By IAN SIGALOW
Most of the reviews I have done in the past cover places one would go to with his or her parents, a date or maybe friends for a nice meal. I am not saying you can’t take any of these aforementioned groups to dinner at Northeast Pizza & Beer Co., but I would recommend it for a laid back meal. It’s not fine dining, but it’s really good and affordable.
The first time I ate at Northeast was before the Cornell v.Harvard hockey game last year. I was skeptical when we pulled into the parking lot, as I had been informed that the fish that we’d be throwing onto the ice that night were purchased from the Asian market located in the same shopping center. However, once we walked in and I smelled (and saw) how delicious the pizzas sitting on other people’s tables were, my fear subsided. My friend who had taken us there suggested getting a pizza for the table. Unfortunately, we were in somewhat of a rush and I did not take the time to look at the menu. Although I really enjoyed my pizza that night, (we ordered the three cheese pizza topped with a blend of Monterey Jack, cheddar and mozzarella cheese) I knew there was much more to be uncovered at Northeast Pizza.
Just a disclaimer, I have been back to Northeast Pizza at least three times since that initial trial run, and have not ordered the pizza since! I have eaten extra slices from friends’ plates, but I’ve discovered the best of Northeast Pizza’s menu — the calzones. The menu currently offers 30 different calzones (not including the make-your-own options), and each time I go I make myself try a new one. So far, I have ordered the Steak Out Calzone ($8.95), which comes prepared with thin slices of steak, onions, ricotta and Parmesan cheese. It was a essentially a Philly Cheese Steak calzone style; dipping it into the marinara sauce in the side was perfection. I have also ordered the Chicken on the Ranch Calzone ($8.95), which is prepared with chicken, ranch, broccoli, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. This calzone was by far my favorite of the ones I have ordered from Northeast Pizza, and as of late, I have been adding bacon – a perfect addition. Finally, I have ordered the Hawaiian Hippy Calzone ($8.95), which comes prepared with ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, ham and pineapple. I really enjoyed this calzone as well, and the combination of ham and pineapple has made me interested in perhaps gravitating back to their pizza to see how their Hawaiian pizza compares.
Northeast Pizza & Beer Co. has consistently provided me with a fantastic meal. It has been great to go with friends on a Friday night before going out or to a hockey game. As a Florida resident, I’m used to my New York friends saying to me, “You’ll never come close to having a slice of New York pizza,” but seeing as they’ve continued to go back to Northeast Pizza with me, it must be up to their standards. Northeast Pizza continues to rank number one on my short list of pizza places in Ithaca (sorry CTP) and maybe, just maybe, I will have to actually order a pizza the next time I visit.
Ian Sigalow is a junior in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. He may be reached at [email protected].