It has apparently been decreed that the space on Henderson formerly occupied by Pulcinella shall always have pizza. Here comes Urbino Pizza e Pasta, giving the room a magnificent modern makeover and serving up two kinds of pizzas—regular and crispy flatbread—plus salads, panini, and pastas easily as good as the pies.
Ingredient-wise, Urbino had it nailed: cured meats, wild baby arugula, fresh basil, good-quality cheeses. Lox pizza was a winner, with smoked salmon, chive ricotta, capers, shredded boiled egg, and lemon zest. The shortcoming lay in the crust. The regular pizza crust had decent texture, with crisp edges and some pliability, but no flavor. Flatbread pizza was as thin and crispy as a cracker, putting all the focus on the (admittedly worthy) toppings. Wild mushroom ricotta ravioli was the pick of the pastas. Tender round pockets filled with cheese came with a mushroom mix that went way beyond humdrum button: chanterelles, tiny shimeji, hen of the woods. Panzanilla salad had not just mixed greens but grilled fennel, feta cheese, and Marcona almonds; too bad the fennel was chopped into bits instead of left in pieces large enough to savor.
The signature frozen limoncello was bland, but the list of affordable wines included the exceptional Bracco Barolo, available by the glass or half carafe. If this space must always have pizza, then so be it.
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