Pizzeria Stella

Painter's "vongole" is also a white-based pizza, and I'm glad to learn they've begun mincing the clams more coarsely since I tasted it, when the clam-burger texture just wasn't quite right. It was one of the very few false notes in four meals, although there were others. The slippery-skinned octopus salad was oversalted. The typically vegetarian ribollita soup was overwhelmed by the intrusion of pancetta. The ricotta gelato was a shade too lemony. And I'd hoped for a bolder taste of fennel on the finocchio-olive pie.

Delivering intensity of flavors on a microscopically thin crust, though, is rarely Stella's issue. The "Piccante" builds its spiciness in layers, with zesty hot coppa and capicola meats pairing with sharply aged provolone, ratcheting the volume up to a pepper-flake pique. The crumbles of good Cappuccio's sausage, meanwhile, get an Italian Market zing from a pesto made of long hot peppers, a clever touch that resonates boldly but doesn't burn.

With such obvious pizza wonders, my friend Ed conceded that the leap for Stella from "very good" to "greatness" was merely a matter of his return visit: "Consistency is everything." Too bad for him New York's so far. I've been back three times since that meal, and will surely return soon. Because Stella, by Philly's measure or any other, is already there.

In last Sunday's review of the Resurrection Ale House, the chef's first name was incorrect. He is Joey Chmiko.

Next week, Craig LaBan reviews Koo Zee Doo in Northern Liberties. Contact him at 215-854-2593 or claban@phillynews.com.