Don't let the strip mall attached to a gas station location fool you, Times Square Bistro and Pizzeria, 605 S. 1st St., in Walker's Point, plates up a formidable slice of pizza.
I've heard anecdotally that the owner of another pizza slice joint in Milwaukee, who is an outer borough boy like I am – though not the same borough – said that Times Square had the most authentic New York-style slice, at least until the speaker opened his place.
I would definitely agree and would be tempted to go further and say it's still the most authentic.
The cheese and sauce intermingle in that New York way; you know, where you can't exactly tell sometimes where one ends and the other begins, creating just a red, white and orange speckled design that is a hallmark of deliciousness. Then there's the perfect blend of salty cheesiness and sweet sauciness.
The Times Square slice was the most unusually shaped, being wider than it is long – a whopping 12 inches wide by 8.75 inches long (at the edge, which is how I've been measuring all of them).
The shape, and the thin, soft crust made this slice something of a challenge to eat on the go, but I'm happy to deal with that minor snafu for such a really satisfying slice.
This one rang up at $3.89 a slice for cheese (toppings are extra), with a garlic roll on the side. I'll make the suggestion here that Times Square start making zeppole and trading the garlic role for one or two of those.
I'm glad I saved Times Square for last because it was a really stellar way to close out a week of pizza by the slice.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
