Zarella Pizzeria & Taverna
4.4/5
If you want to feel like you're somehow committing a crime, albeit a delicious one, then I highly recommend booking a table in the speakeasy at Zarella. Between the ambiance, service, and food you're going to enjoy yourself and then some. I really liked the overall experience here and would happily go back. There were 5 of us celebrating a birthday and the wait staff went out of their way to make sure we had everything we needed (including a free sundae). OK, on to the good stuff:
Kale Cesar: 4.5/5 - Well massaged kale really makes a difference, and this is one such example. A HEAPING amount gets served so be sure you want to feast on plenty of greens if you go with this. The garlic breadcrumbs add a great crunch for an overall balanced salad that is the perfect way to get started. It's not a perfect score because I do think there is such a thing as too much kale.
Mozzarella Sticks: 5/5 - These bad boys should be called Mozzarella batons and be served with a warning. Not only are they massive, they are delicious. None of this breaded string cheese nonsense. The marinara hits the perfect balance of sweet to counter the savory notes of the breading and shredded parm on top. Life is short, get the mozzarella sticks.
Spinach & Artichoke Pizza: 4.5/5 - Imagine a really well spiced spinach & artichoke dip, then put that on pizza crust, then add pickled peppers and you've got a deliciously fabulous pizza. Smooth, creamy, rich, every bite full of luscious, velvety flavor.
Spicy Vodka Pizza: 5/5 - If penne alla vodka is a go to for you, then this will hit every single spot. We added sausage to ours for a little extra zing, and it did not disappoint. The vodka sauce is every bit as familiar and zesty as you think it should be, but having it on a pizza somehow makes something predictable feel new and refreshing. I went in for a second slice of this one, and I'd do it again!
Ricotta Gnocchi: 3.5/5 - While this dish was perfectly comforting and delicious, I found it to be the weakest offer on the table. The gnocchi itself was perfectly pillowy, the ricotta really helping to keep them fluffy vs dense and chewy. However, the sauce itself came off as overly sweet, with nothing to really balance it out. A few bites was more than enough to both hit the comfort spot and let me know I wanted to move on to something else.
Brown Butter Cake: 5/5 - Bananas Foster meets ooey gooey cake in this indulgent and delicious treat. The creme fraiche gives a slight tang that helps balance out sweetness and offset the super luscious texture of the cake itself. If left to my own devices, I'd put the whole thing away on my own.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Sundae: 4/5 - If you're a Reese's cup lover, this one's for you. Everything is better with ice cream on it and this is no exception. While the flavors all work well here, I take issue with the chocolate sauce, which felt more like tempered chocolate frozen directly onto the ice cream, instead of that classic chocolate sauce that comes out molten in a pot ready to be poured over.
Espresso Martini: 4/5 - All but one of us asked for the modified version without the cream, which was the right move. The original version skews into sweet territory, dessert in a cup, vs the modified version which is just the very adult version of a vodka redbull (in the best way possible, don't you come for me). Sans cream it's decently well balanced, bringing forth the flavor of the espresso with just enough sweetness to undercut the potential bitter after taste. Overall, a good choice to end the night with.
