Over the past three months Frederick and I have visited the Pleasant Ridge Pizzeria, on Route 55 in Poughquag, several times with various friends. The Fasolis, Nicky and Patsy, our usual dining companions, are in Barcelona for the winter.

Each visit had us going home with leftovers to enjoy the next day. The chef has a light touch when it comes to the tomato sauce used on most dishes. It is seasoned just right with no over powering remnants of garlic or basil, letting the taste of the tomatoes shine through.

Salads are fresh and crisp, and don’t seem to come from a bag. The garlic knots are tasty.  On our first solo visit, the chef shared his secret for scrumptious eggplant parmasagna – egg dipped and baked, not fried, with homemade mozzarella and the aforementioned tomato sauce.

Each visit, whether with friends or just the two of us, has never disappointed. Our last stop at Pleasant Ridge had us picking up a pizza, chicken and eggplant parm dinners, and four freshly filled cannoli to go. The dinners included pasta and salads and everything traveled well up to our final destination of Hurley, NY. The cannoli shells were crisp and the filling creamy and not too sweet.

The staff is friendly and accommodating when you eat in. Often the chef/owner will come to your table to chat.  You can also ask for substitutions and changes without a problem.