Flying Pizza

Flying Pizza is a small local chain founded by two Sicilian brothers who grew up in Queens. They opened their first Tri-State pizzeria in 1971, which gives the place a more credible New York pedigree than most local restaurants advertising New York-style pizza.

Flying Pizza offers two styles: Sicilian and "Neapolitan," by which it means New York-style pizza. Putting aside my proud half-Sicilian heritage, we order the latter with pepperoni and jalapeños - a combination that is admittedly not very Neapolitan (especially since so-called "Pepper-oni" is a German-American meat).

My expectations decline when I see the crust removed from a freezer. Once baked, it is thicker and stiffer than a typical New York crust and not particularly foldable. There is nothing terrible about it, but it lacks the airy interior, crisp exterior, and pleasant chew that define a good New York slice.

The pizza comes with a generous amount of cheese - which always seems promising but can also portend blandness. Here, the cheese is plentiful but mild, and the sauce similarly contributes little flavor. The toppings fare better. The jalapeños have enough force to compensate somewhat for the restraint of everything beneath them, while the pepperoni is perfectly serviceable.

Overall, the pizza is disappointing less because anything is notably bad than because nothing really stands out. We leave a slice behind, which speaks for itself.