Review: Tony D's Coal Fired Pizza

(Credit: Annette Lein )

THE PLACE
America’s taste for pizza, on a steady rise for more than half a century, is becoming more eclectic. Several places now offer wood-fired pizza, with a thin crust and smoky taste. Now Rochester can add coal-fired to its pizza offerings, with Tony D’s Coal Fired Pizza in Corn Hill Landing. Owners Tony DiCesare and Chris DiGrazia opened his shop over the summer, with chef Jay Speranza introducing his spin to local pizza aficionados.

THE FOOD
We grazed our way through the menu, beginning with an order of arancini ($7), fried rice balls that take their name from the diminutive of the Italian word for orange arancia. These dense balls of risotto rice are indeed the size of a tiny tangerine. Flavored throughout with mozzarella, Parmesan and Asiago cheeses, they are dotted with prosciutto, pine nuts and parsley. Rolled in breadcrumbs and deep-fried, they have a crisp coating that breaks open to reveal a warm, creamy center.

We followed with an order of eight oven-fired wings ($7). These are tossed in vinaigrette prior to their fiery oven trip, then topped with caramelized onions and a shake of Pecorino Romano and served with a crusty slice of foccacia.

On to the pizza. The feature of this method is the  800- to 900-degree heat generated by the coal fire. It takes just the briefest trip to the oven to cook and imparts a bubbly char to the crust. A great wiki-debate wages between those who favor similar establishments in Gotham, and those who like their tan, chewy upstate crust. Expect and embrace the dark carbon lacing that surrounds your bubbling toppings. We shared a medium Carciofi pizza ($11) with marinara, goat cheese, artichoke hearts and a hint of sundried tomato pistachio pesto. Our only issue with the crust was the copious amount of flour that dusted the bottom of the pizza and covered fingers, tongues, table and shirts. Overlooking that, the toppings were earthy, delicious and piping hot.

With just a bit of room left for dessert, we chose a scoop of Italian fruit ice ($4) in a most refreshing grapefruit flavor. Each blushing spoonful conveyed the fragrance and taste of fresh citrus. It was as light as the spritz of oil released when a grapefruit rind is bent and squeezed.

THE DRINKS
The small, pleasant bar at the entry seats perhaps six, with room for a handful more behind. The offerings are a dozen beers and a nice menu of mostly Italian wines by the glass and the bottle. We each chose a glass of Primitivo ($8), the Italian forefather of American Zinfandel. Rich with lusty fruits, it was a perfect choice to sip along with each of our selections.

THE ATMOSPHERE
Enter the lower level through the tiny bar. Up a short flight of stairs is the dining area, seating 30 among 10 or 12 tables. The remainder of the upper level showcases the pizza prep area and the glowing oven. Above the wall of banquettes, a sepia-toned mural portrays a slice of Italian street life, complete with a bocce tournament and a pensive accordion player. The windowed back wall overlooks the river, where we watched the lights glinting off of the swiftly moving water. In the summer, this back patio offers riverfront dining.

THE SERVICE
Our server was pleasant and checked in on us frequently -- in some cases, a bit too eagerly. But, on the upside, the wait was never long for special requests.