Joonbug link: Superhero on Wheels: Neapolitan Express.
Since February 2013, the Neapolitan express has been cruising down the streets of Manhattan,leaving behind a lustworthy trail of mouthwatering aromas. Passion and love purely lie in each and every pizza pie, as each is beautifully crafted from dough to toppings, with deliciously fresh and organic ingredients. And while this mobile pizzeria that provides healthy, hearty pizza to NYC may seem too good to be true, we assure you, it is very real. Go ahead– pinch yourself, you’re not dreaming.
Additionally, this superhero on wheels makes one mighty, and commendable promise: to serve the public fresh pies while making the world greener one day at a time. They are able to do this by partnering up with Clean Energy Fuels. Powered completely by compressed natural gas (CNG), and furnished with the equipment to produce original Neapolitan Pizza pies to “standards set over one-hundred years ago in Italy,” this unique mobile restaurant is all about transforming the food truck industry. Which is to say, not only does Neapolitan Express bring “the most authentic Italian pizza on wheels” to New York City, but they also hold close to their hearts that giving back to the community is pure success. They embody this idea through their greener ways, as previously mentioned, and by donating a percentage of their earnings to organizations such as, The Water Project, Thirst No More, No Kid Hungry: Share Our Strength, and Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).
We had the great opportunity to check out Neapolitan Express and get a firsthand look behind the magic. This “first and only” food truck entirely run by natural gas has bright open windows, modeling its healthy ingredients, top-notch equipment, recycled paper products and is impeccably clean.
To start off our lunch, we savored the truck’s Mexican-bottled Coca-Cola, and boy oh boy is it refreshing on a hot summer afternoon. We were very pleased to hear that Neapolitan’s Coca-Cola uses real sugar. Paired with pizza, the Coca-Cola perfectly hits the spot.
The large windows of the truck allow you to peak in and watch as the scrumptious pies are being prepared. Watching the pies being made in the truck’s Cuppone dough press and electric ovens is a treat. The ovens heat up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing the pies to cook and be ready in just ninety seconds! The first pizza we tried was Neapolitan’s Margherita, made with mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and extra virgin olive oil. It is a classic, and Neapolitan has more than surpassed the taste test. The Bufala pizza was served up next, prepared with bufala, mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and extra virgin olive oil…a Joonbug favorite! Both pizzas melt in your mouth within the first bite, having the perfect cheese to sauce ratio. And of course, we just could not skip out on dessert! Watching the Pizza Cioccolato being made is a lot of fun. The dough completely puffs up in the oven, is then cut in half, and creamy nutella is spread in the middle. The pizza is topped with powdered sugar. This nutella pie is the city’s prime dessert pizza and a definite must-try.
However, one of the coolest tricks Neapolitan has up its sleeve is not food related: it is their “Green boxes.” In addition to being a pizza box, this versatile creation can be neatly torn and used as your pizza plate, as well as folded into a smaller takeout box for your leftover slices. And don’t worry, instructions are written on the box with a step by step guide on how to do so. Every restaurant should be using these Green boxes; they are complete genius and are a crucial step to bettering our Earth.
Check out Neapolitan Express on Twitter and like their Facebook page to see the latest pizza pie news and where they’re parked for the day.
Lexx in the City 