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Slices, Brooklyn Boys, Edison.

(Peter Genovese/The Star-Ledger)

Consider the slice.

No, not a slice of cake, slice of cheese or slice of bread.

Just the slice of heaven known as a pizza, divided into eighths.

The world's most popular food, pizza can be found from Teaneck to Tashkent

and beyond.

It's a $35 billion business in this country alone, and pizza's march toward global food domination appears unstoppable; there are 750 Domino's in India alone.

I ate at a Pizza Hut in Bangkok 15 years ago, which I'm pretty sure is the last time I had pizza from a chain. And yes, it tasted just like the one back home.

The Munchmobile's latest mission, for Jersey's best slices, took us from long-time pizza landmarks to brand-new stores, from city to suburbia to country.

And, ended, somewhat improbably, late night at a bocce court in Matawan.

I tried steering the crew away from pepperoni - the world's most popular topping is the world's most boring topping - and listened when a teen walked up to us in the parking lot outside Denino's in Aberdeen, asked for a slice, and told us to try Enzo's, across the highway.

"Definitely felt hung over the next day from all the carbs,'' Muncher Mike Struble said.

Can you sample 50-some slices in one day and not suffer from Advanced Pizza Withdrawal Syndrome? Yes.

Did we miss many worthy contenders? Yes; there are only 24 hours in the pizza day.

Was it easy to pick a winner? No.

MR. BRUNO'S, VERONA

The Mr. Bruno's In Lyndhurst was named NJ's Best Sicilian Pizza on The Star-Ledger's Pizza Patrol five years ago. Scott Rafferty, who worked at the Lyndhurst store, opened the Mr. Bruno's in Verona eight months ago.

"Same pizza, same sauces; I just added a few things,'' Rafferty said.

Like menu items and the cool New York subway wall art. A staggering 30 different slices are available at any one time.

Munchers Jessica Galano and Rachel Weston at Mr. Bruno's in Verona.

The white pizza with spinach and artichoke received raves all around. "Easily the best,'' Jessica Galano said. "Very creamy and the most flavorful.''

"Out of this world!'' Mike Struble added.

Brian Crouthamel called the Mama Lucia, with eggplant, mozzarella, roasted peppers, and balsamic, "very tasty.'' A Nutella slice, with strawberries and bananas added afterwards, may have been more dessert than pizza, but it turned out to be a sweet treat.

Several Munchers thought the drunken vodka slice too dry, and Rachel Weston found the slices overall ''under seasoned for my taste.''

TONY D's, CALDWELL

Tony DiFabrizio's current space is a pizza hole-in-the-wall, but he will soon expand into the store next door, and there's outdoor seating.

This is not your average neighborhood pizzeria; the slice selection is small, but creatively eclectic. The sausage and gorgonzola - what a combination - was the best of a tasty quartet.

"Flavors go well together; great aftertaste,'' Crouthamel said.

A sausage and fryer pepper slice at Tony D's in Caldwell.



"Great ground sausage combined extremely well with the gorgonzola,'' Struble added.

Galano loved the sausage and fryer pepper slice, calling it "sweet and crispy.''

"Light, crisp grandma slices topped with thoughtful flavor combinations,'' Weston said of our two thin-squarish slices.

"The ingredients in each were flavorful and apparent in each bite,'' Galano added.

BRADLEES, WAYNE

Named for the long-gone department store, this pizzeria has been around since the mid-1970s. A Muncher who shall go unnamed recommend it highly, but there was little to recommend the place.

"I really wanted to like the omelet pizza as a stand-in for a pepper and egg sandwich but it lacked sauce or cheesiness,'' Weston noted.

Galano, who called this the day's weakest stop, did like the onion pizza - "didn't lack in onions and was crispy and sweet.''

No one except me liked the salad pizza. The greens were nice and fresh; if there had been any type of crust - it was practically nonexistent - this might have been something to write home about.

"Most of the slices we tried were average at best and generally lacked spice,'' Struble observed.

BRUNO'S PIZZA, CLIFTON

Bruno's finished a close second to Mr. Bruno's for state's best Sicilian in the Pizza Patrol voting.

"I remember you,'' owner Rich Mastriani said as he spotted me.

Either he doesn't get too many bald-headed guys in here, or he has a really good memory.

Sicilian slices at Bruno's in Clifton.

I'll give it to you straight: the Sicilian here was my favorite slice of this trip. Bursting with tomatoey goodness and Jersey pizza attitude, it was so good I quickly claimed the leftover slices.

