Red Bank’s New Corner Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria, personal size pizza. (Photo by Susan Ericson. Click to enlarge)
By SUSAN ERICSON
Though I’ve lived in New Jersey longer than anywhere else, my New York roots still dictate when it comes to pizza.
There’s an expectation of a not-too-sweet marinara and ample cheese, with enough toppings to be able to taste them – but not too voluminous. Undergirding it all should be a shell that’s as well-baked at the center as at the outer edges, so that it can be folded and held without the ingredients gooping off the sides.
That last requirement – structural integrity – seems to be one that too many pizzerias don’t take the time to get right. But the specials menu at New Corner Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria on East Front Street in Red Bank earlier this week offered a personal pan pizza that delivered on all counts.
This one was to be topped with ham, onions, mushrooms and artichokes. Since mushroom pizza is a favorite, and so are the other veggies, I skipped the ham, and requested the pie well-done.
The big surprise was that the crust was, indeed, nice and crispy all the way from the edges to the middle.
Bigger than your average bar pie, it was more than enough to feed two people, and at $7.95, was a particularly good deal.
New Corner offers a full menu featuring subs, pasta dishes, and a terrific Antipasto Misto. The dining room is large and airy, with additional canopied seating outside. Like many of the restaurants in Red Bank, this one is a BYOB.
