Gwennie and I had lunch today at a newish Italian restaurant, Naples 15, which is located in the building that houses Capital Fitness and Elevation Spa. It is in the same place that has housed numerous restaurants and coffee shops over the years: Espresso Royale, Caffe Porta Alba, Old Market Bistro, and Las Cazuelas, to name a few. I was intrigued by the place because it promised truly Neapolitan pizza and who can resist that? Plus, Gwennie and I had been scheduling and rescheduling a lunch date for weeks now and we settled upon today. The hitch, though, was that I had a haircut appointment at Elevation at 12. So, I suggested we check out Naples 15 at 11 so we could lunch and then I could pop upstairs for a haircut. Gwennie, who is usually up for exciting adventures like these (yes, I count trying a new restaurant as an adventure), willingly agreed.
The decor was mostly fine, but I found the large cards with jesters on them affixed with tape to the otherwise pretty wood floor a little odd and Gwennie objected to the stemless daisies floating in water in martini glasses on our table. We were early, it being only shortly after 11 am, and were seated by the nice Italian man whom I presume is the owner. He told us our waitress would in shortly and she was. And this was when the adventure really got going. I ordered one of the two margherita pizzas (the difference being in the type of mozzarella, I think) and said, innocently, “Could I get garlic on that, please?” The waitress said, “Garlic?” “Yes, please.” The waitress said, very seriously, “I’ll see if we have any.”
I’ll see if we have any. Garlic. At a restaurant. At an Italian restaurant. At a Neapolitan Italian restaurant.
Well, it turns out I was in luck. They had garlic! And they also served one of the best Italian pizzas I’ve had since returning from Italy. Total, complete yumsville. Gwennie said her pizza was delish, too. She had some number with sausage, mozzarella and friarielli. Gwen is such a bold adventurer she ordered the pizza before the Google search told us friarielli is the Neapolitan term for broccoli rabe. I would never have been able to pull of that feat.
While we were enjoying the tasty fare, Gwen decided she wanted a club soda. She asked the waitress for one. The waitress looked a little puzzled, left and returned saying, “We don’t have club soda.” I looked up at the full bar and scratched my head. Oh well, at least they had garlic.
life and puppies 
yikes. Not for me….
You do like garlic?
The pizza was so delicious on my run tonight I was wishing I had brought my office pass so I could go get the leftovers from the fridge.
I’m still puzzled by the club soda and feel like I should have asked for a Pelligrino.
And the daisies were decapitated, not stemless. With their petals soaking in the water and discoloring it.
A+++++ for pizza, (and probably everything on the menu). BYOBubble Water. Also, BYO-Waitress.
I’m so glad they had garlic… I thought we’d have to leave before I had my mystery pizza if they didn’t.
I would also like it noted that I was eating the pizza before we bothered to look up that it was broccoli raab.
I did note that! That’s why I said you were so adventurous.
One time I was there with my mom when it was cafe porta alba and we were enjoying an Emiliana salad, which I still really like because the balsamic vinegar on it is so good. We mentioned to the waitress how good the balsamic was, and asked where they got it. She said, “oh, you can just buy it at the store. I saw some at Sentry the other day.”
Maybe this is an inherent quality of the waitstaff of the building?
I have sometimes had trouble ordering a club soda, which is just so odd.
I am excited to try this pizza!
Ha! Oh, balsamic vinegar is sold in the store. There you have it.