Galano described the crust as "doughy, airy and evenly cooked.'' Crouthamel called it a "textbook awesome slice,'' and Weston found it "unbelievable.''

Apart from the Siciliian and plain, though, our slices didn't fare well. "The garlic was smothered in way too much garlic, and the buffalo chicken has a soggy crust,'' according to Galano.

But Crouthamel favored the garlic slice, likening it to "a garlic knot on steroids.''

Apart from the Sicilian or plain, the slices "all seemed to be undercooked,'' Struble said.

PIZZA-TOWN U.S.A., ELMWOOD PARK

This Jersey pizza landmark - you can't miss the red-white-and-blue awning and the Uncle Sam-like figure on the sign - offered the first slices in Jersey when it opened in 1958.

A strong statement, but Michelle and Bruce Tomo, who run the business, have never been the modest types.

"Do you have a background in food?'' Bruce Tomo asked Crouthamel at one point.

"I like to eat,'' the Muncher replied.

They do just plain slices here; toppings are available on whole pizzas. The plain is a winner, simple and satisfying.

"The sauce had a nice amount of oregano, which gave it a fresh flavor,'' Galano said.

Crouthamel called it a "great'' plain slice, with a "super crispy'' crust, while Weston, who named Pizza-Town her favorite stop, singled out the "crisp, light, perfect crust.''

BROOKLYN BOYS, EDISON

Co-owner Steve Seybuck really is from Brooklyn - Brighton Beach to be exact - and he's doing some things out of the pizza box.

Pizza with plum tomatoes, not canned sauce. A chicken pizza with onion rings on top. We'll forgive him for that, because the slices we sampled ranked among the day's best.

Struble loved the tomato pie and margherita slices. Crouthamel lauded the "nice and clean'' white pizza, but muttered "meh'' to the Caesar salad slice.

A white slice at Brooklyn Boys, Edison

Weston "fancied'' the BBQ chicken with those onion rings on top, and thought all the slices featured "a consistent crunch and loft.''

Galano was in pizza heaven. 'One of the best crusts I've ever tasted!'' she exulted. "Never soggy or too thick or too thin. The bruchetta pizza tasted very fresh, as did the olive/eggplant.''

My only complaint with the tomato pie: not enough sauce.

Feeling decadent? Try a slice of the first-rate chocolate cake, from The Bake Zone in Mountainside.

TOMATOPIES, MONROE

Then a long, digestively pleasing ride to Monroe, where this pizzeria, open since January, seems to have gained a foothold among the senior crowd. Co-owner Sal Hernandez wanted us to try pretty much everything, but we kept our focus.

A sesame-seed crust sure is different, but the crew was divided. Galano liked the "nutty flavor,'' but wished for more sauce.

We loved the zeppoles at TomatoPies in Monroe.

Crouthamel rated it "ok - I prefer my sesames on a stick or a bagel'' - but Struble found the sesame-crusted margherita slice "different, and in a good way.''

Weston rated the grandma slice the best here. "The sauce had notes of red wine and the crust held up to a generous serving of it.''

Struble called the Sicilian "high and dry,'' but called the plain among the day's best.

A must-try: the zeppoles. They're light, not overly sugary, and simply irresistible.

KRUST CO., LONG BRANCH



It takes a brave man to open up a pizzeria across the street from a Domino's.

"That's not a pizzeria,'' cracks Anthony Spina, owner of Krust Co., which opened about a year ago.

The former manager of Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza in Red Bank has been making pizza for 24 years.

He makes his dough by hand, and he's a vegetarian, which explains the gluten-free pizza, ample veggie toppings and healthy drinks (try one with spinach, carrots, apples and cucumbers).

A Jersey Round, Trenton Pie, white pie, and Aunt Rose (grandma pizza with sauteed spinach, eggplant and roasted red peppers) are among the other options.

Tony Spina, opener of Krust Co. in Long Branch.

His grandma boasted the day's best sauce, in my opinion.

Galano loved the artichoke/kalamata olive slice, while Crouthamel wanted take grandma, or least the grandma slice, home.

"Superb taste; this guy is an artist,'' he said.

Weston, an accomplished cook herself, admired the "super thin, crisp, dark brown and impossibly tasty'' crust on the 9 Whole Grain pizza.

Domino's is a daunting presence, but Spina seems to have carved out a nice little niche in the seaside pizza world.

DENINO'S PIZZA PALACE, ABERDEEN

Michael Denino, owner of the Aberdeen Denino's, is the son of Carlo Denino, who opened Denino's Tavern on Staten Island 1937; he started serving pizza there in 1951.

