo, you were so right about this place.  An awesome East Coast pie.  I wouldn't say the best in SD, but very very good. Certainly in the top 3.  

Perfect balance of crust to sauce to cheese.  Enough but not too much.  Lots of pepperoni, but not too much.  It's SOOOO important to not have a heavy hand with the pie.  Certainly there are times when you need to go hard with the pie (stretching the dough, etc..) but patience always pays off.

Nicely crisp crust on the outside

 Fluffy and light on the inside

However light and yummy the inside might be, this is where I think they fall short, ever so slightly I might add.  There is only minmal pull, tooth, al dente sort of feel to this crust.  I want more, more chew.  I want to have to sink my teeth in and pull, and then a nice chew, tasting the mellow yeast flavor.   I want more of this, and I just didn't get it, at least not as much as I wanted.

Will all of that said, I give this place a huge 2 thumbs up.  It' a little far from my home, and they don't serve alcohol, but they did allow me to go 2 doors down and buy a beer and drink it in their place, so I thought that was another cool point for them.  Whenever I get a hankering for a pie when I'm at work, I know where I can go.

Now a rant

Do you like red pepper flakes?

I do, a lot.

The problem is these stupid fucken shakers that you see everywhere.  They are the dumbest shit ever.  I like red peppers, and I like a lot, however I don't think I go overboard, but I do like them.  

The problem is these shakers have holes that are too small for the peppers to get out.  Oh sure, if you flail your arm around like a moron you might get 3 or 4 of the deformed ones to fall out, but IT'S NOT ENOUGH!!!!!!  

  

Those of you that have shared a pie with me know that, and have seen that, I will remove the top of the shaker and pour them out.  And I hate to do it but I am left no other option, unless there are packets of flakes, and then I'm happy.

Long Island Mike is a genius!!!!  Please allow me to introduce you to....

The Slotted top red pepper flake shaker!!!!!!

This is the stuff of legends!

Eat at Mike's

DVA