I have no idea why I haven’t written about Empire Slice House yet.
This buzzing-with-hipsters hangout in the Plaza District is always packed, and because of that fact, once you enter, you’ll be overwhelmed with pandemonium, from every one of your senses.
The walls are completely plastered with odes to music artists from all eras, like David Bowie, Prince, The Doors and comic book legends as well.
A pristine white combination fan and lighting fixture looks like something out of a science fiction movie and throw in some shiny red retro looking chairs and stools on top of a hard wood floor and you’ve got enough to keep your eyes busy for about…oh….3 or 4 hours. Add in the din from the kitchen and diners, and like I said….bzzzzzz!
If you love New York style pizza, you’ll love Empire Slice House. There has been such a fiercely battled Pizza War-of-the-Roses over the two American greats, with clearly picked loyalties on both sides of Chicago style verses New York style.
Having lived near Chicago for my early college experience, I am more of a Chicago-style fan, having cut my teeth on cheese and meat stuffed pizzas from Gino’s (deep dish) and Giordano’s (stuffed) and Burt’s (pan pizza) with their layer of rich tomato sauce spread over the top.
Incidentally, most people don’t realize the difference between deep-dish, stuffed and pan Chicago pizza…except us nerdy food writers.
We care about e DEEP things my friends.
Google it. It’s a fine but distinctive line.
Ok, let me get off my digress bandwagon and tell you about New York style pizza. I
New York pizza is thinner while having a puffier outer crust and usually is placed directly onto the oven deck to cook. It’s usually lighter on sauce and sold by the pie or by the slice.
Such is the case at Empire Slice House.
You can buy pizza by the slice for $3.25 per slice, or a whole pie ranging from $19-$23, or you can build your own pie. By the slice isn’t offered for everything on the menu but there isa daily offering of several varieties.
If $20+ for a pizza seems expensive for you, consider that the pies are enormous at Empire. I mean ENORMOUS.
We decided that next time, we may order by the slice as the
three of us took a bunch of pizza home from our visit. I had Mr. Wonderful hold his hand up to the pie just so you could see how huge it was.
Because am a huge garlic knot fan, I had to try the 16th St. Garlic Knots.
These were pretty good, but I have a hard time liking any garlic knot better than the ones at Andolini’s in
Tulsa. They are the best I’ve ever had but these were pretty decent. One tip – ask for a side of the pink sauce for mere pennies.i am an adoring pink sauce fan, a combination sauce of marinara and cream sauce, and I highly recommend it.
There are also appetizer offerings like Italian Nachos, Antipasti and Drunken Mushrooms, which I could not talk the Wonderful guy into ordering on account of he hates goat cheese with a passion.
If you’re feeling particularly adventurous you might want to order up an Andre the Giant Meatball, coming in at one pound of porky and lamb goodness on your first visit.
The pies themselves are named quirky names like “Fungus Among Us” – a mushroom lover’s dream of portobello, shiitake and button mushrooms along with spinach, and a drizzle of light truffle oil.
Or how about one of their most popular pies…the Foghorn Leghorn which consists of Asiago cheese, chicken, bacon, jalepeno, sweet marinara and srirachi (rooster) sauce. Mr. Wonderful and I decided on half and half, so I got my half with the mushrooms.
Mr. Wonderfuloordered the Notorious P.I.G., a conglomeration of various meats like bacon, pepperoni, sausage, capicola and Canadian bacon.
The pizza slices are so large you can almost fold them in half to eat, and that might be a good plan to keep the toppings from sliding off when you’re holding it in one hand.
The flavors are great and if you’re a craft beer fan, you’re going to be very happy at Empire Slice House as they come with a large offering of such as well. ’ve also heard great things about their salad, and would like to try it next time as well.
All in all, Empire Slice House is a fun place with great New York style pizza and is definitely worth checking out.
Empire Slice House
1734 NW 16th St
Oklahoma City, OK
405-557-1760
Website
Looking for Empire Slice House? Here’s a map to help you find it!
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