That is why we also have the cracker crust thin pie, cut into a hundred little squares, leaving soggy center pieces without crust, and small 1 inch corner pieces that are all crust. This is the kind of pizza you’ll find at the south side institution, Nick and Vito pizzeria, located at 8435 S. Pulaski on a strip of road bedizened with Vegas like neon signs.
Side note on décor and American Idol: Any authentic pizza joint should remind you of an old Italian family basement. Nick and Vito’s isn’t a reminder, it’s the real deal. The walls are carpeted on top and wood laminate paneled on the bottom, the dining tables are covered in gold flake Formica, and plastic tri-color and Tiffany style chandeliers hang from the ceiling. Ditka loving, Old Style swilling men grasp tiny pilsner glasses with their meaty fingers, and chain smoking scratchy throated women park their ample backsides in turquoise vinyl stools. On this particular night, these hardcore Chicagoans were enraptured with the two 20 inch tube style televisions (no plasma here) showing American Idol. Every time some hapless contestant warbled, or Simon Cowell unleashed his British fury, these folks roared with laughter. While it didn’t seem like the core demographic for the show, we now understand why Idol is the highest rated show in America.
