So cheesy. And I mean that quite literally, not in the figurative or pejorative sense. Pizza Roma doesn't skimp by any stretch on the ingredients. Friendly neighborhood joint. The pizza is quite good. Very small restaurant on the northwest corner of Loehmann's Plaza. But they pack as many seats into the space as possible and offer a massive selection of appetizers, salads, wraps, sandwiches, and pasta choices on the menu. The place is fully staffed with servers and there's even an utterly bizarre policy that forbids (or tries to forbid) customers from taking their counter-order to a table. That's the only downside. It's a pizza joint, not a fancy restaurant. They must do away with that "policy" at once. A very amateur, ill-conceived, and goofy practice, to say the least. In effect, Pizza Roma is forcing its customers to shell out another 20 percent or so in what amounts to a needless gratuity. All in all, the joint serves up better-than-average food at good prices ($13.75 for a large cheese pizza; $3 for a slice). Not bad by modern-day standards. Plus they've got all the toppings you could ever dream up, including shrimp, steak, and chicken. Catering services are also available.

- Written by Thomas Mallon
February 1, 2011