Apizz

Apizz would be easy to miss were it not for its little red neon sign. Last night while we were walking around the Lower East Side, my companion and I were attracted by this sign and walked into a charming room with exposed brick walls and a mosaic skylight.

Although Apizz has a brick oven, we weren't really in the mood for pizza. So we started our meal with glasses of Primitivo, a simple spinach salad with pistachios and cannellini beans, and a plate of fried eggplant slices around a center of fresh, peppered ricotta. This was all pleasant enough, but my entree was the best dish of the meal: a lemon-stuffed whole roasted striped bass on a bed of charred thyme and rosemary, its skin crispy and well-salted. From now on, I must stuff all whole fish with lemon slices!

My companion's baked skate was tasty, although its breadcrumb topping was a bit soggy with all of that white wine and butter. The fish was served with sliced potatoes.

There were four desserts: apple crumble, cheesecake, gelato "sheetcakes" and warm flourless chocolate cake with a scoop of vanilla gelato. We chose the latter (of course) and were amply satisfied with its Valrhona richness. Although I personally prefer molten-centered chocolate cakes (and have written about them ad infinitum), I never met a chocolate cake I didn't like.

Apizz: 217 Eldridge St., (212) 253-9199.