Real NY Pizza, Nestled deep in the heart of Brooklyn

As far as most tourists are concerned, the only reason to sit on a Brooklyn-bound train for an hour plus is Coney Island. But true Brooklynites know that their borough is the place to go for New York's staple food: pizza. While NYC as a whole was once touted as having the best slice in the world outside of Italy, the innundation of amateurs opening pizzerias with names like Ben's or Ray's have marred the city's good reputation, making it nearly impossible to find an authentic spot for the everyday delicacy. For this reason, my boyfriend, a regular patron of the local one dollar pizzeria, was skeptical when I told him that I could show him a spot in Brooklyn that would make him love pizza. He became even more doubtful after telling his so called "New Yorker" friends  (i.e., people who have been living here for 10+ years) where he would be dining that evening and they responded with, "where?" Finally, two weeks ago, he agreed to take the plunge.

L& B Spumoni Garden's, which has been family owned for over 70 years, is located in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn, a few stops before Coney Island on the F train. The secret to their success is their sauce, which is why although every slice on the menu is delicious the Sicilian is an absolute must for first timers. While most pizzerias splatter a scant amount of sauce across the surface of the dough before layering on the cheese, L&B's does the opposite: after melting a thin layer of fresh mozzarella cheese onto the dough, they lather on their most delicious ingredient. The result is a rich tasting but not too doughy slice of perfection. Watching my boyfriend wolf down his first slice, who after his first bite exclaimed, "Finally: real pizza in New York!" I felt a sense of accomplishment. The painstaking process that once was that standard way of preparing a pie, the craftmanship that has become nearly obsolete thanks to the onslaught of wannabe dough spinners, had been vilified by a non-native New Yorker who had actually been to Italy.  In fact, he loved it so much that this past Sunday he insisted on bringing friends who were visiting from his hometown in Japan.  That time, we took our time and enjoyed some baked clams and calamari.

Final result:
What we're eating for
Sunday dinner from now on is settled.