2 Amys

2009 Fall Dining Guide

By Tom Sietsema
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009

One of the hallmarks of great pizza is a crust so compelling you could eat it by itself. Two Amys in Cleveland Park bakes a Neapolitan model that's thin in the middle and raised on the borders, and bears just the right amount of char from the wood oven to give the combination of flour, water and fresh yeast its delicious edge. Toppings, including genuine buffalo mozzarella, only enhance the pies. But pizza isn't the only reason to put your name on a waiting list with the host; the Italian snacks that precede the main event and the simple sweets that follow it hint at the genius behind this restaurant: Peter Pastan of the excellent Obelisk in Dupont Circle. So be sure to fit in some golden potato croquettes laced with earthy prosciutto, or a slice of almond cake. The pressed-tin ceiling and tile floors in the main dining room do nothing for the ears, which explains why we gravitate to the patio or the bar in the back. The wine list is a little gem: informative, fairly priced and sometimes funny. This description for a Falanghina could apply to the neighborly pizzeria itself: "Lively, lovely, and just a bit racy."