Day 16, 2015: Pala (LES, NYC)

DAY 16: OCTOBER 16th, 2015

LOCATION: Pala (198 Allen St., Lower East Side, NYC)

GUEST(S): Jen MacNeil Danenberg, Kevin Danenberg

ORDER: 1 slice of Acetaia (Butternut squash puree, 25yr balsamic vinegar, parmigiano cheese, mozzarella cheese, parsley), 1 slice of Tartufona (20 Black Summer Truffle Carpaccio, pecorino cheese, mozzarella cheese, parsley), 1 slice of Etna (Eggplant, cherry tomato sauce, mozzarella topped with ricotta salata, basil)

REVIEW: 
Something for everyone. Pala offers an entire menu of top tier Italian food to eat even for people that can't. If you happen to be a vegetarian, a vegan, gluten-free, a hipster, or just really picky, this hip Lower East Side caters to you.  Whether you sit in the outdoor cafe seating area, the quaint cafeteria dining room or at the bar, the ultra attentive staff will soon ask you about food allergies.  The food then arrives on wooden pizza peals or pala with your dietary restriction clearly labeled on the handle. I recommend the pizza.  The Roman style elliptical shaped crust serves as a firm foundation for creative high quality topping combinations. My favorite gluten-free pie was the Etna which very closely imitated conventional glutenous pizza with its cherry tomato sauce, mozzarella and ricotta cheese blend, diced basil and savory eggplant.  Other signature pies included truffle oil, butternut squash puree, broccoli, and even the vegan-friendly cheese daiya.  On my next visit to Pala, I intend to try the more traditional "carne" pies which include lamb sausage, spicy soppressata, and pancetta.


PHOTOS:

Acetaia

Etna

Tartufona

A little of everything

the underside

interior

Day 16

MISCELLANEOUS:

Kevin and Jen

1. Jen MacNeil Danenberg was once on my talk show called the Spotlight with Sean Taylor where she spoke about her experience on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire.

2. Jen is a great pub trivia team member.  Not only does she know who was in movies, but she knows what else they were in too.  Her memory is ridiculous.  She remembers the story she told me the first pizza day she was my guest from back in 2003 and told it again today.  It was about a cat and I look forward to hearing it again when she tells me in Pizza Month 2027.

3. Kevin Danenberg is on my softball teams - all three of them (including Funnyball).  He might have a bat problem... not a hitting problem - as he led our team in almost every offensive state - but a bat problem in that he owns enough bats to use a different one every game of the season.  I wonder what his next big purchase will be....

RATING:

  3.81/5

• VALUE:
   3.5/5


• AMBIENCE:
   3/3


• TASTE:
   6.5/10


• SERVICE:
  
•  3/3

16/21= .762 x 5 = 3.81