Nick's Pizza and Bonelle Pastry Shop

As any denizen of the outer boroughs knows, it can be difficult to convince a Manhattanite to meet outside the island. However, since moving to Forest Hills, I have tempted many a visitor with an evening of fantastic pizza and pastries, courtesy of Nick's Pizza and Bonelle Pastry Shop.

Typically, I'll meet a friend at the 71st and Continental stop on the E/F train. We'll walk to Ascan Avenue and then wait for a short while in the doorway of Nick's. Soon, we'll be graciously seated and will whet our appetites with a five-leaf salad sprinkled with plenty of Gorgonzola. We'll order a large white pizza with extra garlic and black olives, which will arrive topped with a thick layer of fresh mozzarella and a sprinkling of basil leaves. (One has the choice of ricotta, mozzarella or a combination thereof for the white pizza, but for me, ricotta seems most appropriate in the context of a calzone.) Then we'll order a pizza with luscious tomato sauce and mushrooms. The crust of each pizza will be thin and slightly charred on the bottom.

The tiramisu is fabulous at Nick's, but I'll want to impress my visitor with the variety of goodies at Bonelle Pastry Shop, which is right next door. We will ooh and aah over the chocolate raspberry mousse, strawberry shortcake, carrot cake and oversized eclairs. Everything is always impeccably fresh. On the weekends, if I crave a particular pastry at Bonelle, I make sure to confiscate it early in the morning. (I learned this the hard way; on more than one occasion, I had arrived just after a Long Island gentleman had driven off with all of the chocolate croissants.)

Pay me a visit soon!

Nick's Pizza: 108-26 Ascan Ave., Queens, (718) 263-1126. Bonelle Pastry Shop: 108-30 Ascan Ave., Queens, (718) 575-1792.