The Brooklyn Papers / Greg Mango

La Villa Pizzeria chef-owner Alfredo DiScipio tops the Margherita pizza with olive oil.

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Park Slopers love to complain about the lack of decent pizza in their neighborhood.

Sure, they have plenty of places to grab a quick slice, but the quality of the pies leaves a lot to be desired. One night, while on Fifth Avenue I walked past a line of diners waiting outside La Villa Pizzeria, a pizza and pasta restaurant that opened in May. Shortly after that, I started hearing positive comments about La Villa’s pies.

"It’s fabulous!" and "That crust is so crisp," diners said. Admitting that I had never tried it brought out admonishment.

"Why not?" they asked. "There’s nothing like it in the Slope."

About the rest of the food at La Villa Pizzeria the answer was a unanimous, "Eh."

I haven’t stood in line since I went to see "Hannah and Her Sisters" in 1986, but I waited for La Villa’s pizza. In the heat. And, I’d do it again.

La Villa’s owners, William Rubin and Alfredo DiScipio, employ a gimmick that has been successful in their Mill Basin and Howard Beach La Villa pizzerias. They provide diners with a pizza parlor menu in a setting that’s more "Architectural Digest" than mom and pop.

The inside is cool and modern. The usual red, white and green color scheme is replaced with neutral tones of beige, cream and cocoa. Enough pizza parlor accoutrements are in place to provide the interior with a comfortable, slightly nostalgic spin. There are booths, but they are high-backed and detailed with funky buttons; granite replaces the usual Formica in a long, curving counter with a view of the wood-burning ovens.

The waitstaff runs from table to table stopping just long enough to drop a basket of house-made focaccia or garlic bread on the table and ask, "Everything good with you guys?" Shorts and T-shirts are the dress code of choice.

La Villa’s dishes are familiar, southern Italian, red sauce specialties like baked ziti, eggplant Parmesan and rigatoni a la vodka. The huge portions are meant to be eaten family-style with big platters passed around the table so everyone can try a little of this and that.

One problem, consistent throughout the meal, was a heavy hand with rather ordinary tomato sauce. The sauce overwhelmed the delicate flavor of a rolled eggplant involtini appetizer, masking the taste of the vegetable and the fluffy ricotta filling. A special of beef braciole - thin slices of beef rolled around a filling of cheese and simmered in tomato sauce - suffered from the same over saucing. The meat was dense yet tender, but the sauce hid the flavor of the meat and set the side of al dente linguini afloat.

The pizza is the real draw and it’s worthy of the hype. Cooked in enormous, wood-fired ovens, the pies arrive at the table as hot as coals in a cloud of wood-scented steam. In some pizzerias the pie is all about the topping; at La Villa it’s the crust that sets the pizza apart.

The Napoletana’s crust is as thin as a cracker, almost brittle yet chewy. Its edges are charred in spots and the bottom blistered. The wood’s smoky flavor permeates the dough and perfumes the pizza’s topping. Thick-crusted Sicilian pies fare just as well.

Focaccia di Nonna, or "Grandma’s Pizza," is layered with homemade mozzarella, crushed San Marzano tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, a touch of fresh garlic and olive oil. Served with nothing more than the tomatoes, the rich cheese, the garlic and the basil, it’s a lovely treat. Add additional toppings, like sweet, caramelized onions and slowly sauteed peppers, as carefully prepared as each was, and the pie becomes heavy and detracts from that supernal crust. Order a simple pie and you’ll be happy.

Remember Mississippi mud pie? That’s about as sophisticated as the desserts get. I shared a huge slice of a tart made with tiramisu-like, fluffy layers of mascarpone cheese lightly flavored with espresso. It was pleasant with a cup of strong coffee.

A couple of years ago there were no great French bistros in Park Slope. Now it’s easy to find a good crepe. Before that, fresh seafood was hard to come by, and sushi places didn’t dot every block. Other pizza makers are sure to follow La Villa Pizzeria’s fine example, but until this pizzeria has some competition, I’ll be the first in line at La Villa.

La Villa Pizzeria (261 Fifth Ave. between Garfield Place and First Street in Park Slope) accepts Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Entrees: $12-$14. Pastas: $7.50-$15. Pizza: $7.50-$21, toppings $3-$4.50 each. Delivery available. No reservations. For information, call (718) 499-9888.

©2003 The Brooklyn Paper