Like most urban areas in the Pizza State, the Middlesex County township of Edison has more places to get a slice of pizza than business logic should allow. However, they all seem to survive, and since the Pizza Snob’s brother now calls Edison home, here’s a warning that it’s only a matter of time since I get to visit them all. The latest enterprise to cross my path was in a small strip center. Tony’s Italian Restaurant & Pizza, a storefront with a great pizza name, has survived for over 30 years without me.
My brother and I escaped the midday drizzle and made our way up to Tony’s counter to place our orders. We then took a table in the front room as we noticed a more formal dining area in the rear. Tony’s also advertises catering. My bold move today was to order my first-ever chicken parm slice in addition to my regular cheese for the pizza portion of my midday meal.
It was a hungry Sunday afternoon, and I was thankful that in addition to my requisite cheese slice(s), I was able to also indulge in some other delicious Italian delicacies. Just how these small places manage to fill out such a complete menu is way beyond my pay grade. It boggles my mind just thinking how they keep all of the fresh ingredients in stock, let alone know how to make all these dishes.
The look of my regular slice made me rather curious in that the cheese looked somewhat pale and the end crust was a bit wide. The crust also did not appear to be crisp and would later prove to be slightly undercooked. Oddly, my protein-fueled chicken parm slice turned out to be much more crisply adequate. Checking in further with my brother the Edison resident pizza expert, we also surmised that Tony’s slice was also a little light on the tomato sauce which contributed to its pale look.
But, in the end, while I was wanting to possibly dog this slice on its looks, its true taste prevailed, and Tony’s handiwork turned out to be quite decently delicious. It came from good stock and was properly put together. However, a few more minutes in the oven would probably have made a huge improvement. As for the novelty of the chicken parm slice, while interesting and enjoyable, I’m not about to change my plain slice ways.
So, in the end, we both gave Tony’s a thumbs-up. While not a unique pizza-only destination, it’s a place that I would certainly frequent if I lived in the local hamlet of Edison, NJ.
PIZZA SNOB RATING ****Near Perfection
Tony’s Italian Restaurant & Pizza
1199 Amboy Avenue
Tano Mall
Edison, NJ 08837
732-548-2770
www.tonyspizzaedison.com