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Pizzeria Lauretano291 Greenwood Ave. Bethel 06801 Diamond Avenue 203-792-1500 By LUANNE ROY Fairfield County Weekly Published: 8/11/2005 You can't let the simple storefront nor the location of Bethel's newest pizzeria (in a strip mall next to Brooks) fool you. Just trust me, and take that first step through the front door of Pizzeria Lauretano and you'll know you're in the right place. The sweet smells of fresh basil and oregano greet you before the amiable headwaiter Evan has a chance to. Once seated, the fragrant aroma of the simmering ash, oak and maple from the brick oven makes its way to your nose. A blend of jazz and blues lingers in the background--so mellow you hardly notice its presence. What you do notice is that the ambience of this pizza café (modeled after ones owner Michael Lauretano discovered in California) is not at all like most pizza joints you've been to--you know, the ones filled with screaming kids and teenagers hanging around in booths eating slices. Instead, the décor is a very mature black and white with modern accents like track lighting and slate counters. The walls are adorned with artwork, mostly paintings that pay homage to Napoli--the place where the owner got his inspiration. Lauretano didn't want to open just any pizza place. So, he went to Naples to learn the skill from the masters themselves. The most important thing they taught Lauretano is to use only the best ingredients--like Caputo flour from Italy, plum tomatoes grown in the lava-rich soil near Mt. Vesuvius, and fresh mozzarella (that Lauretano makes himself daily from cheese curds). I was there late on a Sunday afternoon, planned specifically to make an early movie at the Bethel Cinema (which is located conveniently in the adjacent shopping center). My boyfriend Bob and I started with salad. He ordered a walnut cranberry salad ($6.50) that consisted of baby greens, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries and the thinnest shaved red onions I'd ever seen, topped with a light lemon vinaigrette. Every time he took a bite, he closed his eyes and sighed a huge "Mmmmmmm" that translated to "heaven." What surprised me most about it was the fresh baby greens. I guess I'm just used to the traditional pizza house fare--salads made with iceberg lettuce and unripe tomatoes. The menu advertises the pizza as "individual size," so we each ordered our own pies. I tend to like my pizza simple, so I opted for the traditional Pizza Margherita, with grilled eggplant added ($7.50, plus $1 for the topping). My boyfriend went with a white pizza with caramelized onion and pine nuts ($8.50). His was smothered with honey-colored onions; mine was covered with bright red sauce, patches of smooth white mozzarella and whole basil leaves. But, as we all know, the true test of great pizza is in the crust. And Pizzeria Lauretano's didn't disappoint. It's thin, crispy and not at all soggy. Lauretano says the Caputo flour makes for the airy, crunchy texture. And the wood fire chars it slightly, giving it a nice smoky flavor. I was amazed that even my boyfriends' pie, topped with all those moist onions--didn't wilt when you picked up a slice. What separates Lauretano's pizza from the rest, though, is that you can taste all the individual ingredients. The sauce especially stands out. From the first bite you can taste the fresh tomato, because that's basically what the sauce is--crushed tomatoes with fresh oregano, basil and olive oil. The bits of basil leaf make a difference too, and are evident in each bite. If you like the tomato sauce as much as I did, you can order the Pizza Marinara (a mere $7.50), which is just that--crust topped with crushed tomatoes sprinkled with olive oil, fresh garlic and oregano, and grated romano cheese. It's perfect for a hot day when you prefer to keep it light. For appetizers, Pizzeria Lauretano has three varieties of salad, plus they make a mean antipasto with grilled fresh vegetables (like eggplant, artichoke hearts and portobello mushrooms), salami, prosciutto, olives and fresh mozzarella. When served, it looks more like an artist's palette than a food dish--almost too pretty to eat. They also have one soup of the day--a fresh concoction usually created by Evan, the head waiter. The day we were there it was lentil soup. It was too warm a day for soup, so I took a container home and ate it for my lunch the next day and it was as good as the pizza--thick with tender lentils and chunks of crisp carrot, celery and onion. With all my enthusiasm for the food, I nearly forgot to mention the selection of wines. Lauretano says he only orders ones that hail from Italy. We opted for a red Lachryma Christi Sangiovese, which was a somewhat dry, full-bodied wine from the Campagna region that went down ever so smooth. Evan insisted that we try their Gabbiano Pinot Grigio, which I wished I'd tasted first. It was the perfect wine for a summer day. Crisp, chilled and refreshing. This new pizzeria will definitely become part of my routine when I travel to Bethel to see a movie. Now I have two things to look forward to. Hours: Lunch Tue.-Fri., 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Dinner Tue.-Thu., 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Fri., 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Sat.-Sun., 1 p.m.-10 p.m. Current/Upcoming Events | Map | Printer-Friendly Page | Email to a Friend
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