I had lunch with a friend this week at Marta, the inexplicably Italian, very trendy place that basically is the entire lobby of the swanky Martha Washington Hotel. I love the space, it's very beautiful and sleek and modern, with floor-to-ceiling windows that open wide onto 29th Street on a beautiful summer afternoon. Though if you're going to name a hotel the Martha Washington, it's an odd choice for a restaurant. I checked, and she and George never left the country, I'm very doubtful she'd've known what a pizza was if one bit her.
Anyway, friend R and I got the fritto misto (many fried veggies) and the butter lettuce salad, and the fiori di zucca pizza. The starters were...fine, I guess? Nothing to especially write home about, the veggies a little greasier than you'd want them to be, but tasty, and a nice change from the seafood that normally comprises a fritto misto.
The pie was just beautiful. Take a look:
I've been thinking about what I'd do to make it more interesting, without completely overwhelming the blossomy beauty of it. A bit of the old truffle oil would be the crowd pleasing, too-easy solution. But I think a more interesting cheese, like a fontina or taleggio, and some kind of fresh herb--like oregano or thyme maybe, is what this is calling out for.
