Thursday Links

Why isn’t the NY Post story getting more attention? Did you already cover this story? Is that why? It seems like huge news to me in this already sordid, back-room negotiation process of the arena’s develelopment.

hi all

my wife and i live literally right around the corner from difara and while we absolutely loathe the hype that’s made it impossible for us locals to get what should be normal service, we love the fact that you appreciate his pizza as much as we do. dom is a great chef and he and his family are a credit to this neighborhood and to this city. between this and the demarco’s shooting two months ago, they have suffered enough.

having said that, i’ve contacted the family and had two lengthy conversations with dom’s daughter, margaret. as you can imagine, the whole family is distraught and all they can do now is wait for the court date on the june 14th.

and so, in effort to stimulate community support, i am – with margaret’s careful input – drawing an online petition that will go live tomorrow morning. please keep an eye out for the url.

this out-of-the-way joint has a rhythm all its own and thankfully it does. it’s the best of everything new york city has to offer. so unless you want a ray bari or a sbarro in it’s place – or what’s worse, another bank! – i urge you to show your support.

thanks for reading and say ‘no’ to a generic nyc!,
bryan swirsky

I’ve been to Difara’a twice. Both times I was unimpressed. The pizza was not awful, just not special at all. The only thing special is how slow the mediocre pizza is prepared. John’s on Bleeker Street, Grimaldi’s at the Brooklyn Bridge and Nick’s in Forest Hills are making pizza worth talking about. I’m sure there are other great spots in NY. I just don’t get Difara. He may have unimpressive piza, but he sure gets great PR.

With all the food-borne (and human-transmitted) illnesses we have to deal with already, not to mention food-chain contamination as in the spinach problem of earlier this year, there’s no reason why restauranteurs of any ilk cannot or will not keep their establishments clean. It’s more an issue of laziness than anything else, and there’s no excuse for that. Cleanliness doesn’t cost much. All it takes is a broom, a mop, a bucket, a few rags and a gallon of bleach.