Chef Series #1 at Naked City Pizza on Paradise
Pizza Logs – Hand Rolled Egg Roll Wrappers, Pepperoni, Mozzarella, Red Sauce
Chicken Wing Dip – Chopped Chicken, Blue Cheese Dressing, Mozzarella, Hot Sauce, Ciabatta
Meatball Skillet – Grandma’s Meatballs, Red Sauce, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Fresh Basil, Ciabatta
Guinea Pie – Grandma’s Meatballs, Spinach, Ricotta, White Garlic Sauce, Mozzarella / Rebel Pizza – Pepperoni, In-House Italian Sausage, Ham, Salami, Marinated Tomato, Fresh Basil, Red Sauce, Mozzarella
NY style Pizza – Mozzarella, Red Sauce
Bacon Candle – Bacon Powder, Olive Oil Powder, Sweet Balsamic, Sicilian Sea Salt, Crusty Bread
Tuna – Crudo, Calabrese Chile, Fennel Pollen, White Truffle Oil, Fried Herbs
Crostini – Smoked Tomato, Smoky Pork Smear, Parmeigano-Reggiano
Seafood Pot – Shaken Herb-Shellfish Butter
Pork & Egg Salad – Pig Ear Ribbons, Shaved Pickled Egg, Ramp Preserve, Greens, Sour Vinaigrette
Pappardelle – White Seafood Bolognese
Cavatielli – Headcheese Sausage Ragu, In-House Ricotta
Goat – Osso Bucco Mop Sauce
Melon Gelato – Sweet Balsamic Lonza, Mascapone, Fried Mint
Cannoli Sandwich – In-House Sweet Ricotta
Now two-years a resident of Las Vegas and well acclimated to a dining scene that too frequently overlooks the talented men and women of the kitchen it was January 1st that 2016 Strip openings were sworn off in favor of creating #chefseries, a collection of Carte Blanche tastings meant to gather like-minded diners with a focus on dedicated Chefs serving our city, the first installment featuring Christopher Palmeri of Naked City Pizza.
Known to many from his pizzeria tucked inside Moondoggies on Arville and more recently a family-friendly location on Paradise the choice of Chef Palmeri stemmed from not only his Buffalo-transported place in the community but also talents stretching far beyond Pizzas and Bar Bites, three prior meals showing a passion for pickling and pasta making in addition to artisan breads and even housemade charcuterie.
Self admitted to become restless with creativity, weekend specials occasionally an outlet but soon to launch a Naked City Tavern concept that will really give the young man room to stretch, menu planning for a group of fifteen was left entirely in the hands of Chris with a prix-fixe cost of $35 per diner and opting to truly go “all-out” with sixteen courses including five classics plus eleven original creations the results were even better than expected, everyone having a great time with old standards still inducing smiles and new creations often outright thrilling.
Truly a diverse cast of tablemates, everyone from a well-behaved child to a veritable pizza legend represented with several writers, Yelpers, and food enthusiasts all bellying up to the long table it was after a brief introduction from Chef Palmeri that the degustation got started, Naked City’s famous “Pizza Logs” proving as crisp and oilless as ever with a crunchy golden shell shattering to yield molten red sauce and melty mozzarella.
Surprisingly a first visit for some, the Meatball Skillet and whimsical Wing Dip both impressing newbies and veterans alike with bold flavors a tribute to people and places important to the Palmeri Brothers’ past, it was next to two trays of Pizza that the group was treated and although “deep dish” may not tickle the palate of certain local critics there is little doubt that the care put into both the meaty Rebel and garlicky Guinea Pie far exceed Midwest/Northeast standards, the latter’s DDD feature literally the dish that put Naked City on the map.
No doubt inspired by recent history, a trip to Manhattan seeing Naked City represent Las Vegas in the Caputo Cup, course six featured the restaurant’s debut of New York Style pies currently being offered in a limited number of twenty per day and opting to go “old school” with nothing but crust, cheese, and tomato sauce a strong case was made for the best foldable Slice in the city, a nice bit of yeast rising to the palate from the crisp yet light crumb.
Transitioning now to the Tavern, ideas not yet set in stone but clearly showing an evolution in style that those who’ve tasted Christopher’s specials will not find hard to believe, suffice it to say that the Chef’s modernist take on ‘oil and vinegar’ is likely to get people talking while the follow-up of Crudo was as well sourced and sliced as its flavor was balanced, the sort of plate that even at Guy Savoy or Le Cirque would not seem out of place.
Again citing the Big Apple as an influence for Crostini with smoky tomatoes and a “schmear” of pork before moving on to a seafood-laden cookpot complete with butter made in-house through the laborious process of shaking a bottle till set it seemed almost unthinkable that the *best* was yet to be seen, that plate featuring marinated pigs ears alongside housemade pickled ramps and shaved eggs, the included leaves of lettuce encouraging diners to enjoy each bite like a Thai-style wrap.
Acknowledging that some did not prefer the collagenous texture of the aformentioned plate while others happily tucked in on even more swine plates twelve and thirteen saw the kitchen send forth two family-style bowls of pasta, residual seafood stew from the pot a tad underseasoned despite admirably complimenting perfect ribbons of starch while the headcheese and ricotta mixture delivered a rich sapor that clung to tiny hollow pasta shells with ease.
Looking back to the short-lived Desnudos Tacos previously occupying the space next to Naked City on Arville with a fatty slab of goat braised to the point of literally melting on the tongue beneath a black sauce akin to mole without the chocolate notes it was with most diners waving the white flag that sweets were finally presented, the cannoli sandwiches clever though not as good as Palmeri’s best-in-the-city classics while prosciutto and melon sorbet found enlightenment in an elegant sorbet topped in mint and crispy Lonza brushed with balsamic.
Undoubtedly a memorable meal, Christopher having worked late into the night and arriving early that morning to offer a glimpse of the future while also providing delicious plates from the past, suffice it to say that Chef Series #1 will be difficult for anyone to trump, though I look forward to some trying while eagerly awaiting a visit to Naked City Tavern just as soon as it opens its doors.
RECOMMENDED: All the Classics, New York Style Pie, Pork & Egg Salad, Headcheese Sausage Rague, Goat Osso Bucco, Melon Gelato.
WORKS IN PROGRESS: The “Shell” on the Cannoli Sandwiches is a touch too close to a rice cracker for my liking while the Seafood Bolognese could have used some more salt.
TIP: Those interested in getting an early look at the Tavern menu should follow Naked City Pizza on Social Media, the Chef currently offering a series of “Tavern Thursday” menus at a bargain Prix-Fixe with the first occurring this week.
http://www.nakedcitylv.com
