New on the Upper West Side: Pizzeria Sirenetta

A new restaurant has arrived on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and it is really good!!  This part of town is not known for many great dining choices so Pizzeria Sirenetta ("little mermaid" in Italian) is a welcomed addition.  It comes from restauranteurs Danny Abrams and Cindy Smith who own The Mermaid Inn located just next door, as well as the one on the Lower East Side. This small and cozy restaurant serves up delicious, classic Italian food including thin-crusted  Neapolitan-style pizza.  Overall, for Italian food,  which can be a bit heavy, the style here is fresh, light and full of vibrant flavors.

Clam pizza  

Linguinette with Meyer lemon and ricotta

The servers are friendly and the restaurant has a nice, warm, candlelit vibe.  We started off with a bottle of well-priced ($33) Pigoudet 2014 Provencal Rose from the small, mostly Italian, wine list.  This crisp, mineral-driven wine went well with all of the dishes, starting off with the shrimp with radish, pistachio and Calabrian chili.  The shrimp were perfectly grilled and served with a variety of crunchy vegetables, meaty pistachio nuts and just the right amount of citrusy dressing.  We also had the roasted asparagus and mushrooms which were topped with slices of pan-fried pancetta.  The dish tasted very fresh and lively.  Another fabulous dish was the linguinette with meyer lemon, ricotta and crispy breadcrumbs.  The intense, yet not overwhelming, lemony flavor really enlivened all the creaminess from the house made ricotta.  And, then we had the mouth-watering pizza with chopped clams, parsley, garlic, lemon and cream.  Just the right amount of ingredients were on top of a thin, slightly crispy but still soft, fabulous crust!

Shrimp with radish, pistachio and chili

Asparagus with pancetta and mushrooms

There isn't a dessert list so you are given a complimentary panna cotta with a drizzle of coffee syrup served in a sweet little espresso cup.  I paired mine with a glass of Balvenie 12 year old DoubleWood single malt Scotch whisky, served neat.  A perfect ending to a wonderful, tasty, comforting meal.   The Upper West Side may not be as jam-packed with superb restaurants as some other parts of Manhattan, but with additions like Pizzeria Sirenetta you can still dine well there!