Four members of Meetup's New York City Thrifty Gourmets group and I field-tested Pala this past Tuesday night. FOOD: The fried calimari had a tasty, spicy coating, but the seafood itself was almost tough. The dollops of goat cheese on the zucchina pizze were fresh and flavorful, but the flavors of its other ingredients were not distinctive. The thin slices of soppresetta on the inferno pizze were fresh and peppery, perhaps too much so. Their tanginess overwhelmed the flavors of the other ingredients. The zucca pizze was the outstanding dish of the evening. The smoky richness of the scamorza melded perfectly with the saltiness of the pancetta. A bite of this pizze reminded me of a delicious ham & cheese omelet on a thin slice of toast made from fine bread. SERVICE: Our reservation, made through OpenTable, was honored, we were greeted warmly, and our table was set up in advance of our arrival. The restaurant appeared understaffed, though, as servers were scrambling to cover the tables. Our server attended to us infrequently. ATMOSPHERE: The restaurant had the feel of a slightly cramped, but not crowded, lounge with low lighting and 80s and 90s dance music in the background. The restroom was messy but acceptably clean. VALUE: Calimari appetizer+three shared pizzes+one beer+tax & tip=$22/person.
Pros: Fresh, flavorful ingredients. Relaxed, low-key setting.
Cons: Amount and attentiveness of staff.
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