Pizza

Right now, in the background, the Travel Channel is on doing a special on Pizzas called "Pizza Paradise". What's funny (and kinda pathetic) is that Foodnetwork is doing a competition on Pizza at the same exact time. Food Network seems to do this a lot.
(side note) Anytime there's a Bizarre Foods or a No Reservations marathon on Travel channel, for some reason the Food Network seems to think that 8 hours of Rachel Ray will really compete. The Travel Channel has succeeded at something Food Network started out as, they have shows about food that actual chefs want to watch. They've combined entertainment with education. ...........And on top of that, Travel Channel has the chick from
Cash and Treasures

Back to Pizza.

The show titled Pizza Paradise gives credit to the very first pizza joint in the country!!!!! Lombardi's is and has earned the crown of the "First Pizza" in America. They also claim to be "The best pizza in America". I'll give them the "First", that should be enough.
I ate there several months ago. One: the service was not that great, OK it's a pizza joint! But it also claims to be the "Best Pizza" joint, Two: the pizza wasn't that good. It was good, but I've had better. And, yes I am a fan of PapaJohns and yes I use the and love the Garlic "butter".
But, I am not born and bread on it. I was lucky enough to have a little family loved pizza hole in the wall called Vic's. Vic's is no longer around. I was very sad to find this out, after moving back into an hour driving distance from it. Vic's Pizza had thin crust, great toppings and these huge bubbles that ran circles around the crust that added a pillow of hot moisture on top of chewy well flavored end to a pizza, well seasoned on a well seasoned cast iron gas oven.
BUT!, Aside from that. I was lucky enough, again, to have a damn gem of a pizza joint in Charleston. Andolini's by far crushes any pizza I've ever had. When I visit Charleston, it's on the list of places to eat. It's on my "pros and cons" list of reasons to move back the Charleston!
I am simply stating, in my opinion, the best pizza in New York, the first pizza in the country is not as good as pizza made by a 40 something(???) New Yorker in the south.
The Shaved meatballs, the sausage, the cheese, the fresh garlic rub, the Ice Cold Cream Soda the lunch special, the common and pleasant staff, normal kids from the local areas of Charleston that know that pride comes from proper work.....they care because they want to.
All I want to do right now is sit back and leaf through a Charleston City Paper to see what bands aren't coming to town, see who's cooking what poorly, what bars are running specials, who's hiring and why? and enjoy a couple slices at a community table inside or under and Andolini's spot.