“Eat less, taste more” is the motto of a new restaurant that just opened next to my apartment building – Hostaria del Piccolo. A group of us went just two days after the official opening, which meant the staff was somewhat uncertain, but very enthusiastic. The space itself is very cool, with lots of wood and a rustic feel. We settled in with drinks, wine for me & the boy and some very interestingly-named European beers for the other half of the table. Weihenstephaner anyone?

The menu features classic Italian fare, from pizza and pasta to soup and salad, with some chicken, lamb and fish added to the mix. Some of the appetizers and salads sounded delicious (I’ll definitely go back for the FOGLIA SENZA: white beans, shallots, parsley and heirloom tomato served over pizza crust!!), but of course, I was there to test the pizza.     

The dough is made without any yeast, and apparently they experiment with all different types of flours, including kamut, soy, polenta, garbanzo, and even squid ink, which yields a black crust. It was a hard choice, but I ended up ordering the ZUCCA pizza, which is a white pizza made with mozzarella, roasted butternut squash, gorgonzola and sage.

The gorgonzola made this pizza taste anything but traditional. Honestly, I taste-tested my way around the table and think I ended up with one of the best selections. However, the gorgonzola was a little overwhelming for me (I couldn’t taste the squash or mozzarella at all!), and while I probably won’t order this one again, I will definitely be back.

Maybe I’ll try the ALÉ MAGNA next time, which is made with tomato sauce, mozzarella, Italian wurstel, and…fries?? With 30 pizzas on the menu, I’m sure I’ll have fun eating my way through it.