Lombardi's Original Pizza

Lespinasse and La Caravelle are long gone, but the coal-fired oven at Lombardi's Original Pizza keeps on chugging. I'm ashamed to admit that until last night, I hadn't yet visited this venerable pizzeria, which is the oldest in the United States. (The famous oven proudly sports the year "1905" in blue tile. Nostalgics will appreciate the old-time atmosphere and memorabilia; one could say that Lombardi's is a "slice" of old New York.)

Recently, Lombardi's underwent a renovation and expansion that will better accommodate its hordes of diners. Last night, my friends and I were soon seated at a round table in the newer front room.

I was immediately impressed with the toppings menu, which was more extensive than that of my local favorite, Nick's Pizza. The oven-roasted red peppers appealed to me, and the white pizza with clams sounded intriguing. We ordered the clam pizza and a traditional tomato pie, half pepperoni and half peppers.

The clam pizza was pleasantly garlicky, topped with breadcrumbs, Parmesan and a veritable avalanche of clams. Actually, I think that the amount of clams detracted from the pizza, and some of them were rubbery and overly chewy.

I then turned my attention to the more traditional pizza. In order to enthrall me, a red pizza must pass three tests: the sauce must not be too sweet, there should be a generous layer of fresh mozzarella, and, most important: the crust should be tasty enough to eat by itself.

The sauce definitely passed muster; the San Marzano tomatoes made it vibrantly flavorful. I also enjoyed the sweet red peppers. However, the cheese was missing some of the fresh, milky quality that I find at Nick's and Franny's. (Nick's Pizza has fresh mozzarella prepared especially for them every other day, and Franny's uses the unimpeachable Lioni's.) And when I looked at my companion's plate, large pieces of charred crust remained on it. (Some people gripe about the slightly charred crust at Nick's, but at Lombardi's, the charring was decidedly more pronounced.)

Still, the piping hot pizza was definitely enjoyable; I'd return just to try all the other toppings!

Lombardi's Original Pizza: 32 Spring St., (212) 941-7994.