Something New at Pizza Nea

In mid-August I moved into my first house. While the move just took me across the Mississippi River and a few miles west, the new neighborhood is still an adjustment for me. I had become accustomed to the decadent take-out counter at Kowalski's market, I knew where to get Pad Thai that was heavy on the fish sauce, and I knew were to get a pizza in 10 minutes versus where to get a pizza that was worth the wait. I'm sure that one day I'll get to that point in my new neighborhood, but in the mean time I'm still sampling, exploring, ruling things out and writing things in, all in an attempt to make this area feel like home.

Eager to try something new last Saturday night, my dining partner and I parked the car by Lunds and walked around the block to Pizza Nea on East Hennepin. Pizza Nea does offer valet parking, and this might be a smart option during the day. But by about 9PM on a Saturday there were several street side spaces that just required a few quarters in the meeter.

The restaurant had a sophisticated but relaxed vibe. Cheerful yellow walls were accented by modern maple tables, patrons were invited to seat themselves, and the specials were hand-written on note cards that managed to look quaint, neat, and tidy. Our waitress, however, was anything but relaxed. She must have asked us two times in 5 minutes whether we wanted anything to drink, then whipped out a pen and notepad as soon as she ferried our beers from the back of the restaurant. I felt rushed any annoyed.

We each ordered Peroni, a light and crisp Italian beer, then got to work on the menu. I selected Pizza Quattro Stagione, loaded with porcini mushrooms, prosciutto, artichokes, salami, and mozzarella. The fire roasted pizza had a crusty yet fleshy crust on the edges, and while I found the mozzarella to be a but lumpy and rubbery the crushed tomato underlayer provided just the right bite without the overpowering spices of a typical pizza sauce. The salty meat toppings paired nicely with the brinier artichoke flavor, and overall the dish was a moderate success. I was impressed by everything but the mozzarella.

I may sound picky about my pizza, but I will say that pizza restaurants in the Twin Cities have tough competition. Fans of St. Paul eatery Punch are a devout crowd with a "you can't touch this" attitude about their neopolitan style pizza, and with Pizza Luce's more recent expansions it's hard to be loyal to Papa John. I'd rank Nea between Punch and Luce... it's not a perfect pie, but the pizza is made to emphasize its simple, fresh ingredients and the menu gives patrons numerous white sauce options if they're tired of the same ho-hum. I'll go back to Pizza Nea but probably won't be craving it any time soon.