The Old Wood Pile
New Orleans used to be such an awful pizza town when I lived there; now, post Katrina, there are 50% more restaurants than before the storm, despite a smaller population, and there is food of every ilk available and much of it superb. Including pizza. My favorite pizza pre the influx of new comers was at the Bucktown seafood restaurant R&O, pretty standard pizza.
I had always meant to get to the parent restaurant of this place, Domenica, domiciled in the Roosevelt Hotel (nee Fairmont, nee Roosevelt) a block off Canal. They have a spectacular happy hour, so spectacular, there is rarely a seat, so I was delighted they opened this smaller, pizza-centric version in Uptown on Magazine.
If you’re visiting, you can easily hit this eatery a few blocks walk off the St. Charles street car.
The short menu includes some appetizer and salad options, specialty pizzas, or create your own. We over ordered, with one pizza, a salad, and garlic knots, chicken liver pate, along with a sampling of dipping sauces (salsa verde, garlic fonduta, and arrabbiata). (arrabbiata is a slightly spicy tomato sauce, and fonduta is cheese based dip).
I had assumed (I follow a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy at pizzerias) that the pizzas would be smaller, but they weren’t. Went with their all carnivore region, and if you’re even a semi regular reader, you know I’m damned fussy about pizza, and I have to pronounce this one of the best I have ever had, anywhere.
What I liked about it, was quality ingredients (toppings) and the wonderfully smoky flavor imparted by the wood burning oven. The crispy exterior crust leads to a melt in your mouth center. My only curiousity was the cubes of Italian sausage, as I’ve ever seen that. I have to imagine they cook sausages in casings and dice it themselves.
Quality ingredients ruled the menu, and we enjoyed everything we tried. Sat at the bar and service was great. The bar fronts the wood pile, and I imagine they go through a lot of it.
If I lived in NOLA again, this would be my “go to pie,” bar none, all the time.
Caesar Salad
Dipping Sauces
Delicious Garlic Knots
All Meat Pie
Menu online.
Pizza Domenica Review