 Friday, March 22, 1996
In some instances, consistency is a virtue -- and it's one that the kitchen at Goodfella's has taken to heart. While there are any number of terrific pizza places on Staten Island, Goodfella's goes out of its way to offer something a little bit unusual, and by and large the Dongan Hills restaurants succeeds. For the most part, the appetizers are pretty standard and include such dishes as baked clams, fried calamari and a cold antipasto for two. Although the dishes are standard, they are generally prepared with a degree of flair. As a result, when the mozzarella en carozza arrived, it was creamy and delicious. Served with a simple tomato sauce rather than a marinara, the result simply enhanced the already enticing taste of the cheese. Although One might not expect buffalo wings in an Italian restaurant, they are on the menu and they are one tasty way to begin a meal. Available in three sizes with three different sauces, the smallest portion in the hottest sauces was memorable. The wings even smelled hot as they were served and the full-bodied flavor did nothing to disappoint. From the menu, the specialty pizzas are obviously the main attraction. Baked in a wood-burning oven, these have to rank among the tastiest pizzas on the Island. The quattro fromaggi pie features a fresh tomato sauce and four cheeses served atop a crust that is both thin and tasty. If you're a pizza purist, this one is for you. Those who prefer something a bit more exotic might want to sample the taco pizza or the de mauceri (a pizza stuffed with spinach, pastry ricotta, garlic and spices and topped with sautéed red cabbage and creamy porcini mushroom sauce). For those who have never sampled it -- and you're really missing something if you haven't -- the award-winning pizza a la vodka definitely deserves some serious consideration. Prepared with fresh mozzarella, vodka cream sauce, mushrooms, peas and prosciutto, there are things that could go wrong here, but none ever do. If you still have room for dessert, there are a number of attractive possibilities including a light as air chocolate mousse and a truly tangy raspberry tart bash that features both dark and white chocolate with red raspberries, and the entire mix is topped with a light cream cheese. With Sinatra tunes playing in the background, friendly service, an atmosphere that invites casual conversation and top notch food, this is one place the entire family can enjoy together. For the rare youngster who doesn't like pizza, Goodfella's offers children's portions of pasta and ravioli. All told, dinner for two with appetizers, two small specialty pizzas, desserts and beverages came to a very reasonable $42.22 plus tip.
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