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For years, she had been trying to get the Barstool Sports CEO to come in. Then, last Thursday, Feb. 13, she was literally talking about it when it happened.
"I was like, ‘How do I get Dave in here? It’s impossible!’” Kaloshi said. “Fifteen minutes later, he walked in. It was like we manifested him."
Portnoy, whose One Bite pizza reviews can make or break a business, got his hands on Spinachio’s skinny pizza—a razor-thin bar pie—and handed out an 8.1. Not too shabby. Then came the real test: their spinach pie, which Gashi talked him into trying.
Portnoy visits Zana Kaloshi and Ardiana Gashi of Spinachios in North Haledon.
Now, here’s the thing. The place is literally named after its signature pie, The Spinachio Pizza. It’s a secret family recipe passed down from Kaloshi and her sister (and co-owner) Ardiana Gashi’s grandmother. It’s what makes them different. But…
"Dave doesn’t like spinach," Kaloshi said.
Still, he took a bite. He didn’t rave, but he didn’t spit it out either—so Kaloshi's calling that a win.
Spinachio's "skinny pie" earned an 8.1 from Portnoy, but he didn't care much for their signature Spinachio pizza.
"Dave's cold, black heart reemerged for the final minute of the video," one person commented on the One Bite video, which went up on Tuesday, Feb. 18.
The Spinachio Pie features fresh spinach marinated in garlic and extra virgin olive oil, combined with our secret Spinachio mix, pecorino romano cheese, and mozzarella, the pizzeria's website says.
Kaloshi and Gashi, who also owns Giovanni’s in Hoboken, grew up in the restaurant business. Their father, an Albanian native who lived in Italy before coming to the U.S., ran Italian restaurants, and the sisters always knew they’d be next in line.
"People don’t think spinach on a pizza is a thing," Kaloshi said. "It’s like ‘ugh.’ But when you have a slice, it makes you a believer. Everything works together."
Apparently, the internet agrees. The second Portnoy’s review went up, the orders started pouring in.
"I always have influencers come in—they love the pizza," Kaloshi said. "If you look at our Instagram, you’ll see why. It’s not your average pizza. The taste is amazing."
And Portnoy?
"Any pizza you have in there, you will enjoy," Kaloshi said. "But I still believe we can convert anyone to like the Spinachio — unless you’re Dave… and he doesn’t like spinach."
Click here to watch Portnoy's review of Spianchio's.
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