It’s interesting how much marketing matters. Take Ribalta, the relatively unknown pizza restaurant in Midtown, which replaced Piola, a generally accepted yet unloved pizza place from the same ownership group. I read about Ribalta in AJC and it looked solid – there’s a lot of good pizza out there these days, and I’m happy to try it. But the AJC article read like a promo and I wasn’t even sure they were open, so I called to inquire. Not only were they open, but they had been open since July. “We’re just starting to do PR.”
Boy, buzz sure does play a part in success and notoriety.
I like the space – bright windows provide ample natural light on the faux farmhouse tables; it’s breezy and spacious feeling, only amplified by the fact that hardly anyone was there. A few tables did fill up as the lunch hour took hold, after we had placed our orders of a couple pizzas and a baby octopus starter.
The octopus was really nice. thought the octopus was a little chewy, but I’ve not met one that isn’t so, and it was definitely manageable. I don’t think I’ve had octopus in a red sauce, and the caper and olive strewn sauce popped with brine and tang amongst the rustic tomato sauce. I’d definitely sample this with someone again.
I was super intrigued by the “Pizza en Pala” ($28 and meant for two people), which is described by the menu as a sort of double cooked crust pizza. Research now provides evidence of something like a Roman style square pizza. Trying it would have meant a larger tab and less ability to try a couple of regular pizzas, which is what we did – the DOC and the Ribalta (sausage/rabe).
They were both quite solid. A stretchy, soft dough, tender in the center like a more traditional Neapolitan style, it lacked the oomf and seasoning of Antico’s stellar toppings, or the crisp tang of Varasano’s unique crust style, but their pie was well balanced and pleasantly tasty. I wouldn’t be surprised if they hold it down and find some success in Midtown. Some of the pastas sound nice, and if the lovely octopus is any indication, perhaps Ribalta can pull of the pizza/pasta combo that will please the masses in an area that could use the genre.