Weeknight Takeout: Vinny's Pizza

Update 12/2009: Vinny's has become our first choice for takeout or delivery pizza. The crust issues I mention in the post below were resolved very quickly (it was a matter of getting used to new equipment); Vinny's pizza crust is now chewy and crispy and bubbly and wonderful. ~Lisa

My mother, a second-generation New York Italian transplanted to Los Angeles in the 1940s, bemoaned the lack of decent pizza in her adopted city in those early years (actually, there was hardly any pizza to be found in L.A. at that time, if you can believe it). When, a decade or so later, a place run by former New Yorkers opened up near us, we became regulars. We'd park behind the restaurant, and the screen door would slam behind us as we entered the kitchen to greet the guys and pick up our pizza. Most often, it would be anchovy pizza, my mother's favorite. If you stood on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant, you could look through the window and see one of the guys kneading the pizza dough, then throwing it up into the air again and again, expertly stretching it into a circle.

And the dough, which becomes the base of the pizza, is all important. After baking, it should be thin and foldable, chewy and with good texture, yet crisp on the bottom. The edge should be a bit puffy and browned, with charred, bubbly spots. The sauce should be a simple mixture of tomatoes, garlic, and oregano. And of course, the cheese should be good mozzarella.

Vinny's East Coast Pizzeria, which opened just days ago on Kirby Avenue (between Jarling's and the Seaboat, in the old Bagelman's and later Kafe K building), is attempting to bring New York-style pizza to our fair city. I've had pizza there twice now, and my verdict is: they get pretty close.

At Vinny's, they make the dough from scratch daily, and while perhaps not hand tossed, it is hand stretched (I saw one cook somewhat tentatively stretching the dough on his fingers; he was clearly just learning and maybe he'll work up to being able to toss it in the future!).

The finished product is pretty good: thin, chewy, crusty on the bottom, becoming a bit thicker toward the edge; cut into large wedges, foldable. The outside edge of the crust, however, while approaching bubbly, was not as browned as I would have liked, and though there was a hint of puffiness about the edge, it was nowhere near having charred spots. Something is a bit off, and not being a pizza-making expert, I'm not sure what it is, but I think it's the baking that's the issue and not the dough itself.That said, I liked the pizza slices I tried, overall. They did remind me of the pizza I used to adore as a child. With time, I think Vinny's will be able to perfect their technique and produce a really good crust. It's almost there now, it just needs to brown and bubble up on the edge. The sauce tasted good, and the cheese was melty and nice but not too heavy.The plain cheese slice and the one topped with fresh tomatoes were my favorites. Keith was very partial to the pepperoni. What we both agreed you should stay away from was the steak and bacon slice. Normally I wouldn't order a slice of pizza with steak and bacon on it, but it was one of the slices of the day, so in the interests of thoroughness, I gave it a whirl. It was dry, and hard, and there was cheddar cheese on it. Enough said.

Prices for slices are very reasonable; I brought home four slices—cheese, tomato, pepperoni, and steak-bacon—for $10 even. Two slices would probably stuff you, and you'd shell out only about $4, depending on the type(s) you choose.We also tried Vinny's baked ziti; the pasta is mixed with marinara or meat sauce and topped with ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses. I found the ziti to be overcooked—not mushy, but too limp. I would have liked the pasta to stand up to my teeth better. The flavor was good, though, and the ziti came with a small mixed salad and a piece of nice garlic bread (that actually had real garlic on it!). At around 5 bucks for the 7-inch-diameter pan of ziti with a small salad and bread, you absolutely cannot beat it.

If you like whole-grain pasta, you can get whole-grain penne with marinara, parmesan, and basil for $4.25 (I assume you could also have meat sauce with your whole-grain penne).The meatball sandwich was a winner, we thought. Vinny's makes their own bread, and it's good—crispy and crusty outside, tender and chewy inside (I was offered a choice of white or wheat). The meatballs, which they make daily as well, were covered with marinara, and mozzarella was melted underneath. Three meatballs on a 6-inch sub: $3.70. (You can also get 12-inch subs.)

Vinny's may be trying to do too much. Not only do they have the Italian offerings, but they also list a variety of salads, wings, sliders, and quesadillas on the menu. Well—maybe. I haven't sampled any of those items, so I can't provide an opinion, except to say that they probably should stick to pizzas, pasta, calzones, and subs.

On one visit I called before leaving the office, and when I arrived 15 minutes later, my order was packed up and ready to go. Another time I simply went in and ordered slices of pizza, and service was quick and friendly on that occasion as well.

Vinny's, welcome to the neighborhood. Thanks for offering homemade food at very affordable prices. We'll follow your progress with interest.

Vinny's East Coast Pizzeria
401 W. Kirby Avenue
Champaign, IL 61821
217-355-4500
Eat in, takeout, and delivery available
Credit/debit cards accepted
Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily