Bella Napoli is not only delicious, it’s the best slice for its price in Midtown West, find out why after the break…

It’s simple to see why Bella Napoli is the best value. Look at the slice below.

Now look at it if it were cut in half…

One slice of Bella Napoli is almost as big as two of the smaller slices you’d get in a 8 slice pie anywhere else.

Obviously the best way to eat pizza is when it’s fresh, so as I list the best options at Bella Napoli, keep in mind I’m referring to a fresh slice.

The Best Slices at Bella Napoli:

• Sicilian – the classic version of this slice, airy, doughy, very tasty and very filling
• Margherita – Fresh Mozzarella and tasty marinara covering a nice thin, crisp crust. How can you go wrong?
• Grandma – this popular thin crust square isn’t as garlicky as some Grandma slices but it’s made in the traditional slice joint style: mozzarella surrounding a dollop of marinara
• Plain – the plain slice gets the job done but its one weakness is that the cheese stops a little short of the crust. I’d like a little more cheese and sauce, a little less crust. The best way to avoid this is the combo bite. Fold your slice, bite from the front, and then take a bite of the crust and mix it all together, that way you’re not stuck with all this extra crust at the end.

There are a few other Bella Napolis in the city but this one is no longer affiliated with the others, so if you’ve had bad experiences at separate Bellas, don’t hold it against the Midtown West branch.

Next time you’re looking for a quick, affordable slice and some bang for your buck, head over to Bella Napoli for authentic and satisfying slices.

But beware at lunch time because it’s always packed.

Bella Napoli

Amazing wings, greasy pizza, corn and potato chips, fresh veggies, 2 kinds of dip, salsa, Morton’s steak sandwiches.

I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.

A Closer Look After the Break…

First stop were the wings, brought to us by the ever-generous Jim Doherty, from his buddy’s bar Underdog Lounge in Haledon, New Jersey (map).

Jim made two great moves Sunday:

1. He ordered the wings naked, keeping them crispy

2. He brought us 6 flavors of sauce, pretty amazing considering UNDERDOG LOUNGE OFFERS ELEVEN DIFFERENT SAUCES:

We were privy to Bleu Cheese, Hot, Teriyaki, Drunken Wings (similar to dunking your wing in a sweetened shot of Jack), Thai Chili, and Fire Ranch.

Fire Ranch was my favorite.

• It combined the spice of the hot sauce with the creaminess of the ranch, a perfect harmony of wing-flavored deliciouness.

Jim and Mark Lewis loved the Thai Chili which was sweet and spicy with a strong garlic flavor.

Other flavors offered at Underdog Lounge:

• BBQ
• Hot Garlic
• Rajun Cajun
• Spicy Marinara – Olive oil, spicy marinara/pepper sauce, sprinkled with parmesan
• Bloody Mary – “not only can it cure a hangover, it’s great on chicken”
• Wino Wings – white wine, butter, lemon, crushed red pepper

I’m not one for naked wings but honestly, these wings rocked.

They were a little on the small side, but that’s fine, easier to plow through a couple of dozen and get a full gamut of the awesome flavors.

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Next Stop was this serious spread of snacks provided by the always thoughtful Gerard Musci:

Without even conferring, Gerard made excellent calls all around, stepping up with a variety of snacks that set the bar high for the remainder of the meal.

• Salt and Vinegar Lays, possibly the best Lays there are, if not for…
• Wavy Lays, perfect for dipping and snacking
• Pretzels, delicious when combined with both types of Lays
• Tostitos dippers
• Club Crackers with Monty Jack, Cheddar, and Pepperoni
• Chopped Veggies with Ranch Dipping Sauce
• French Onion Dip

This spread ended up feeding at least 20 people for a good hour. You can’t argue with results. Special shoutout to Alison Orford for her delicious chocolate chip cookies.

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Pizza arrived next from Bella Napoli, quite possibly the best slice joint in Midtown West.

Bella Napoli consistently delivers quality pizza to my office every week.

Their pies are thin and tasty, with more cheese than sauce, and a doughy crust that’s the slice’s biggest weakness. The best way to attack their slices is to take a bite of the front then a bite of the crust and combine. Otherwise you’re stuck with a lot of crust at the end.

My favorite slice at Bella Napoli is a fresh Sicilian. It’s filling and the cheese isn’t like a toupee, sliding off in one piece at first bite. Sorry if I invoked thoughts of Marv Albert.

Want more delicious pizza pics and recommendations? Click here for my New York Pizza Tour.

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Last round belonged to Morton’s Steakhouse which took the liberty of donating a bunch of steak sandwiches to our office, free of cost. Free for everyone except Mark Lewis. Our resident Chicken Club Expert paid an emotional toll when the arrival of the sandwiches was in limbo and a monetary toll when he tipped the delivery guy.

Morton’s, however, explained the generosity as a result of their being a “sports steakhouse” and our office is a sports-related place. Either way, I wasn’t asking questions. I was busy digging into the little flank steak sliders, spread on one side with some horseradish sauce.

I’ve never been to Morton’s but I don’t think these little guys are on the menu and it’s a good thing too because all in all, the sandwiches were cold and unimpressive. The rolls were of the backyard BBQ variety and the steak was stringy. But hey, I’m not complaining, it’s free steak from Morton’s.

Click here for more mouth-watering sandwich pics & reviews.

So the Giants win the Super Bowl on the strength of two amazing 4th quarter plays and I eat myself into a near coma. Sounds like a pretty wonderful way to spend Super Sunday.

Let’s hear a little bit about yours…

Underdog Lounge

Bella Napoli

Morton’s Steakhouse