Masullo’s!!

I will probably never review Masullo’s because I have no desire to join the fray of the pizza wars(Zelda’s sucks! No, Zelda’s rules, you suck! etc, ad infinitum), but it’s the most exciting grid-ish place that’s opened in a long time. The decor is understated and pleasant. I love the long communal tables, and I have ended up interacting with fellow diners when I’m seated at them. The chef, Bob Masullo really lives by the fresh, seasonal, local credo but without making too much of a fuss about it. The pizza is divine. The crust is ultra-thin and charred in spots, the cheese is applied with a light hand, and the toppings are chosen well. I was delighted by the piggy-tasting Molinari pepperoni and the Fra’mani sausage, but the vegetarian pizzas are even better. My favorite so far had eggplant and red onion. Masullo’s background is in baking, and his desserts and pastries are also wonderful. I had a small slice of peach tart with a restrained dollop of lightly-sweet whipped cream that was the perfect way to end the meal. Notice I say “restrained” and “small”. This is not a place that will leave you groaning and unlacing the drawstring on your sweats as you leave, but I have a pretty large appetite and I find a pizza and maybe a split dessert to be plenty filling. Oh yeah, I’m not crazy about his wine list but he only charges 8 bucks for corkage.