More from The Forklifter: Trattoria Cinque

The Forklifter- our dedicated reader, contributor, and restaurant lover- was out and about recently and lifted not just a fork, but a pen as well:

Trattoria Cinque has one of the nicest, most welcoming rooms in the neighborhood - and staff were no slouches either. I loved the big banquettes and huge fireplaces. It's casually sophisticated, but I was really pleased that they made my kids so welcome too. They're famous for their Caeser Salads and the concept of 5 seasonal offerings in each menu category (hence the name Cinque). There are always a few specials so the menu fills out nicely. My favorite was the super-thin crusted pizza with pear and gorgonzola. I'm thinking I should bring a bunch a friends next time and score one of the big tables in front of the fireplace.

Is This A Pizza Restaurant?

Naples is known for its pizzaioli; less so for its hip-hop artists. Alberto Polo Cretara happens to be both, although the rapper M.C. actually got his pizza training in Rome, at the legendary Il Forno. “My teachers were very severe,” Cretara says. “They really cared.” And so does he, about the integrity of the four-foot-long pies he’s baking in a Tagliavini triple-decker electric oven at Farinella, the Italian bakery he opened. Roman style in shape and substance, Cretara’s pizzas are traditionally topped and sold by the slice; the same dough is used for sandwiches like broccoli rabe and smoked mozzarella, or stracchino with walnuts and radicchio. Intended to be a fast and affordable lunchtime beacon in the Civic Center wilderness, Farinella will also serve frittatas, a baked special and soup of the day, and Italian-accented breakfast items, plus packaged bread products like grissini and freselle. — Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld

Brick Oven Habit

A dedicated reader gives us the scoop on a new restaurant:

The other night, we stopped into Warren Street's new wine and antipasti bar called Brick. Actually, I think it's called Brick because they also have a great selection of brick-oven pizza. I had the Calabrese with all the stuff I love like olives and onions--a nice crispy crust too (NY pizza is sometimes too prone to flopping when you pick it up). There's a huge selection of pastas and panni sandwiches. Very strong wine and cheese selection too. Family friendly and free delivery. I think I hear a habit forming...

Saluggi's - New To Taste of Tribeca 2009

Pleasing adults and children alike on a Friday night can be a big balancing act. Luckily, one of our readers found Saluggi's which seemed to satisfy everyone:

Ordered delivery on Friday night and they told us it would be 40 minutes. It was actually 20 minutes Three adults, 4 kids and everyone was impressed. The kids had the regular pie, adults got the Arugala pie and ceasars salad. We had leftovers for lunch, except my daughter who ate a slice after her rice crispies in the morning. I dropped the menus off to my doorman to spread the word and when I came back that evening he was raving about the calamari. One downer is that they are not open on Sundays.

Gigino's

Everyone has their comfort food. One of our readers shares a favorite with us:

"There's something so welcoming about stepping into Gigino's on a raw March night. You can smell the pizza baking in the oven, the yellow walls and flattering light make it feel like home. In a way, it has been part of our home for over 13 years—as the take-out containers will attest. But there's nothing like going in, eating their wonderful olives and picking something off the specials list. My husband and daughter are devotees of the linguini and clam sauce—filled with manila clams and a sprinkling of red pepper. In the summer, I like those two small tables perched out on the stoop. It's the kind of restaurant every neighborhood needs."