By Hannah Lazarte & Arielle Nguyen
In need of a new hangout spot with a wide variety of pizza, pasta and authentic Italian flavors? You’re in luck! Recently, “Slice House by Tony Gemignani” opened up on Brookhurst Street and Talbert Avenue. Come with us as we try two of his most popular dishes—the WiseGuy Pizza and Gemelli with Pesto Sauce pasta.
Interior & Customer Service
As you walk into the restaurant, there is a mix of high and low seating. In addition, there was soft lighting, where windows seem to be the main source of light. On the walls, there are decorated pizza boxes, which added creative life into the area.
The staff of the restaurant were all kind and lovely. With every newcomer to come inside, greetings from employees came from behind the counter. Throughout the duration of our meal, workers came to our table multiple times, asking how our meal was and if we had any issues. While it might be bothersome for others, it was sweet to see how much they care about their customers.
WiseGuy Pizza | $6.75
The WiseGuy Pizza is one of many staples of Slice House. It is decorated with tomato sauce, mozzarella, Italian sausage, pepperoni, dollops of ricotta and a drizzle of Tony’s hot pepper oil.
At Slice House, you have the option of ordering a whole pizza (sizes vary from 12” to 20”) or by the slice. And for just about $7, we requested a single slice of WiseGuy, which, mind you, was as big as our heads. Obviously, we got it sliced in half, and it was perfection on a triangle. And for its price tag? We’d like to think we got more bang for less buck.
The pizza itself was thin and crispy, with the actual crust being thick and rather fluffy as well. Unlike other popular pizza places, the bottom wasn’t burnt and was instead ideally cooked. Besides the crust, the ricotta cheese was a nice addition that added flavor in every other bite.
The only downside from us is that we aren’t very well-equipped with spice tolerance. Tony’s hot pepper oil added a kick that burned all the way through, and at times it roasted our taste buds a little too much, but we both felt that it was definitely worth the two seconds of pain. If you’re one of those people who love spicy food this pizza would be perfect for you.
Gemelli with Pesto Sauce | $21 (with chicken add-on); $16 (without chicken add-on)
The Gemelli with Pesto Sauce consists of gemelli pasta, garlic, sun-bathed tomatoes and dots of goat cheese underneath a heavy layer of pesto sauce. We decided to add chicken for an extra $5.
It was a charming little dish with a vision, definitely. The basil flavor of the pesto was upfront and bold, like it just got back from studying abroad in Italy, sunbathed and eager to tell you every little detail. The tomatoes added a contrast in texture, but it was overpowered by the sauce—though if you’re a basil enthusiast, it would’ve been a dream come true.
Unfortunately, the chicken was a little dry, but that may have been our fault for letting it sit. Portion-wise, it was dainty for its regular $16 price tag.
All in all? It’s a solid, herbaceous meal with a slightly firm handshake.
Our verdict?
Slice House was authentic. It was delicious, and at times, possibly too much. If you’re coming here just for a slice, again, you will not be disappointed at all. If you’re coming here for vibes, it’s definitely worth the spicy oil.
