Lunch at Savoia

****UPDATE - Savoia has sadly closed. 6/3/15****

I was recently invited to have a meal at Savoia (277 Smith Street, between Sackett & Degraw Streets, 718-797-2727), an Italian Restaurant in Carroll Gardens run by the Nazzarro family.  Savoia offers a range of dishes, from Bruschette, Salads, Pastas and Meat dishes, but perhaps they are best known for their pizzas.  Delicious combinations entice, such as the Pere e Zola, which comes with Mozzarella, Pear, Walnuts and Gorgonzola, or the Pizza Rustica with Mozzarella, Fresh Ricotta, Sweet Soppresata and Sauteed Spinach.  I've had their pizza before, so this time I decided to try something different.

My sister and I went for lunch, which is a slightly different menu than dinner, and I decided to start with the Mozzarella Fior di Latte and Tomato appetizer, which is basically a Caprese Salad.  The mozzarella was delicious - slightly sweet, creamy and melt-in-your-mouth good.

I also ordered the Valtelina Sandwich (with Bresaola, Artichoke, Parmigiano, Arugola & Lemon Dressing), which comes pressed so everything is warm and melty.  This was a fantastic sandwich.  The bresaola was bold and salty, the artichoke & arugola provided a little bite and the dressing added a bit of tang.  A very flavorful and hearty dish.

My sister chose the Fresh Trofie with Pesto, String Beans, Potatoes and Pine Nuts. All the ingredients were perfectly balanced, the pesto garlicky and evenly coated the pasta.  The potatoes were an interesting addition, but the texture made sense and added a nice depth to the dish.

We decided to try the Nutella and Banana Pizza for dessert.  The menu said it came with Hazelnuts but it came with Walnuts instead. I think that worked better than hazelnuts which might have been overkill with the nutella.  I was pretty full at this point, but this pizza was so yummy, I easily finished my half. The nutella was melted, the banana slices were perfectly ripe and the walnuts added a lovely crunch.  Mmmm.

Savoia is a great restaurant with something for everyone.  The food is great quality and nicely prepared, the interior is cozy (there are two rooms, one purely a dining room and one has a bar in it, and there is sidewalk seating as well), and the service attentive without being overbearing.  I highly recommend it!