A late-ish visit to Pastaria because I was craving pizza proved a wise move this weekend. It's always fun to sit at the counter and watch the action. (And no cover charge for the live entertainment!) The warmth from the wood-burning oven felt really good, too. But it was the pizza itself that left me beaming.
It was "The Roman" (quotation marks theirs) pizza, tomato, garlic, mozzarella and peccorino, bacon and chilis. I'm comfortable with the fact that these Italian-style ovens, often, as they are at Pastaria,wood-burning, cook pizzas quickly, leaving some char on the crust. That's how it works, and the char, as with barbecue, is a flavor element. In The Roman, the balance of flavors is darn near perfect. The chili comes in here and there, as does the garlic, but it's the fat nuggets of smoky bacon – bacon, I am sure, that is not of a style found in Rome, but who cares about that? – that crown the experience and draw things together.
A first-rate pie.
Pastaria
7734 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton
314-862-6603
Lunch and Dinner daily
Credit cards: Yes
Wheelchair access: Good
Smoking: No