All Entries Tagged With: "Berkeley"
The Great NoCo Pizza Challenge: KD Gray’s vs. Roberto’s
Holy cow, can you believe we’re at Round Ten of the Great NoCo Pizza Challenge?! That means we’ve tasted 18 pizzas in the past nine weeks! Are you full yet?
This week brings us yet another classic match-up, featuring two hidden North County gems that totally deserve a little time in the spotlight…
You may remember K.D. Gray’s from back in Round Three. Well, I wasn’t too crazy about their pizza, but this cozy little bar/restaurant in Berkeley has definitely piqued my interest. I already mentioned the enticing “fruity shots” on the menu, and how tasty the hot wings are. But what I didn’t mention, because I didn’t know then, is the interesting story of chef/bartender/original owner Gene Gray, who opened this charming hole-in-the-wall in 1989.
A former stockbroker with a Master’s degree in finance, Gene has been working in the bar/restaurant business for 40 years, and spent much of that time in rock & roll bars. He says patron drug use, fighting and general mayhem finally just wore him down, so he wanted out of that scene. And when he went looking for a quiet neighborhood pub of his own, the affordable rent of this tiny former biker bar behind Berkeley City Hall was the best fit for his budget.
“It was that simple,” he says. And apparently it worked.
These days, K.D. Gray’s is officially owned by Renee Laneman, who you might see behind the bar. But Gene is still catering to his steady stream of regulars, and still handling 100% of the kitchen duties. “I’d put my steak sandwich and chicken wings up against anyone,” he says proudly.
Ahh, but we’re here for pizza… Gene uses mozzarella cheese and pre-made crusts from down on The Hill, making his own Italian sausage. You can choose from three specialty pizzas – Cheese, Veggie or Supreme – or pick your own toppings from a short list. All pizzas are 12 inches, with the Supreme, K.D. Gray’s most expensive pizza, starting at $12.95. Other pizzas start at just $8.
By the way, K.D. Gray’s got an exemption from the St. Louis County smoking ban, so if you’re looking for a comfortable, friendly place to light up, this is it. And the jukebox ain’t half bad either.
K.D. Gray’s – 6130 Madison Avenue, 63134, (314) 521-5309. Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:30am to 1:30am, Saturday 6pm to 1:30am
On the other side of NoCo, in an old Florissant strip mall, you’ll find an equally low-profile restaurant – Roberto’s, which has been serving up delicious Italian food since 1962. Founded by Robert and Peggy Camenzind, this neighborhood favorite is still family-run, but other than that, I don’t know much about it.
Ever since announcing the Pizza Challenge, I’ve received dozens of emails plugging Roberto’s. But since the restaurant is only open in the evenings, and I never seem to be there at the right time, I’ve never even been inside, much less sampled the menu. Still, word is the pizza is phenomenal.
You can choose from a typical list of toppings or go with the lone specialty pizza, the Supreme. It has Italian sausage, hamburger, bacon, mushroom, shrimp, pepperoni, onion, green pepper and anchovies. Whoa! Large single-topping pizzas start at $8.95. The Supreme is $15.45.
Roberto’s – 16 Mullanphy Garden Shopping Center, 63031, (314) 837-7674. Hours: Tuesday – Thursday 4-11, Friday & Saturday 4-12, Sunday 4-10
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Cast your vote! Round Ten voting ends Wednesday, March 9, at 11am…
Who has the better pizza?
- Roberto's (77%, 148 Votes)
- K.D. Gray's (23%, 44 Votes)
Total Voters: 192
Loading ...If you need a contest bracket, you’ll find an updated one right here.
NoCo Pizza Challenge Round 3: Editor’s Choice
Who gets the vote this week? KD Gray's...
...or Massa's?
When I was creating the bracket for the Great NoCo Pizza Challenge, I literally pulled names from a hat, and whatever order they came out in, that’s the way they stayed. So far, the random draw has produced some pretty interesting match-ups, but perhaps none more so than this week.
In Round Three, we find ourselves with K.D. Gray’s of Berkeley and Massa’s of Bridgeton, two longtime North County restaurants with similar charms. Both are small, out-of-the-way joints with loads of character…dark, intimate dens where you can cozy up for a drink and good conversation. They offer a taste of pure, classic NoCo, and in this respect, both restaurants deserve an A+.
But while Massa’s serves truly delicious pasta and K.D. Gray’s coats its own wonderfully tiny chicken wings in a fabulous house-made sauce, I’m very sorry to report that neither place has exceptional pizza. Or at least they didn’t last Friday…
For dinner that night, my husband, Keith, swung by Massa’s for carry-out while my neighbors Martin and Heidi picked up pizza from K.D. Gray’s. Meeting back at Martin and Heidi’s, we all discovered pretty quickly that this was going to be a difficult challenge. Even after re-heating the pizzas in the oven, something was just….off.
Both had hand-tossed crusts, with sausage as the topping, but Massa’s was the thinnest I’ve seen yet. It was a true, Neapolitan cracker crust, much crispier than K.D. Gray’s but not nearly as nice and flaky. Weighing 2.4 pounds in the box, the Massa’s pizza also had provel cheese, compared to a generous helping of mozzarella on the 1.9-pound K.D. Gray’s. Neither pizza had an especially noticeable sauce.
When it came to sausage, both were clearly freshly made. Our panel preferred the taste of K.D. Gray’s, which had a good balance of spices. The Massa’s sausage, on the other hand, had way too much spice, especially fennel, which left a heavy aftertaste. A lot of Italian seasoning was also concentrated in one section of the pizza, as if it had been carelessly dumped on.
