N.Y.C. Pizzeria in Vancouver authentically tasty

Why: It has been a few years since I last visited N.Y.C. Pizzeria in Vancouver. I recently found every element of the experience just as impressive as my last visit. The pizza, the atmosphere, the people and the prices are a winning combination. Whether you are after traditional New York-style pizza or prefer an Indian twist on the pie, there are plenty of options.

What I tried: I tried a calzone made with pepperoni and extra cheese. I also tried the N.Y.C. pizza and the Punjabi pizza.

The calzone is made with a 10-inch crust folded in half, which makes a hearty serving. Calzones come with two fillings of your choice, but you may add more for an additional charge. I enjoyed all the extra cheese, and the crust was done to perfection, making it a very manageable, hot-pocket sandwich.

Of the two pizzas, I couldn’t decide which one I liked more. They both earned what I considered equal press. The N.Y.C. is topped with pepperoni, Italian sausage and mushrooms. I really thought the sausage made this pizza spectacular. Instead of various sizes of greasy sausage bits, which is usually the case on pizza, the meat was equally crumbled and not the least bit greasy. The seasoning of the sausage was slightly spicy, which I found brought a favorable kick along with the delicious, tomatoey sauce base. The Punjabi pizza is topped with tandoori chicken, ginger, onion, fresh hot peppers, roasted garlic and cilantro. This pie had a wholly unique flavor. It was spicy, meaty, sweet and savory. Every topping was detectable and each had a different texture very unlike the rest. I appreciated the quality of each ingredient on both pizzas. The crust was good and acted as more of a base for the toppings than standing on its own merit.

Menu highlights beyond what I tried: Garlic knots and hot jalapeno garlic knots are appetizer choices. Among the hot sandwiches is a meatball Parmesan, an eggplant Parmesan, a chicken Parmesan, a B.L.T. and a gyro on pita bread. Salads include a garden salad, a Greek salad, a chicken salad and an antipasto salad. Pizzas with meat include a BBQ chicken, a pulled pork and an all-meat combo. The Queen’s Pizza is made with garlic chicken, broccoli, onion, and diner’s choice of pizza sauce or creamy garlic sauce. Vegetarian pies include a classic Margherita, a classic white pizza with olive oil, herbs, roasted garlic and mozzarella cheese. The vegetarian delight combines mushrooms, black olives, bell peppers, onions, marinated artichoke hearts, tomatoes and roasted garlic. Indian pizza choices include a paneer pizza and a masala chicken pizza. There are 27 toppings to create your own personal combination. Beverages include Coca-Cola products, bottled beer and beer on tap, as well as house wine.

Atmosphere: The strip mall location provides a casual setting. With the kitchen in the rear of the space, there is ample seating for dine-in customers. Tables and chairs provide all the seating arrangements and large-screen TVs provide entertainment. Wood-laminate flooring and walls painted with green and red create a warm color palette. Large blackboard menu boards display the entire menu options behind the order counter. Beverages (other than alcoholic) are self-serve, as are napkins and utensils. Plants add a touch of green life to the space.

Other observations: Service is friendly and efficient. The food is authentically tasty. The establishment is pleasantly tidy. Grubhub delivers. Take ‘n’ Bake and gluten-free crust are also available.

Cost: Appetizers cost $4.50 and $4.95. Wings are $7.95 and $13.95. Salads range from $3.95 to $7.50 and come in full or half sizes. Hot sandwiches are $6.50 to $8.45. Pasta dishes are $7.50 and $9.50. Calzones and stromboli are both $10.50. Pizza by the slice costs $2.50 and 50 cents for each additional topping. Pizzas come in 10-inch, 12-inch, 15-inch, 18-inch and a Sicilian, which is 10-by-15 inches. Pizzas with meat range from $12 to $28. Vegetarian options range from $11.50 to $28. Indian pizza options start at $13 and top out at $27. Cheese pizza is $9.50 to $18.50.