Delancey is located on a small, quiet side street in the Ballard area. As I walked in, I was greeted by the pleasant aromas of pizza sauce and cheese. I waited a couple minutes and was given a seat at the counter, where I could watch the pizzas being made, and enjoy the pleasantness of the wood-fire grill. Prior to going to Delancey, I had read a lot about the lines out the door, but was fortunate not to have a long wait. I also read some negative reviews that the lines are unexpected from a pizza joint. I should say here that Delancey isn't some pizza joint where you just go get a slice and head out. It's a place where you sit down and enjoy a nice meal that happens to be pizza.Anyway, inside Delancey, there is just a very fun vibe. The decor is very simple; concrete floors, simple tables and chairs, a little art on the wall. The Rat Pack was playing on the stereo in the background, loud enough to be heard, but soft enough to not interfere with the conversation. The hostess was pleasant, the waitress had a smile on her face. The only thing better would have been to be able to sit outside in the late afternoon sun, but unfortunately Delancey does not have outdoor seating...yet. It's coming, as soon as they can set up a barrier to appease the City of Seattle.
Sitting down, I decided to order a Chuckanut Lager. In hindsight, I should have gone with a glass of vino (not that the beer was bad, it was quite refreshing actually, but the food and atmosphere definitely said Cab). I looked over the menu, debating between the Margherita, Sausage, and Proscuitto (everything looked so delicious). It was at that time that I was informed of the evening special, a New York inspired white pizza, made with fresh and aged parmesan, grana (a hard cheese from Italy), Housemade Ricotta and green garlic. It sounded delicious, and since I couldn't make up my mind anyway, I just went with it. It couldn't have taken more than 10 minutes before my pizza was brought to me. In that time, I was able to just watch the preparation of the pizza, one person making them, one cooking, and the two waitresses delivering. It was surprisingly calm, but non-stop. The cooking was non-stop, no more than 2 or 3 pizzas in the oven at any given time, each being watched and rotated. When my pizza was placed in front of me, I was definitely excited.
The small pizza was cut into six slices. I grabbed the first, and was surprised at just how thin the crust really was, and how light the pizza was for all the cheese. Biting in, I was immediately pleased. The crust was that perfect level of crispiness; not overcooked and burnt, not undercooked and chewy. Just a nice crisp crunch like a cracker with the appropriate amount of blackness. The cheese blend was nice and subtle too. Not overpowering, not too greasy, just a nice blend of cheeses. And the garlic also was a nice compliment without overpowering the piece of pizza.
I continued to work my way through the pizza, enjoying each bite. It was totally hitting the spot, and exactly what I was looking for on the evening. Then on my second to last piece, I got an added bonus. On this slice was the largest amount of the housemade ricotta; and it was delicious. Just an extra level of creaminess that I hadn't fully experienced on my other pieces. It almost left me a little disappointed that there wasn't more of this delicious cheese all over the pizza. I quickly finished this and my last piece of pizza, then nursed my beer for a little bit, just taking in the environment. 
Delancey definitely offered a very good pizza in a very nice environment. If I had one negative, it would be that I wasn't able to try more slices. Watching the Proscuitto Pizza being made with it's tomato base and covered in very thinly sliced procuitto go out, or the sausage with the homemade sausage, I was left wanting to try more. The New York inspired white pizza was very good, but watching the others go out, I wonder if one of them wasn't better. I guess that is one way to get me to go back for more. Overall, it was a good experience, and met my expectations (though didn't quite exceed them). For that, I will say that Delancey is absolutely worth going to for a nice casual evening out. It was a little on the pricey side ($22 for a beer, pizza, and tip), but if you set your expectation that you aren't going out for a slice, but for dinner, it's not that bad. Tonight I went out by myself, but I will be back with friends or my wife at some point. And as to whether or not it is worth waiting in line? I'd say it is worth a 20 to 30 minute wait, mostly because you can easily kill that time in the neighborhood.Final Verdict - 4 Stars
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