The Pizza Place at the Wynn -- Las Vegas, NV

Seating area at the Pizza Place

While staying at the Wynn Las Vegas (I know, it's way too fancy for me) I came across a place called, simply, "The Pizza Place." It's on the first floor of the hotel, in a wing called the "Esplanade" boasting several top designer shops, and has a patio overlooking a ginormous fountain. But all that cool stuff aside, it has really GOOD FRICKIN' PIZZA.

You know how there's that dorky little video that greets you when you turn on the TV in your room? Well, this one had Steve Wynn showing off about his little hotel. And when the time came for him to talk about the Pizza Place, he said something along the lines of this: "For some reason, everyone knows that -- inexplicably -- the best pizza in the country is in New York. Well, at the Pizza Place, we challenge that." (I did listen to it about four times, but can remember only some of it, so these aren't his exact words. But the gist is that his Vegas hotel restaurant is trying to emulate NY pizza.)

Cheese pizza slice at the Pizza Place (sorry for shadow!)

Well, did they do it? I'm going to say yes! I can hardly believe it myself. But the pizza looks exactly like a New York slice. The sauce and cheese are in perfect proportion not only to one another, but also to its crust, which is paper-thin, yet crispy and chewy in all the right places.

At first, I thought maybe the taste was a little different. Not enough oregano, maybe, or parmesan? But then I closed my eyes and really thought about all the New York slices I've had. (This took awhile.) And, yes, somewhere in New York there is a slice that tastes almost exactly like the one at the Pizza Place.

Gelato showcase at the Pizza Place

This place also has homemade gelato -- not too shabby. But that's enough about the non-pizza food items. Except to say that they also serve breakfast, and I'm writing this from the restaurant (where they happen to have free wireless internet, a plus for guests) where I just finished a delicious bowl of steel-cut oats with dried cranberries, almonds, and golden raisins. (So yes, I did break rule #3 this time by talking about other food. Sorry to my followers -- all two of you!)

Capriccio II -- Croton-on-Hudson, NY

Chicken Marsala Pie from Capriccio II

The last time I visited my family in New York, we went -- as we always do -- to Capriccio II (Capriccio I is literally half a block away from its "sister" pizzeria. Ha ha!).

I know I said I wasn't going to review anything besides pizza, and I won't; however; just going to mention that I get main dishes/soups/salads here half the time because they are delicious. (The chicken Parmesan platter is my favorite.)

Eggplant pizza

But onto the pizza. They have several different pies to choose from, which tease you from the display cases by the register. There's the bruschetta pie, the chicken marsala pie, the eggplant pie, the white pie. And then there's the original -- and, in my mind -- the best!

Capriccio's crust is perfectly crisp without being burnt. It's the type of pizza that will probably stand out straight if you lift it, rather than sagging downward. You don't necessarily have to fold this pizza in half when you eat it ... but then you'd better use two hands. (Or, if you're feeling dignified -- use a fork and knife!)

White pizza

Some of the best pizza in NY is hidden away in this small town in Westchester! No need to go into the city for a great slice.

Danny Boys Pizza -- Rocky River, OH

The in-laws visited on Sunday, and we ordered from Danny Boys Pizza. Everyone else got sandwiches -- why?! I ordered a pizza called the "Clevelander," and I just had to share the description from their online menu. It made me crack up:

This one's a little upside down, built a little backwards, and kinda right in the middle of New York and Chicago.We take a New York crust, layer with pizza cheese, extra pepperoni, fresh garlic and fresh basil, all topped Chicago style with zesty pizza sauce and parmesan cheese. The best pizza in the world is right here in Cleveland! (dannyboyspizza.com)

The Clevelander Slice from Danny Boys.
(Note: many of the slices had much more sauce than this. But I ate 'em.)

I did, in fact, enjoy this pizza very much because it had some of the best elements of New York and Chicago styles. If given the choice, there's no way I'd go with Chicago style over New York, but I do appreciate the extra sauce and parmesan sprinkled on top of the mozzarella. I had a 12" pie, and it was all I could do to not finish the entire thing. It was delicious, and the sauce was zesty. In addition, there was a distinct garlicky taste that was not overwhelming, but still very present in this pizza.

Next-day test: Not even close to as good as on day one. That's unfortunate. After the reheat, it dried up quite a bit and just didn't taste the same. Sadness.