Aposto Pizzeria: Plain, Veggie, and Vodka Pizza

On Friday night, when one would hope to find a happy and lively place to eat, I sat down with my friends Lena, Eve, and Anna at Aposto, a pizzeria and restaurant. I had heard a lot about this place from people in town, and it was strange to go somewhere I had never eaten before. 

The first thing I noticed was the decor: red and white checkered table clothes, lights strung around the windows, and a giant pear next to the door. "I like the lights," was the first thing my friend sad. It was charming, I thought. Outside the door was a little patio. I remember seeing people sitting there in the summer; it always seemed like a lively place to eat.

Unfortunately, the next thing I noticed was that it was just the three of us and the staff.  Now it's fine for there to be lulls in customers, but it was a little bit strange to be the only three people for almost the entire meal. 

The menu included a good choice of appetizers, pizzas, sandwiches, and entrees. Like most pizzerias, the pizza and salads were vegetarian, while most of the entrees had meat. I have to admit, it was really tempting to order one of the fettucini dishes and ask for them to remove the meat. There were a few standout items on the menu, however. The first thing I noticed was the Spanakopitakia , a spinach and feta cheese appetizer. The next were the rather unique pizza types such as the "Vodka" pizza or the "Napoli" pizza.

I eventually decided on a simple slice of vegetable pizza. Eve and Anna both also got slices, and Lena ordered the Spanakopitakia, and we all shared mozzarella sticks. Since I was so hungry, I was happy to see them bringing our food just a few minutes later. 

The pizza was actually quite tasty, and I was especially pleased that it was hot. I'm always disappointed when I order pizza and get it cold. The mozzarella sticks were the absolute perfect texture. The crunch from the first bite is always an important factor. Lena's Spanakopitakia was delicious, too. I don't usually like feta cheese with spinach, but the flaky layers of dough balanced them well. Lena commented, "I thought at first they had too much spinach, but once I ate more of it I tasted more cheese. It was really good." 

After finishing our meals, we went to the register to pay. I was last in line. When the woman behind the counter just started ringing up my check, the phone rang. I expected her to maybe talk and let me pay at the same time, but she turned aside instead and began to talk. A few minutes later she hung up, apologized, and typed in a few more numbers as my friends stood by, waiting impatiently. Just then, her cell phone rang, and she that up as well. Finally, five minutes later, she told me how much I needed to pay, and I left. I laughed about the wait at the register, but I realized that I had actually enjoyed most of the experience.

Rating: out of ★★★★★ (✫=1/2)

Food: ★★★✫

Service: ★★★

Atmosphere: ★★

Vegetarian variety: ★★✫

Aposto

76 Raritan Ave

Highland Park, NJ 08904

(732)745-9011

A menu can be viewed at: www.jerseymenus.com