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RESTAURANTS : NY Pizza Kitchen

NY Pizza Kitchen ADDRESS: 53, Anhe Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (臺北市安和路一段53號) OPEN: Monday through Friday, 11am to midnight; Saturday and Sunday, 9am to midnight TELEPHONE: (02) 2775-1582 AVERAGE MEAL: NT$250 to NT$500 ON THE NET: www.nypizzakitchen.com DETAILS: Chinese and English menu; credit cards accepted

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Fresh, homemade pizza is easier to find these days in Taipei, with NY Bagels Cafe being the latest restaurant to enter the fray. The Taipei-based chain has drawn from its success of serving freshly baked bagels and American diner-style food in an upscale family-style setting, and applied it to the NY Pizza Kitchen.

Like its hip sister branch just around the corner on Renai Road (仁愛路), NY Pizza Kitchen sports a comfy interior that’s an odd mix of earthy modern chic and American greasy spoon without the grease. The restaurant gets plenty of natural light thanks to wall-sized windows in the main dining area. At night the space is lit by the warm glow of stained-glass lamps that hang from a high black ceiling.

The kitchen area, decorated with wood paneling, brick and stone, bustles with 20-something cooks in white uniforms, sneakers and trucker hats. Diners sit at long, booth-style seats covered in a reddish-brown vinyl; the simulated wood grain on the tables practically cries out for scrambled eggs and coffee refills. But a glance back at the kitchen area, with its large oven in view, brings your appetite back to pizza.

Those yearning for a genuine New York slice might be disappointed that the individual portions are on the smaller side — it takes at least two slices for a satisfying meal. With prices ranging from NT$80 to NT$115 per slice, it’s not exactly a budget lunch.

But the pizza is worth trying. The dough recipe hits the spot — the crust is thin and doesn’t crumble like a cracker, and is chewy enough to make each bite satisfying. NY Pizza Kitchen plays safe with the sauce, which tastes fresh but doesn’t leave a strong impression.

The menu is extensive, but fussy, which doesn’t encourage customizing single slices that are offered in eight combinations. The only vegetarian option, the Farmer’s Market pizza (NT$90) comes with mushroom, green pepper, mozzarella and corn. I asked the waiter to hold the corn, which elicited a bewildered look (but thankfully my pizza arrived promptly, and as requested).

On another visit with two dining companions, we opted for the 16-inch (41cm) West 15th Street (NT$690), topped with salami, pepperoni, and organic meatballs, which added a peppery zest, and rounded out the meal with the Central Park salad (NT$280).

The more exotic pizzas can only be ordered as 16-inch pies, including the White Pizza (NT$680), which is topped with ricotta cheese, garlic, fresh basil and mozzarella, and for dedicated carnivores, there’s the Filet Mignon Pizza (NT$880).

Sadly, the beer selection only consists of Coors Light (NT$70), but house red and white wines are available by the glass (NT$220) and bottle (NT$620). Other offerings include the chicken Parmesan sandwich with fries or salad (NT$220), a selection of pastas (NT$210 to NT$240), and spicy Buffalo wings (NT$240), recommended by the house. If the wait for brunch is too long at NY Bagels Cafe, come here for one of the restaurant’s egg breakfast sets (NT$235 each).

While NY Pizza Kitchen doesn’t steal the show, it could enliven the debate on the best pizza in town.

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