On a positive note, the Massa’s pizza did improve over time. It was much better cold. And Martin pointed out that perhaps the K.D. Gray’s pizza was just missing its natural environment, where it could be eaten fresh out of the oven, with 21 years of built-up bar ambiance adding to the flavor.
I don’t know. All I can say is that I will be patronizing both of these restaurants again, even if not for pizza. And if I have to pick a winner this week, I think I’ll go with K.D. Gray’s, which appears to have won the people’s choice vote as well. Again, neither pizza was bad. In both cases, I guess I’ve just had better.
Up next in Round Four: Cannoli’s vs Omar’s. If you need a contest bracket, you’ll find it right here.
The Great NoCo Pizza Challenge: KD Gray’s vs Massa’s
I’m running so late today! Sorry, NOCO fans. It looks like you picked Erio’s as your winner for Round Two of the Great NoCo Pizza Challenge…not that Angelo’s isn’t totally deserving as well. Is it just me, or is anyone else amazed at what good pizza we have in North County?! Wow!
Round Three features yet another pair of unique restaurants – one you’ve probably heard of and one you may not even know exists. First, the dark horse…
Open since 1989, K.D. Gray’s is a hole-in-the-wall bar and grill directly behind Berkeley City Hall. It has a reputation as a “cop bar” because Berkeley’s finest hang out there pretty often, so I must admit, I thought it would be kind of divey inside. Instead, it’s neat as a pin, with updated decor and a genuinely cozy vibe. And the owner/bartender – a friendly older gentleman who also makes the pizza – could not be nicer.
For a small place, the menu offers a good number of choices, including burgers, fresh chili and an enticing list of “layered shots” and “ice cream drinks.” Perhaps I will try the Pink Squirrel, made with Creme de Almond, Creme de Cacao and vanilla ice cream, when I buy my pizza?? Mr. bartender says he makes the pizza from scratch, but other than that, I don’t know a whole lot about it. (It was my 22nd pizza place in one day, so please forgive me.)
You can choose from three specialty pizzas – Cheese, Veggie or Supreme – or pick your own toppings from a short list. All pizzas are 12 inches, with the Supreme, K.D. Gray’s most expensive pizza, starting at $12.95. Other pizzas start at $8.
K.D. Gray’s – 6130 Madison Avenue, 63134, (314) 521-5309. Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:30am to 1:30am, Saturday 6pm to 1:30am
When many St. Louisans think of Massa’s, they think of the location in downtown Kirkwood, but the original restaurant is actually here in NoCo. Located in a tiny brick building on an out-of-the-way lot in Bridgeton that almost always requires a U-turn, this North County classic has been serving up absolutely divine Italian food for more than 35 years. The interior is dark and wonderfully romantic, with mismatched chairs, antiques and eclectic artwork. And the colorful characters here, including “bon vivant” owner Bill Massa, a former priest who baptized my husband (!), certainly add to the ambiance.
In other words, Massa’s is the first place in the Pizza Challenge that I highly recommend you dine in rather than carry out. You will probably be tempted by their steaming plates of cheesy pasta perfection….or the fabulous artichoke and spinach bake….but stick to the pizza. It’s St. Louis-style made with provel, unless you request mozzarella, and you can choose your own toppings (including broccoli, chicken and shrimp) or pick from six different specialty pizzas:
Bill’s Special, with hamburger, pepperoni, black olives and onion, Jack’s Special, with Italian sausage, mushroom, green pepper and onions, Mary’s Special, with bacon, tomato, onion and Italian sausage, the Veggie, with mushroom, green pepper, tomato, onion and black olives, Big Al’s Special, with Italian sausage, pepperoni and bacon, or Kim’s Special, with chicken breast, mushrooms, onion and white sauce. A large one-topping pizza starts at $12.50.
Massa’s – 4120 N. Lindbergh, 63044, (314) 739-3894. Hours: Monday – Thursday 5-10pm, Friday – Saturday 5-11pm. On weekends, you may want to call for a reservation…
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Cast your vote! Round Three voting ends Wednesday, January 19, at 11am…
Who has the better pizza?
- KD Gray's (61%, 38 Votes)
- Massa's (39%, 24 Votes)
Total Voters: 62
Loading ...If you’re looking for the contest bracket, you’ll find it right here.
Florissant recording artist signed by EMI
Willie "P-Dub" Moore (center) was recently signed by EMI Gospel.
Life is good for Willie “P-Dub” Moore. After years of steadily building his music career, the Florissant resident and his Kingdom Music label recently signed an exclusive licensing agreement with EMI Gospel, which will market and distribute his music around the world!
Growing up in Berkeley, Moore was once a “gangsta” rapper known as Pretty Willie, cutting his first album at the age of 12 and eventually gaining national attention. But these days, the singer’s church choir roots have led him in another direction, and he now specializes in his own unique brand of hip hop/urban gospel.
Through his social media movement, Young Fly & Saved, Moore aims to “spread the word of God in a new, dynamic way” and reach out to youth “through music and testimonies.” And if his past accomplishments are any indication, he’s very likely to succeed.
In 1997, Moore was the Missouri State Champion in the 100-meter dash, which led to a full track scholarship at University of Mississippi. After graduating with a degree in psychology, he went on to sign a recording contract with Universal Music, provide songs for two hit movies, perform as an opening act for Sean “P-Diddy” Combs, and launch a popular radio show on St. Louis’ KATZ 100.3, the Beat.
With news of his EMI deal, Moore says, “I thank God for this opportunity with EMI to influence the world, change lives and make history in the process with Kingdom Music.” His new CD, The Turning Point, will be released September 14, 2010. Congratulations, Willie!
Are you getting ready for the big day? NOCO is a proud sponsor of the 3rd annual Live Well Ferguson 5K