Peachy Picks Al Forno Brick Oven Pizzeria and Restaurant
George Tzanidakis, Manager of Al Forno
If you think the pizza is fantastic at Al Forno, wait until you try the mussels! And the Insalata Siciliana! And the entrees! And ESPECIALLY the Tiramisu!
Fresh and spicy, these mussels started us off on the right foot and you all ought to try them.
Al Forno was first featured in Terrific Takeout:
And later graduated to Tasty Tidbits:
We are pleased to announce it has advanced to Peachy's Picks!
And the timing was perfect too as it is their 10 year anniversary right now!
Everyone knows what happened on 9/11/01, but do you know what happened on 9/13/01? Al Forno opened! Owner Petros Tzanidakis, whom we were pleased to meet at our dinner review, is a total peach and so is his son George, pictured above. Everyone we encountered at Al Forno from them to Joseph to Javier was delightful which makes the whole experience that much better when the food is this amazing.
We began with the Insalata Siciliana of mixed greens, mozzarella, roasted peppers, capers, artichokes, carrots, tomatoes, and it also comes with olives (you know Peachy does not eat olives!) and sardines, which can be put aside and Al Forno is totally accommodating in this regard.
Even the sardines were amazing:
You know Al Forno means oven.
Here is the star of the show:
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
Pizza!
Whole wheat pizza!
Healthy can be delicious.
Though you know from the takeout feature Peachy found the regular version simply divine, we sought out to try other options this time which was the whole wheat. Fresh mushrooms, pepperoni, fresh broccoli and fried eggplant had one big party on this pie and every bite was to die for.
Most people go to Al Forno for the pizza, and they absolutely should.
However, you all need to know that Al Forno can do more than pizza.
You avid readers know about Peachy's ongoing battle with her chicken parm addiction which began at lower dining hall at Boston College, and Al Forno is feeding her current addiction.
The sauce was terribly flavorful, the chicken incredibly tender, and the cheese was totally delicious. Joined by some al dente rigatoni, this dish will keep you full all fall going into the winter. Comfort food at its best, Al Forno will impress you all.
Also note the beautiful border around the dish; these details were not lost on us.
And they even add vegetables:
And the Tiramisu was to die for and one of the best in recent memory Whom You Know has had.
Don't listen to only Peachy though!
Our esteemed panelist added:
I don't usually make it very far up on the upper east side, but now I truly have a reason to come back. Al Forno, which has been in business since 2001 is located between 77th and 78th on second avenue, and is clearly a hit in the neighborhood. The delicious aromas coming from their brick oven were enough to tell me I was in for some excellent italian food! We started with an appetizer of mussels in marinara sauce, which I honestly had never had in this sauce before. The fresh marinara sauce truly complimented the mussels! And once the mussels were all eaten, I started eating the leftover marinara sauce at the bottom of the dish, because it was so delicious. We then had the Insalata Siciliana salad, which included mixed greens, mozzarella, roasted peppers, black olives, capers, artichokes, carrots, tomatoes in an Italian dressing. The salad was accompanied by a small whole wheat pizza with fresh mushrooms, pepperoni, fresh broccoli, and fried eggplant. If I had any question in my mind as to why Al Forno was so well known for their salads and pizzas, I just got my answer. The salad was not only so tasty and fresh, it was also a combination of veggies that I don't normally mix together that went together really well! I especially loved the roasted peppers. The thin crust pizza was nothing short of amazing. Though this pizza didn't necessarily need toppings to be delicious, the toppings were high-quality and also very fresh. Since I don't work far from the restaurant, I already have plans to order a pizza for delivery from Al Forno on my next lunch break. For my main course, I ordered the Penne alla Vodka which I typically order at Italian restaurants. It is my favorite dish at a rival Italian restaurant, so I wasn't sure what to expect from Al Forno. I was happily surprised upon my first bite of the penne- it was so rich in flavor! I enjoyed this dish just as much as I do at the other restaurant, which is saying a lot. Though I had just eaten enough to sustain me for a few days, I couldn't say no to dessert! Especially a homemade Tiramisu. Not only was the cake itself gorgeous, it was also absolutely delectable. The cream was so light and fluffy and the cocoa powder dusting on top was a nice flavor addition. Though most people know that Al Forno has great salads and pizza, I feel that it is important for everyone to know that Al Forno has more than just that. It has a classy, friendly atmosphere, extremely helpful, kind waitstaff and food that will have you going through your schedule to figure out the next time you can come back for lunch or dinner.
***
Peachy Picks Al Forno!
212-249-5103 / 5702
1484 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10075
