One of the hardest things about being new to a city is having to find your “go-to”, never fails you, I-can’t-live-without-it spots. You know it is your spot when you are half way around the world, and your mouth starts salivating just at the idea of eating there.

Right now, my search is for my steadfast pizza place. I experienced Rocco’s (on Wilshire) when I first arrived. I am open to many toppings on pizza, but during this search (for easy comparision reasons), I am sticking to two toppings: pepperoni and mushroom.

To me, phenomenal pizza has sauce that is not too sweet or watery. It is important to mention that it doesn’t resemble a marinara, but rather it has a polite tomato zest. One of the keys to pizza success is finding the impeccable balance and proportion of sauce to the oozy, creamy mozzarella. And then there’s the crust: a superior pizza crust is neither wafer-thin nor thick as a slice of bread. Furthermore, it should, in theory, be crispy on the outside and more tender on the inside. Ideally, there would be tiny little patches of brown-charred spots (take note, notice I said tiny little).

On my first trip, it wasn’t bad but not good either. The crust was floppy, I don’t mean thin, I mean floppy. Not only that but it was WAY under cooked, hence the reason why it was so floppy. Raw dough…mmm…not so tasty. Plus, I enjoy it when the pie maker (pizzaiolo, if you will) takes time to put the ideal amount of pep and mush on each slice. That to me spells P-E-R-F-E-C-T-I-O-N.

Next, I tried Albano’s (on Melrose) where the workers were rude and the pizza was average. Average cheese, average sauce, you get the point.

Third, I decided on a lovely little joint called Frankie and Johnnie’s (on Sunset) for my next slice of za (oh, that’s right, I said za). What a treat! The crust was thin AND crispy. I even liked the end crust so much that I was taking bites of it while eating the actual slice of pizza. That to me says a lot, my friend, since most often I toss my remaining crust inside the box since it can serve as just a “filler.” The sauce was flavorful, but not overpowering. And let me tell you about the way this za looked…every slice had the ideal placement of pepperoni and mushroom. It looked like it was all strategically placed for my viewing pleasure. Not only that, but it was cooked to perfection! Sigh.

I ordered from there a few more times, each time hoping to get the same results as I did the first time. And you know what…I sure as heck did. Totally consistent.

When I first arrived here in L.A., I’d heard about Mulberry Street Pizza (on S. Beverly) from a few different sources. They pride themselves on having authentic New York style pizza here on the west coast. Well, I decided to venture from the known to the unknown, and I have learned my lesson. The only nice thing I can say about Mulberry Street Pizza is…it was food.

I referred a New Yorker friend of mine, who also happens to be the pickiest eater I know and a total pizza snob, to Frankie and Johnnie’s and he agreed with my assessment: that it is the best slice in town.