A food tour of Arthur Ave, Little Italy in the Bronx

I know very little about the Bronx. Actually, I’ve never been outside Manhattan to any of the surrounding boroughs, with the exception of getting to and from LaGuardia airport and a couple of trips to Brooklyn. I only knew three things about the Bronx: (1) it had a zoo, (2) the Yankees play there, and (3) J. Lo is from the Bronx.From what I’ve gathered from media over the years, I pictured the Bronx as home to the blue-collared working class. Tell me I’m not that far off…?The thing about the working class is they are a no-bullsh*t type of people, which means their food is usually unpretentious, inexpensive, and flavorful.Eating was, however, the secondary reason as to why I came to the Bronx in June. Danielle, founder of Global Pop-Up, asked me to visit the Lavelle School for the Blind to inspire the kids with a little talk and cooking demo. I’ve been so fortunate to be placed in such a position—to be able to inspire others towards unbound heights—so I accepted the invitation since I was in NYC already for the AFB 2014 HKAAs.It was a very casual setting. We set up a simple kitchen station in the school gymnasium: atop a long table, we laid an electric griddle (which Danielle lugged from home), cutting board, knife, and spatula. Danielle and I were going to walk the children through how to make an American favorite: the grilled cheese sandwich.The students, from elementary to high school age, were very excited to ask questions and nibble on the sandwiches afterwards. They and the staff were thankful I made the time to visit, but I’m really the lucky one.After the school visit, Danielle took me to Arthur Avenue, which she deemed the original Little Italy of New York. Three generations of her Italian family grew up in the area, so I was excited to be taken down the historically cultured street. We started off at Full Moon Pizzeria, which Danielle said used to be called something else (anyone know what?). I judge all pizza parlors by a simple slice of cheese, so that’s exactly what I ordered. The crust has to be fresh-tasting and crisp but not burnt. The sauce should have a perfect consistency—not dry but not drippy—and contain a balanced blend of herbs. And the cheese should be well melted and rich. Full Moon pizza was pretty good, but I have to say Di Fara is still the best pizza I’ve had in NYC.After our tummies were full, we strolled Arthur Avenue and ducked into a small but crowded meat shop where I bought some sweet mortadella, spicy soppressata, and salty prosciutto to stow in my carry-on luggage. The salumi was inexpensive, and later at home, I reveled in the tastiness of it all, especially the soppressata. Wish I had the strength to carry a whole duffel bag of Italian cured meats. Can you imagine me going through security at the airport?What hidden gems do you have on the Bronx? Have you been to Arthur Avenue or the Lavelle School for the Blind? Enlighten me.