PALA PIZZA ROMANA

Only two months ago, Palá Pizza Romana, a gourmet, Italian pizzeria in Manhattan's Lower East Side, revealed an entirely alternate vegan menu featuring outstanding artisan pizzas, pastas, antipasti, salads and more. Using Daiya cheese, which makes for an incredible crispy, stretchy, gooey, cheesy pie, the staff excitedly prepared a feast for us.

My friend and I dined on the "carciofi al parmigiano" salad featuring grilled artichokes, cherry tomatoes and daiya cheese, the "trofie" pasta with  zucchini, daiya cheese mousse and mint, and two pizzas: the "patatosa" which is topped with shaved patatoes, zucchini, rosemary and daiya cheese, and the "funghi  e salsiccia" featuring veggie sausage, field mushrooms, daiya cheese, and hot pepper. All the crusts are made with organic ingredients, and they even have gluten-free options for you silly-siliacs!

Our waitress was beyond friendly, and the romantic atmosphere was candlelit, rustic and urban. A dried bouquet of oregano on the table made for an elegant alternative to a glass-shaker. The only drawback was that they did not seem to have a vegan dessert option. Regardless, the food was outstanding and if you are a fan of Italian food or artisan pizza, you should certainly check this spot out. It's officially one of my new favorites!