We’ve been to Razza in Jersey City before when they just opened and were on a first-come-first-serve policy. That day, we arrived by opening time and somehow wiggled ourselves in. The memories of the food were great but overall experience not so.
Last week, the stars placed us in Razza vicinity with some time to spare. It turns out, their policy has changed and it’s now by reservation only. Excellent! We can be assured of the table, plan our time, and keep our dignity.
We started with their bread and butter locally sourced and fermented in the house. Dan Richer, the chef and owner treats his bread and butter the way sushi masters treat their fish and rice. Honestly, if you skip it, I feel sorry for you. Warm pillowy bread with crackling crust and lightly salted creamy butter can make a meal on their own.
Meatballs with ricotta tender and juicy were sensational — plenty of sauce, plenty of cheese and none of them overwhelming the flavor of the meat.
There were three of us so we ordered three pizza pies:
— Funghi, with fresh mozzarella, mixed mushrooms, onions, chives, and parmigiano — white pie with no sauce;
— Calabrese, rich and creamy with fresh mozzarella, shaved onions, and spicy fermented chili paste;
— Burrata, with a simple tomato sauce and cold burrata that is placed on a pie after firing.
The thinnest crust — it held the topping without folding.
And the dough — I still have the flavor in my mouth and would take that crust without any topping any day.
Rarely we order dessert at a restaurant but we were tempted with their salted caramel panna cotta. It turned out to be more creamy than jelly-like, light with just the right amount of sweetness.
The service was ever present and attentive but not invasive like with questions when you have food in your mouth or condescending we’re-hotter-that-you because they can. After all, they got their three stars from the New York Times, have been voted the best pizza in North America, and are included in the World’s Best Pizza List.
With the reservations only policy, we now know we can plan to get in any time the stars align and have fantastic leftovers the day after.