The Aberdeen location was packed when we arrived, so it was time to break out the Official Munchmobile Folding Table and eat - where else? - in the parking lot.

"We were beyond niceties,'' Weston noted. "We ate with our bare hands illuminated by a street lamp.''

She called the margherita "overflowing with chopped fresh tomato'' and the best slice here. Galano loved that the basil "was dispersed over the whole slice.''

Slices await at Denino's Pizza Palace in Aberdeen.

Crouthamel, though, called the pizza "decent,'' and "didn't feel a lot of energy out of this . . . supposedly legendary place.''

Maybe his own energy was flagging?

In any event, it was time to play bocce.

ENZO'S PIZZERIA & RESTAURANT, MATAWAN

How do you set yourself apart from the 24 pizzerias with five miles of your own?

Install a bocce court, among other things.

When Francesco Guardascione showed me the darkened court, I rapped on the window to get the attention of the Munchers, sitting inside.

Weston called his grandma pizza "beautiful,'' while Galano said it and the plain were "equally delicious.''

Do yourself a big pizza favor and order the Brooklyn Blend, with grated cheese and buffalo and regular mozzarella.

Galano had one word for it: "Amazing!''

"Clearly shows who is boss of this neighborhood,'' Weston said.

"Even though I was really really really full, I thoroughly enjoyed that last bite!'' Galano added.

We had been on the road 12 hours, and we were really really really tired. But those leftover slices from Bruno's tasted great the next day.

Peter Genovese is the author of "A Slice of Jersey'' (Pediment Publishing), a complete guide to pizza in N.J., and "Pizza City: The Ultimate Guide to New York's Favorite Food'' (Rutgers University Press).



TOP DOG

We loved the sausage and gorgonzola slice at Tony D's, the superb Sicilian at Bruno's, the plain at Pizza-Town U.S.A., the grandma at Krust Co., the chopped tomato at Denino's, the grandma at TomatoPies, and the Brooklyn Blend at Enzo's. But only two places received multiple votes, so Top Dog honors this week are shared by Mr. Bruno's in Verona and Brooklyn Boys in Edison.



TELL US WHERE TO GO

Sushi! Tomorrow we search all over for the best and freshest. Where can you find the best sushi in Jersey? Call the Munchmobile Hotline at (973) 392-1765 or e-mail pgenovese@starledger.com.



T-SHIRT GIVEAWAY

Each week, we give out a special limited-edition Munchmobile t-shirt to the first two people who answer our trivia question correctly.

Last week's question: Where is Great Bay? It's between Atlantic City and Little Egg Harbor (similar answers were accepted). The winners: Doug Elam and Tim Feeney.

This week's question: When is National Cheesecake Day? Cal the Munchmobile Hotline.



FOLLOW US

You can get inside info on every trip, and see trip photos not available anywhere else, on Twitter and Instagram. Follow us at @NJ_Munchmobile and check out instagram.com/themunchmobile.

WHERE WE MUNCHED

Bradlees Pizzeria, 1808 Route 23 north, Wayne; (973) 696-4282. Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

Brooklyn Boys Pizza & Deli, 9 Lincoln Highway (Route 27), Edison; (732) 902-6600. Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays. Website: bkboyspizza.com.

Bruno's, 1006 Route 46 west, Clifton; (973) 473-3339. Hours:

11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Website: brunospizzeriaclifton.com.

Denino's Pizza Palace, 1077 Route 34, Aberdeen; (732) 583-2150. Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; noon to 9 p.m. Sundays. Closed Mondays. Website: deninospizzapalace.com.

Enzo's Pizzeria & Restaurant, 39 Mill Road, Matawan; (732) 583-2777. Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays; noon to 10:30 p.m. Sundays.

Krust Co., 604 2nd Ave., Long Branch; (732) 229-0511. Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Closed Mondays. Website: krustcompany.com.

Mr. Bruno's, 150 Bloomfield Ave., Verona; (973) 857-0323. Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Website: mrbrunoverona.com.

Pizza-Town U.S.A, 111 Route 46 west, Elmwood Park; (201) 797-6171. Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 10:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays; noon to 1 a.m. Sundays.

TomatoPies, 4 Research Way, Monroe; (609) 664-2804. Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Website: besttomatopies.com.

Tony D's Pizza & Takeout, 3 Hanford Place, Caldwell; (973) 228-9500. Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; noon to 9 p.m. Sundays. Closed Mondays. Facebook page.

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