Baked Ziti at Antonio Mozzarella Factory

The sunroom at is perhaps one of the best places to enjoy a meal on a subfreezing winter afternoon. Snow may cover the ground outside, but sunlight pours into this room from three sides, bringing light, warmth and a reminder of the seasons to come.

Several weeks ago, when I listed , a reader reminded me of Antonio Mozzarella Factory. While a stone's throw from the downtown, I omitted it from the list because of its awkward location on Springfield Avenue, near the Union and Millburn borders. The reader stated that the long menu can often be a problem, as it offers so many options.

“One of the best lunches in town is definitely Antonio Mozzarella Factory,” the reader said. “You can't go wrong. The only problem is deciding what to have.”

Indeed she was correct. Having already stated in this space my love for the , I entered last week intent on ordering a bowl of pasta. Rigatoni with sausage and peppers was on the specials menu, but as I stood at the counter, I watched the artful assembly of two chicken cutlet panini – layered with fresh mozzarella, bright green broccoli rabe and roasted red peppers. It was the Italian flag between two pieces of bread, and too difficult to resist.

By the time I ordered, they were out of broccoli rabe, so it wasn't exactly the flag of Italy, but it was still artfully prepared. The flat pieces of bread were drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, then warmed in a panini press until the bread was crispy—and wavy, like a Ruffles potato chip—and the cheese began to melt. I prefer a more rustic, less refined bread, and missed the broccoli rabe, but still, it was a good sandwich.

I finished that meal off with two pignoli cookies, which were light and moist, as if they had been soaked in amaretto.

The next day I returned, determined to order pasta. The pasta special was baked ziti. Tossed with fresh ricotta, topped with mozzarella and baked, this dish is like a scrambled lasagna.

The ziti was a little overdone, but such is always the case with a baked pasta. Like everything at this establishment, it was clearly made in house, with fresh marinara. The mozzarella on top was baked until golden and almost crunchy. Had it not been for the high priced – and tiny – bottle of Pellegrino that I foolishly ordered, this meal would have been a bargain ($5.99 for the ziti, served with a small side of French bread, but $1.99 for the imported soda).

If you need to get away from winter just for an hour, stop in at Antonio Mozzarella Factory, order one of the scores of lunch options available and enjoy it in the bright, warm sunroom.