Ahhh …That Pizza At Ah’Pizz

We were going to spend the day in Montclair and take the kids to the local museum. And so we needed to find a place for lunch that was tasty for the young ones as well as satisfying for the adults. I did a bit of research and found this very interesting sounding restaurant called Ah'Pizz. Wow, what kind of a name is that???

I was immediately curious and decided we should have lunch there. We walked into an open room with the kitchen at the back that included a brick oven, with wood tables and chairs to the left and right sides. The oven is heated 100 percent by wood and was made by Neapolitan artisans using stone and volcanic soil from Mount Vesuvius. It was built to cook at a temperature of 1000 degrees so that it can make a pizza in 90 seconds.

Since the pizzas take such a short time to cook, they only take walk-in orders for take out. I was completely sold after reading the description and was ready to order.

We were seated and I noticed the warm and eclectic décor. It was different yet welcoming. I was happy to read about the fresh ingredients used at this establishment including San Marzano tomatoes, flour, and extra virgin olive
oil from Naples.

We looked through the menu and immediately ordered the six-inch pie for the
kids ($6). The appetizers and salads ranged from $8 to $12. We ordered the special

orange and arugula salad. It had orange segments with peppery arugula, goat cheese, and sliced almonds. I loved the delicious and tangy — yet light — vinaigrette. Even better, the cheese was dispersed just right all over the salad.

We decided on the pizza bianco ($16), which had Prosciutto di Parma, arugula, fresh mozzarella, shaved Parmigiano Reggiano, and extra virgin olive oil. I love any pizza with fresh greens on top — the hot and cold contrast is amazing. This pizza didn't disappoint. The prosciutto was salty and complimented the arugula really well. My only complaint? That the crust became a bit soggy, probably due to the toppings.

The next pizza on our table was the Pizze Di Montclair ($18) and it had truffle oil and porcini mushrooms in a mixture of Pecorino Sardo and Parmigiano Reggiano cheeses, topped with cherry tomatoes, basil, and extra virgin olive oil. I would have preferred more porcini mushrooms and a bit more truffle oil (especially since we were paying $18 for an individual pizza). Overall, the crust was delicious but we couldn't finish the pizza since the combination of the two cheeses made it quite rich.

The kids really enjoyed their individual pies, and we enjoyed the experience since the kids were busy watching the flat-screen television that was airing PBS children's shows.

I wanted to have a cappuccino but was deterred by the $5 price tag. All in all, it was a good experience. I think I would like to come back and try the margherita pizza ($12). It is what they are known for and there's nothing like a simple pizza pie made with a few fabulous ingredients.

Have you been to Ah'Pizz? What was your experience there? Let us know.

Ah' Pizz

7 North Willow Street

Montclair, NJ 07042

Phone: 973-783-9200