Pala Pizza Romana

A regular hangout for patrons and musicians from nearby Rockwood Music Hall, Pala bustles with activity. As the hours go by, you'll see many a guitar and bass come through the front door. But you'll probably be more focused on the luscious appetizers, pizza and dessert!

After catching a few shows at Rockwood (there's a new band every hour, starting at 6 p.m.), I walked into Pala with three friends. We were overwhelmed with the display of innovative pizzas (fior di latte mozzarella with leeks, pork sausage, sundried tomatoes and hot pepper; pumpkin-pancetta, Gorgonzola with asparagus, fior di latte mozzarella and tomato sauce).

Each oval pizza contained four slices, so we decided to order two pizzas and three appetizers. Appetizers were divided into fritti and salads. Crispy calamari and four plump zucchini blossoms stuffed with buffalo mozzarella and anchovies were our choices. "What are these!" exclaimed a newly-converted zucchini blossom addict. The blossoms were more heavily battered than the ones at Novita and Five Points, but still very tasty, with a hint of saltiness from the anchovies inside. We also ordered the slightly charred artichoke salad with large shavings of parmigiano, and eagerly scooped up every last bite with focaccia squares.

Soon the magnificent pizzas arrived. First was the buffalo mozzarella with intense cherry tomato sauce and fresh basil (there's nothing like melting fresh mozzarella) and then we enjoyed the Gorgonzola with asparagus. The asparagus was a bit limp, but the combination of melting Gorgonzola with that mozzarella was almost too pleasurable to describe! Both pizzas had a satisfyingly chewy crust, and the slices were so large that we were each satisfied with two pieces.

Of course, that satisfaction did not replace the need for dessert. Homemade tiramisu and a dense flourless chocolate cake were a lovely end to our lively evening!

Pala Pizza Romana: 198 Allen Street, (212) 614-7252.