ANGELINA PIZZABAR, Broadway @104th

We were in the mood for pizza and wanted to try Angelina's. Yum. Probably the best pizza I've had anywhere -- and that includes the surprisingly crisp thin crust pizza from Pisa that set the standard for me years ago. Two other pizza places we really like in the New York area include Bohemian Pizza way up in Litchfield, CT and D'Amici's -- also in Litchfield. The other pizza we're fond of is Totonno's -- on 2nd Avenue at 81st -- with its thin crust, thin layer of tomato sauce, and melted buffalo mozzarella, but that we've found very salty.

The carafe of chianti ($16) and plate of spongy-fresh and crisp-crusted Italian bread arrived almost as quickly as we gave our order. The Angelina's salad -- full of fresh greens, tomatoes, and lots of red onions which we carefully picked out (enough to cover a bread plate) arrived within minutes. Then waited and waited. And waited. We watched boxed pizzas and bags of other goodies speed past our table in the arms of those ubiquitous bike riding delivery men. But not the Margherita pizza we'd ordered ($18 for a full, $12 for a "personal" size). With a kind smile, our waitress explained, "Kitchen's backed up. Lots of deliveries tonight."

Fifty minutes later (the bread, and wine nearly gone, the salad totally finished) white dinner plates and a chrome pizza stand were set before us. Then, finally, VOILA!! (I don't know the Italian for that wonderful French expression for something wonderful suddenly appearing before you.) Our pizza smelled and looked heavenly: a checkerboard of buffalo mozzarella set in a field of orangey-red -- on a crisp, thin, yeasty crust. The tomato sauce tasted of late August -- full flavored with the richness of tomatoes just off the vine; not salty, not acidic. Perfect.

And there was enough in our "full" pie to bring home half for another meal.

For wine and salad and pizza, our bill came to $42.55.