Pizza Forte
Pepperoni Slice
Roman Slice
All Beef Hotdog
Cannoli
Recently opened in Henderson, but already spawning a second location much closer to the family’s eponymous home base, it was at the recommendation of father Gino that our party of four jogged across Paradise to visit Mimmo at Pizza Forte in the Hard Rock Hotel, and with Pantera playing loudly as we walked through the lobby it would not be long before the younger Ferraro greeted us warmly, every seat in the house filled as a steady stream of clubbers and concert goers filtered through for fresh slices from the electric oven and hotdogs the team will tell you are the best in town.
Already a hot-spot just six days into operation, the team turning out hand-tossed pies as needed into the wee hours of the night, Pizza Forte inhabits a shotgun space adjacent Nobu near the entrance to Rehab and with a short menu of Americana classics at expected Strip prices the effect of top-tier ingredients is immediately evident even before sinking teeth into the product, each slice glistening atop white marble while dogs, kielbasa, and sausages from Hofmann are presented on grilled rolls with a variety of condiments offered self-serve.
Opting for two slices of pie, plus an all-beef dog that was snappy and slightly smoky even as a naked frank, Forte quickly enters discussion as the city’s best ‘slice,’ for although a touch oily as compared to that at Pop-Up at the Plaza the semolina infused crust is substantially more crispy without the slightest bit of charring, a remarkable feat that only serves to bolster the acid from a hand-crushed tomato sauce.
Equally impressed by a puffy Roman slice, the mozzarella’s creaminess far more notable without pepperoni as diced tomatoes and shredded basil added texture plus a mellow herbal tinge, it was with a single cannoli that a favorable opinion of Forte was further cemented, the crisp shell filled to order with airy ricotta straight from the refrigerator with a steep price of $5.00 similar to that of Buddy’s version at Carlo’s Bakery, but without all the pre-filled sog and hour-plus wait.
FOUR STARS: Obviously expensive compared to the slice shops sprinkled around Manhattan, but featuring a much higher quality product that most, Pizza Forte seems poised to mint money given its fanciful location – particularly considering the late night concert crowd and lack of other grab n’ go options within the Hard Rock Hotel.
RECOMMENDED: Roman Slice, Cannoli.
AVOID: N/A.
TIP: Open as late as 3am on weekends, and featuring everything from wine-in-a-box to bacon on the toppings bar – slices range $4.50 to $5.25 with additional costs for extra toppings while Hot Dogs start at $4.75 with a jumbo Jalapeno Sausage topping the menu at $8.75.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor
http://www.pizza-forte.com/
