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zachisweird:

THE LOW DOWN // HARRY’S PIZZERIA

It feels a bit heretical to put a pizza place into a (somewhat) healthy food blog, but there’s so many of them out there that no one is reading (this one included) so I’m hoping this post might go unnoticed.

Harry’s Pizzeria, another local sourcing driven joint by Miami’s Michael Schwartz is putting out the only pizza pie I will pay for in Miami. Not joking. Almost all of us here in Miami come from somewhere else. Along with our horribly unseasonable clothes and pasty calves, we brought our expectations and requirements, especially of food,  when we moved to the Sunshine State. You often hear New York Jews like myself bemoan the lack of bagels and pizza in Miami.

Get over it Shlomo. You’re in Miami. If it’s that important move back to Long Island or Staten Island of wherever the hell in New York your family settled in after they got off the boat sometime in the early 20^th Century. I’ve long given up on New York standards down here because there are just so many other options that show off the countless influences pushing this weird place in a million different directions, and frankly they’re much tastier. You like bagels? Try a pan tostada.

Harry’s opened up shop in the Design District down the street from Michael’s Genuine, the chef’s flagship location. Michael’s Genuine would regularly offer some kind of pizza as a daily special and many of them did became staples his regulars looked forward to. Perhaps a year ago Harry’s opened, seemingly in the blink of an eye, in the former Pizza Volante space.

Since then they’ve been cranking out tasty pies with a variety of inspired and local ingredients. Meatball pies, pies with short rib, pork and figs, and the list goes on. One time they were running a special with ground lamb meat, mint and feta or goat cheese. It was like a lamb Philly Cheesteak. Delicious. Pies run, on average, $15 a pop. They’re small enough that I can singlehandedly put one away, and much to my embarrassment I have. That’s also to their advantage, however, as you as the diner trying to be healthy gets your pizza fix without going too overboard.

For the purposes of trying to be frugal, healthy and grab a great meal, my standard Harry’s strategy has been as follows:

•  Pick a pie: Go for the rock shrimp. I’ve eaten them all, and the rock shrimp is the one studded with crack and grilled lemon.
• Try one of their awesome salads. Recently a peach and frisee mix appeared on the menu, the bite of the frisee pairs great with the sweetness of the peaches. It’s also served with roasted peanuts and goat cheese. It makes you feel healthy…
• Get the polenta fries. They’re a great bite that’s both rich and crisp, plus the homemade ketchup will make you want to kill the Heinz family.

All of this goodness, plus tip, generally comes out to less than $40, which is right in our $20-per-person-for-dinner range.

This is not classic pizza and it can be a little pricey if you’re used to a utility slice, but it’s really the only thing I’ve found that can satisfy my pizza craving. The polenta fries are a HUGE step up from the greasy, bready garlic knots of my childhood.

You can always go for two pizzas, but like I say, this little food thing is about balance. Pizza probably isn’t the greatest for you, but not gorging on two or three pies and opting for a salad and appetizer is my way of scratching the itch, without breaking the bank or catching a case of eater’s remorse.