March Matchups: Italian Pavilion vs. Sal's Pizzeria

We continue this edition of "March Matchups," with the battle of the pizza parlors. Incidentally, ladies and gentleman, The Dudleys - Bubba Ray and D-Von - have entered the arena and are looking for some competition; seen here with Stacy"Dancing with the Stars"Keibler. I've got something in the works, but it may take some time. Stay with us...
For some of you who live in the general area, you may be quite familiar with two outstanding pizza parlors, Italian Pavilion and Sal's Pizzeria. So let's hook 'em up!

Italian Pavilion vs. Sal's Pizzeria

Italian Pavilion has been in business for a long, long time. It sits on the corner - 377 Mamaroneck Avenue - at the beginning of downtown White Plains. I've been going there since I was a little kid, and the same goes for my family. On occasion, whenever we order something, the guys always remember our name when I go in to pick up the order. Which is nice, because it means that they appreciate their customers. Generally speaking, when I go to I.P. I order a couple of slices of regular pizza and a Coke. Simple enough. The cost of their pizza is $1.50 a slice, at least it was the last time I went there, which was not that long ago. No matter what type of pizza I have ordered it is always good. Regular, peperoni, mushroom, sausage, white, Sicilian, it doesn't matter. I.P's employees are pretty friendly and their is plenty of parking in the municipal lot behind the parlor.

The inside of Italian Pavilion is like any other pizza shop. It looks a little small and can fill up fast, but people are usually in-and-out pretty quickly. Baskin-Robbins' used to be next door, which was great for a little desert. However, B & R has closed after being there it seemed for centuries and a gelato place took its place, called Classico. I have not been to the new place, but have heard good things about it. Italian Pavilion's number is easy to remember, (914) 761-6070. Their meatball parm wedges are a knockout, also.
Sal's Pizzeria is pretty well-known in these parts for their Sicilian pizza. They are located at 316 Mamaroneck Avenue in Mamaroneck. Basically, if you are driving down Mamaroneck Avenue and you begin to see the Harbor, you'll know that Sal's will be coming up soon on your right.

The parking can be tricky. I've never had to drive around the block more than once to find a spot. However, backing out can be a drag because quite often Mamaroneck Avenue is very busy - especially during the day - and people aren't so patient in letting you back out. At night, parking is generally no problem.

The pizza shop itself is sort of like a railroad apartment, in the sense that it has the general area where you place your order and then opens up into a more spacious room with plenty of tables. The regular pizza is pretty good, but there Sicilian is outstanding. My experience with Sicilian pizza has been that it can be either soggy or too crisp, with the exception of Sal's. Somehow the folks there are able to find the right balance. It is not burnt at all, the cheese is not soggy, but is just right. Their Sicilian also is relatively easy to bite through. So no problem with the pizza at all.

However, the staff at Sal's has a bit of a reputation for being gruff. That's probably the nicest way to put it. I guess they know that their product is above average and so they have definitely ticked off more than a few people I know. Many have obviously ignored the rudeness because Sal's doesn't show any sign of closing in the near future.

A dark horse is their pasta fagioli. You get a huge bowl with plenty of bread, and all for under five bucks. Today, would be a perfect day for it! If you need to know more about Sal's you can call them at (914) 381-2022.

Blogger Note: Believe me folks I'm not getting a dime or a free slice for giving out either parlor's info!

The winner of this bout as a result of a disqualification...is Italian Pavilion. I'm not expecting super friendly, but it's a pretty easy concept. "Hi, can I have two slices of Sicilian pizza and a Coke?" "OK that'll be $5.95." That's it. No need to slam a Coke can on the counter or throw the pizza in your direction. If Sal's pizza wasn't so awesome, they would have been out of business a long time ago. I.P. is just as good without the heartburn!

Ciao!