Carroll Gardens: Delicious Calzones at Lucali

I had been looking forward to trying the pizza at Lucali for quite some time, ever since I read an article that rated it the best pizza in New York City.  So last Friday T and I decided to head over to Carroll Gardens for dinner.

We ordered just two things, the Regular Pie with Basil and a Calzone with Portabello Mushrooms and Artichoke Hearts.  The pizza came out first.  It looked beautiful with the melted buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil on top.  Unfortunately, the taste of the pizza did not match up to its appearance.  First, the good parts.  The crust is excellent.  Thin, crisp and perfect.  The sauce is also nice and savory.  Unfortunately, the pizza overall wasn't that tasty.  The mildness of the cheese dulled the flavor of the pizza and made it just average.  We couldn't really taste the basil either.  Overall, the pizza tasted fresh and crisp but it lacked the saltiness and flavor of a really good pie.

Regular Pie with Basil ★★★☆☆

Next up, the Calzone with Portabella Mushrooms and Artichoke Hearts, served with a side of delicious tomato sauce.  This dish was excellent.  The ricotta cheese, which is made downstairs, was particularly delicious.  The crust was soft and thin and the portbello mushrooms were fresh and juicy.  We couldn't really taste the artichoke hearts but it didn't matter because dipped in the savory tomato sauce, this calzone was really tasty.

Calzone with Portabella Mushrooms and Artichoke Hearts ★★★★★