Randy's Pizza in Morrisville

In my recent "Best of" post, I inexplicably left off a pizza contender that matches Sami's in quality, taste, and NYC authenticity.  Randy's Pizza, located mostly in the RTP / Durham area, is absolutely amazing.  The two locations I've frequented most (off McCrimmon Parkway and on South Miami Boulevard) seem to deal mostly with the RTP lunch crowd, but it's always worth the wait for their offerings.

The restaurant itself is very typical NYC... you walk in to a group of basic tables scattered around and make your way up to the counter, which stretches across the length of the ovens to the cash register.  After waiting in line for your turn (which can sometimes be 10-15 minutes just to order), you have the choice of standard pizza styles and toppings; I always choose either the cheese or pepperoni for simplicity because they still pack so much flavor in the basic varieties.  They take your name and call you when the pizza is ready.

The time spent waiting for your order is agonizing, as others around you are getting their orders filled and you are forced to deal with the visuals and smells of the best pies in the area.  The slices are HUGE; while thinner, they certainly cover more area than even Sbarro and two slices (as pictured above) wouldn't fit in a standard pizza box.  Randy's stocks all of the typical accompaniments also; oregano, red pepper flakes, garlic salt, and Parmesan cheese are in shakers at the counter.

When your time finally comes, you are greeted with a bubbly cheese, perfectly cooked to be just browned.  They don't overdo the cheese as some places do, instead giving you the perfect proportion of cheese, sauce, toppings, and crust that is thin and chewy with a bit of crispness just at the edge from sitting in the over.  As you eat your slices, you aren't overwhelmed by too heavy of a piece; instead, the thin crust and toppings work perfectly to be filling without seeming dense.  The sauce and cheese combination is enough for me; I normally ignore toppings to savor perfection of the basic pizza pie.

If you find yourself in RTP for lunch, I strongly suggest you find one of the Randy's chains and sample what I consider to be the best pizza around.  The atmosphere and pizza perfection match what you'd get at the best places NYC has to offer!

Vivace in North Hills

Last night, my mom, Jessica, and I went to Vivace to celebrate my 30th birthday while my mom was in town.  I had been once before several years ago but don't remember much about it, so we wanted to give it another try as it's another place on our list of best restaurants!

My pizza margherita

For starters, Jessica and my mom tried their caprese salad while I had the pizza magherita, and the three of us shared a meat and cheese tray.  I can't comment on the salad, but the pizza was excellent; the crust was crisp, the dough was chewy, and the ingredients were extremely fresh.  The cheese was particularly good; they seemed to use both fresh and aged mozzarella so there was the rich white color interspersed with the typical look.  I wouldn't even put Bella Mia's pie, often considered the best in the area, far ahead of the one I had at Vivace, it was that good.  As an added bonus, it was large enough to take home three of the six slices, which were equally tasty this morning.

Meat and cheese tray

The meat and cheese tray, comprised of genoa salami, prosciutto di parma, mortadella, parmigiano reggiano, pecorino, and robiola bosina (an Italian brie-style cheese), was fantastic as well.  All of the meats and cheeses came to the table freshly prepared, accompanied by an almond honey and another sweet currant sauce.  The salami and prosciutto (which, often served shaved thin and fairly lean, was served a bit thicker with plenty of delicious fat) were the winners from the meat side, while the parmigiano was my favorite from the cheese group.  My mom liked the robiola most, which was a recommendation from our server.  The only option that wasn't consumed quickly was the mortadella, which was still okay but nothing special.  Overall, this sampler tray was a huge success.

For dinner, I selected the basic pappardelle alla bolognese on recommendation from the server (who was great all night, and spot on with her suggestions).  Jessica had the grilled chicken orecchiette (which had cherries in the sauce, a terrific addition) and my mom had the lobster carbonara (which was good but came served room temperature before being returned, all of which was handled greatly by the staff).  The pasta portions, if ordering the large size, are enormous and enough for two meals, especially with the appetizers we had before our main courses.  My pasta dish was perfect; the pasta was prepared fresh and cooked exactly right while the meat sauce was flavorful without being heavy.  Sometimes the meat in a meat sauce is clumped and concentrated in certain areas, but this sauce had meat strewn throughout evenly, giving each bite a taste.  The goat cheese "crema" was a welcome addition, adding smooth texture and flavor to an already excellent dish.

We all shared their caramel apple gelato for dessert; it was a unique flavor that may not appeal to everyone but satisfied me with intense bursts of sugar!  For those looking for a standard gelato, though, this might not be the best option.

From it's modern decor and trendy atmosphere to its excellent service and fantastic food, Vivace makes a strong claim for the best Italian dining experience in the Triangle (Il Palio in Chapel Hill may still be a half-step above, simply from it's slightly higher-end food and service).  The simplicity of the menu underscored the intense flavor created in each bite of each dish.  Whether looking for a place to meet friends after work or a special date night, Vivace will deliver a complete Italian eating experience.