Another pizza.

Corso Vitt. Emanuele, May 8, 2015—

IN OUR CONTINUING service to the dining public we stepped into another pizzeria at midday. Said to be one of the finest and most authentic pizzerie in Naples, in spite of its branch office in New York City, it's conveniently close to the Museo Archeologico, where we'd gone to meet traveling relatives for the morning.

In the interests of rigid scientific exploration I chose Marinara again, and much as I liked yesterday's pizza I have to say this one was perhaps just a tad even better. I think the reason's at the cente of the photo: the nicely cooked little basil leaves, the sweet thoughtful tiny chunks of garlic. The tomato was a little mellower than yesterday's: each version is first-rate, smooth, rich, nicely balanced.

My Contessa, always fond of baccalà, ordered the "stock" pizza: stockaffisa, the Italian version of dried cod, black olives, capers, garlic, chopped parsley, and cherry tomatoes. It was very very good, delicious in fact, an inspired combination. The cod, or baccalà, or brandade, or whatever you like to call it, was very smooth, deep-flavored, set off nicely by the perfect tomatoes. The waiter told me it was strictly local, made here in Naples from locally caught merluzzo. I want to believe that, and I think I do.

House red in carafe

•Starita, via Materdei 27,28, Napoli; +39 081 5573682