Haters everywhere.

First: Imo’s pizza is fine. As is Cecil Whittaker’s. It’s a distinct local thing that you are welcome to dislike, but there’s nothing inherently wrong with it. But credit to you for pointing people to the hill. Guido’s had my favorite pie, and they had options to use mixes of provel & mozzarella if that was your jam. And the tapas were delish.

Second: “Toasted” ravioli are over-rated. Breading and frying a dumpling is gilding a lily. Deep fried meatballs: that I can get behind. And of course ravioli are great. But using both pasta and breading to encase a filling is just silly. It’s a carnival food gimmick.

Third: Gooey butter cake is fine, but it really seems like a failed attempt at a pastry that people collectively decided was a happy accident.

Finally, I know this wasn’t brought up but I always take it to my stl food discussions: bread-sliced bagels are the perfect form factor for sharing in a group setting. A bagel is a meal, and people often don’t want a meal. And it’s economical - you only need a handful of bagels for a large group rather than one for everybody. The little slices are perfect for scooping up a bit of cream cheese without a knife. It’s superior snacking and literally the only reason it gets the hate that it does is because some stylish bakery in Brooklyn didn’t think of it first.

Cecil Whittaker’s is the place I describe to every one as that place that has a weird name and starts with a c, that everyone should try.

That said, imos provel bites are the GOAT and I will fight to defend that