
East Norwich: More than toppings at La Pizzetta

East Norwich, N.Y. --- May 2010 -- Roast cornish hen with polenta served at La Pizzetta in East Norwich. ( Newsday Photo/ Peter Gianotti) ltc Credit: Newsday/Peter Gianotti
At first, La Pizzetta looks like your basic pizzeria. But you'll find a lot more than a slice here.
The popular eatery covers all the basics, of course, from individual pizzas, hero sandwiches and various Parmigianas to baked pastas, fried seafood and the familiar soups and salads. And the stuffed artichoke is flavorful, too.
But on a recent evening, you could order a juicy, tender roasted Cornish hen with well-made polenta; and a fine, grilled red snapper atop broccoli rabe. The desserts went beyond tortoni and spumoni. Cannoli didn't overdo the sweetness and arrived in a crisp shell. More impressive: zabaglione over strawberries -- better than the version you'd get in more formal, much pricier restaurants.
FYI: Those little pizzas also are good.
La Pizzetta,1008 Oyster Bay Rd., East Norwich; 516-624-7800.
Cornish hen and polenta (Newsday Photo / Peter Gianotti)