Deep Thoughts Directed Me Right to Pizzeria Neo!

Last week I joined a new club. This was not a dinner club, book club, or craft club. Nor was it a car club, golf club or tennis club. This club did not cost a dime, but it took four decades to join. This was the 40s club. And I was a card-carrying member now, whether I liked it or not.

As most people do, I had mixed emotions about joining this club. Of course I was, and continue to be, grateful that I have made it this far! But milestone birthdays such as this cause one to ponder life and its meaning. As if these deep thoughts  and conflicted emotions were not enough for me to handle, I was greeted by a Grim Reaper as I walked out my front door, placed there by a long-time club-member who wanted to "haze" me. Much to the delight of my 5-year-olds, he stayed with us all day, alternately entertaining us and reminding me that life is fleeting. These thoughts dancing through my head, I had to ask myself, being the food-lover that I am, what my last meal might be, given the opportunity to choose. And I decided I'd go ahead and eat just that.

A couple of things got in the way. Anyone who knows me knows full well that I cannot make decisions swiftly. And I always second-guess. Friends are asked to choose where to eat, lest I make the "wrong' choice and spend my evening wishing we'd gone elsewhere. They know, too, that I will change my drink order at least once, ask for additions and/ or eliminations on my dish, then go back to square one and start all over again. So, this was my first obstacle.

My next obstacle actually came as both a hindrance and a help. It was Monday night. Some of my favorite places were automatically going to be excluded— being one of them. Aside from being a popular day to stay closed, Monday just doesn't feel festive. Feasting on lobster and crab legs on a Monday just doesn't fit. So, my choices were pared down a bit, first getting in my way, then making my choice a little easier in the end. We needed a low-key, Monday-night kind of a place that would actually be open, while serving food that I would consider including in a "last meal." We would go to Pizzeria Neo.

Pizzeria Neo is not comparable to Pal Joey's, , or . This is not a "gather the family and order a huge pie" kind of place. With a more cosmopolitan feel, Neo is a great date-night location, and has worked for me on many a girl's night out, as well. One of my top three favorite dishes of all time is here at Neo. And we began my 14,600th dinner with this creamy goodness called Burrata.

The Burrata at Neo is the best I have ever had. Imported from Italy, it is served peppered and drizzled in olive oil, with a sprinkling of arugula on top. Not unlike a poached egg in its appearance, this fresh, cream-filled mozzarella is meant to be spread on crunchy, toasted crostini. It is absolutely to die for, making it the perfect start to a last meal.

At Neo, the Salumi platters are just as important as the pizza. Joel and I always go with a potpourri of cheese and meat, this time favoring Prosciutto, Cacciatori, Smoked Provolone, and Aged Asiago. We threw in some roasted red peppers for good measures, and asked for extra Castelvetrano olives.

Two proseccos later, we were ready for our next, and final course. Feeling as though I needed something a little healthy for a last meal, I settled on the Polpette Veggie, knowing I'd eat part of Joel's pizza. I've had both the veggie meatball and the veal/ beef meatball and both are delicious. But I cannot pry myself away from the veggie, when the craving strikes. Made with eggplant and zuchinni and covered in the best red-sauce this side of my mother-in-law's house, this meatball is incredible. I like to sandwich mine between two slices of lightly-oiled Italian bread. Equally delicious was Joel's pizza.

It took about three minutes to prepare, start to finish, including its time in the wood-burning oven. He choose the Diavolo, which means "spicy" in Italian, and that it was. Soppresata, a red-pepper and fennel pork salumi, sits atop fresh mozzarella and red sauce, providing a bite to the tongue and a clearing of the sinuses. It is deliciously "hot" and just a little different than your typical pepperoni. It's a favorite of ours that has become a favorite of others as well.

Neo was kind enough to offer me a dessert, being my birthday. I opted for a dessert half-glass of prosecco, feeling as though my own glass was more than "half-full" and that, if this meal was an indication, the 40 club was a club I would enjoy. As we walked out of Neo and into the warm summer air, I hummed a little Blue Oyster Cult. I would tuck away that Reaper until it was time to "haze" another club member. And maybe I'd deliver a little Neo along with it!