#TerrificTakeout @USMC #Oorah #IwoJimaCocktail @BarDoughNYC #BarDoughNYC #InauguralReview
Owner Joe Lisi! Bar Dough is his first restaurant endeavor after spending 17 years in the NYPD, retiring as a Captain and did you know he is also an actor since 1979 and appeared as Dick Barone in the Sopranos and many more shows including Third Watch, and one of his favorite appearances in Mob Justice with Tony Danza (the other 3 clips other than The Sopranos, directly below).
See, you know him already:
It's not who you know, it's WHOM YOU KNOW and we are now happy to know Joe Lisi, who caught our attention with this sign featuring the Iwo Jima Cocktail! We are known for being patriotic and you can see there has always been a Patriotism section on our website with many relevant review columns. Though Peachy is not herself a Marine, she feels like it sometimes as she has always been related to two of them (this one's for you!) and obviously Iwo Jima is one of the most important events in American history. Stuff that into your brain because you can't think of nothing else!
(Watch the video to understand our uncharacteristic verbiage here. Yes Peachy knows proper English!)
Co-Owners Nick Verses and Joe Lisi, whom we were delighted to meet!
Co-Owners not pictured, not present for review: Frank Dwyer and Pete Fitzpatrick
We understand this is part of HPH Management, which we were previously unfamiliar with firsthand and have never considered before: https://www.hphnyc.com/portfolio
A main ingredient in the Iwo Jima cocktail which can be paired with either Gin (how we had it) or Vodka (not how we had it as Charles Ferri is going to have news we hope soon on Star Vodka's latest and greatest.)
Bar Dough is a brand new concept in Times Square, open since September 2019. Of course we visited before the current epidemic, and we look forward to this and all restaurants here reopening. We absolutely cannot wait.
The concept of Bar Dough is Nick's idea: a pizza venue paired with a bar, which few have done well. We're impressed on our first visit, and the concept of pairing wine with pizza we remember emphasized by Mover and Shaker Mireille Giuliano Ex CEO of Veuve Cliquot. In her writings she advocates drinking champagne with pizza and we obviously agree. In our 200 plus columns, we review alcohol in Champagne Wishes and books in Read This.
You absolutely must read this winner of a book from another fabulous USMC New Yorker:
So, when we met Joe Lisi he was hitting on many high points we already advocate!
Bien sur mes amies you should be drinking The Iwo Jima Cocktail with everything you eat.
We definitely pair pizza with green salad (in addition to wine) and we're pleased to see there are four salad choices at Bar Dough. We chose two. Above, please meet "Hail Caesar" which happens to be Joe Lisi's favorite salad. We concur; this was our favorite of these two this night. Romaine Hearts, Radicchio, Tomato, Roasted Pine Nuts, Garlic Croutons, Anchovies, and Parmigiano Reggiano team up for a winner of a salad with House Made Caesar dressing.
Items were fresh and the salad was a good portion.
We also tried The Greek: Tomatoes, Sliced Cucumbers, Red Onions, Kalamata Olives, Oregano and Feta are presented in a Lemon Vinaigrette. It's pre-marinated in olive oil.
The choices of appetizers is extensive; we count eight choices.
Of what we tried, the one we liked best was the Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Pancetta and Balsamic Reduction. The flavor combination was solid and the cast iron presentation was attractive.
Note that all military, veterans, and first responders get a discount at Bar Dough.
Note that all military, veterans, and first responders get a discount at Bar Dough.
Time for a movie break.
All pizza at Bar Dough is the same size: 12 inches: so of course, each person should order their own. Our review protocol otherwise dictates large for all pizza places (seen in all other reviews), but you don't see large here because there isn't one. It's clear from their menu that a lot of thought went into both the composition and the menu names! The Pizza Alla Vodka was our favorite of the ones we tried, and it's above. Of course we were in the pink with vodka cream sauce, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto di parma, mushrooms and peas. The quality ingredients and their proportion to one another and also the unique combination earns this best pizza of the night to us. Also convincing and seen directly below, Smoking Bar Dough boasts roasted red pepper cream sauce, smoked fresh mozzarella, reggiano, sweet italian sausage, pickled red onions and basil. The crusts were quite crisp and we would have put even more peppers on this one.
Geographically appropriate in Joey Mullen land (i.e. Hell's Kitchen for all the uninitiated red-blooded American hockey Boston College winners), Hellboy packs a punch with plum tomato sauce, parmigiano reggiano, fresh mozzeralla, soppressata, pancetta and spicy honey. If you like pizza with a kick, this one's for you!
Unique to Bar Dough are the SAL-ZONEs. It is an entree of literally half salad and half calzone which is a brilliant idea and we don't see anyone else doing it. We would like it much better if the salad was in its own half circle bowl, as Peachy likes eating them totally separately. The salad can be picked from any of the salads already on the menu, and there is a terrific line up of Calzone ingredients.
The Fresh Mozzarella Calzone is among the best Calzone's Peachy has ever had, EVER. It is by far the best edible we had on this review with its oozy cheesy superstar flavor and texture, and we cannot wait to eat it again to check for consistency.
The Fresh Mozzarella Calzone is among the best Calzone's Peachy has ever had, EVER. It is by far the best edible we had on this review with its oozy cheesy superstar flavor and texture, and we cannot wait to eat it again to check for consistency.
Bar Dough impressed us on our inaugural visit and we look forward to seeing what they do next. OORAH go see Joe and his co-owners.
Joe Lisi knows what he's doing!
