"Never, pizza is one of the oldest foods and one of the most beloved!" exclaimed Donatella Arpaia when asked if she thought there would ever be too much pizza in New York City. The restaurateur knows what she's talking about, having been part of her eponymous Neapolitan pizzeria Donatella and its successor Heartwood, both of which proceeded Prova, a joint venture with Sushi Nakazawa partner Maurizio de Rosa and Ribalta chef Pasquale Cozzolino that opened at the beginning of the year.
The trio launched with a menu that focuses predominantly on Neapolitan-style pizza, importing Italian products to make their flavors authentic to their roots but tinged with a New York attitude. "Prova means 'to try,' we wanted to showcase Neapolitan pizza in a new way by creating the perfect crust and taking our unique toppings very seriously," says Arpaia. "Expect the unexpected."
Chef Cozzolino isn't afraid of something a little different, having created a pie using hot dogs and french fries at his own pizzeria. At Prova, the unexpected means their Unica ($29), an artfully arranged pie with sea urchin and squid's ink, further flavored with mint, pecorino-romano and lemon zest. "Most people gravitate to foods that are comfortable and known and they are missing out on so many culinary adventures. I would encourage people to take a risk!" Arpaia explains. "They will fall in love at first bite or decide they will never eat it again—either way there is nothing to lose."
Other pizza standouts are the Aquilana ($17), a vegetarian pie topped with clouds of sheep's milk ricotta sprinkled with saffron and thin, fried ribbons of zucchini and the Cacio e Uova ($15) with organic fresh eggs and Gran Cru sheep's milk parmigiano. Red sauce lovers should seek out the Romana with peeled San Marzano tomatoes, Fior di Latte, basil, anchovies and Gaeta olives. Pastas should launch soon, but for now, non-pizza items include salumi and formaggi, a crudo bar and a selection of salads.
184 Eighth Avenue, 212 641-0977; website
