Open since January, the cozy but hip and comfortable Zavino, 113 S. 13th St., has quickly positioned itself to become the new hot spot for upscale pizza and casual wine sipping in the Gayborhood.
The menu, much like the recipes, keeps things simple, with a handful each of small vegetable plates, pizza and other entrées. On the other hand, the wine selection goes on for days.
They know our priorities so well.
With every dish we tried, it became increasingly apparent that Zavino never goes overboard on ingredients — and never leaves dishes lacking for flavor. The fruit sodas ($5), available in lemon-lime, orange, strawberry or mixed berry, were a far cry from the corn-syrup-laden drinks most of us are used to — and a refreshing blend of real fruit and carbonated water. The seasonal summer salad ($6) was a pleasant mix of cucumbers, red onions and blackberries lightly dressed. The roasted red and golden beets ($6) were plump and garnished with just enough goat cheese and pistachios to keep the focus on the freshness of the veggies.
The pasta with beef ragu ($10) was a great (and hearty) alternative to pizza. The well-seasoned sauce deftly walked the line between flavorful but not obnoxious in its spicing.
But the pizzas are the stars of the menu at Zavino, and for good reason. The perfectly fired crust and steaming tomato sauce creates the perfect vessel for house favorites such as the polpettini pizza ($13), with provolone and mini veal meatballs and the spinach pizza ($14), with goat cheese and garlic. A bit more off the beaten path — but well worth the trip — is the sopressata pizza ($13), with salami, mozzarella, olives and pickled onions, the latter of which gives the pie a pleasant flavor.
Dessert options ($6 each) included panna cotta and pound cake with blueberries, the latter of which was understated. But even with the Spartan presentation (a generous slab of poundcake, fresh blueberries and whipped cream), a sugary sauce wasn’t missed too much.
Whether you’re a pizza addict or weary of cheesy, Zavino has enough inventive charm and culinary skill to make anyone fall in love again with the tasty Italian staple.
Larry Nichols can be reached at [email protected].