Lunch Today, Rubble Tomorrow
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A sad sight on Central Avenue... all that’s left of the Mont Parnasse Diner is a pile of rubble. I’ve got memories of omelettes, french toast, grilled cheese sandwiches and jello with whipped cream. It was an old-time, expansive eatery, with leather banquettes, tall cakes buried in icing and juke boxes on each table. I am sure you have fond recollections as well. George McGuire of the State Contracting Co., was on hand to do the demolition and hauled away over 200 tons of rubble. What will be built in it’s place? I bet you already guessed! Another bank? No, it’s Walgreens. A new 11,000 square foot drugstore will be built to open in 2010.
Pepe's Pizzeria Is Here
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For years I heard tales of a legendary pizza place in New Haven that justified a stopover when traveling the Northeast corridor. Apparently Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana has been famous in Connecticut for their coal fire “tomato pies” since 1925. And the big news is that 85 years later they have finally opened up a Pepe’s on Central Park Avenue in Yonkers. Expecting a crowd, I called to order our pie well inadvance and was pleased to find them to be very accommodating. We arrived at a huge new restaurant, sparcely furnished, featuring a long white counter, two huge brick ovens and scores of pizza chefs and sous-chefs scurrying about, ready to prepare pizza for hundreds. The pizza’s were placed in and out of the ovens with long pizza sticks and the entire operation was efficient and impressive.
The menu included the original tomato pie, with or without mozzarella as well as a wide range of toppings including sausage, spinach, mushrooms, shrimp, chicken and more. Apparently they are famous for their fresh clam pizzas and the chefs were proud to show me their daily catch of fresh clams that we’ll try on our next visit.
This time we sampled the tomato pie with mozzarella and with one bite realized why this pizza is famous. The crust is crisp, but chewy, somewhat like a good French baguette rolled out thin, and toasted in a fiery hot oven. Other than pizza there’s not much more…a Pepe’s salad, soda, beer bottled and on tap and wine by the bottle or the glass. And what does it cost? Not much! A small pizza starts at $6.30, with large pizza’s at $12 plus additional charges for the toppings from .60 for onions up to $13.00 for fresh clams on a large pie.
The space is so large that it appears they are expecting legions of diners …and I do hope they appear. With pizza this good at reasonable prices I predict Pepe’s will become a Yonker’s institution.
The Original Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napolentana
1955 Central Park Avenue, Yonkers, New York
Open Daily at 11:30 a.m.
Dine in or take out (914) 961-8284
www.pepepizzeria.com
