Like its predecessor, La Rosa's, Larsa's deals in fresh, handmade pizza. And the red pizza oven is still there, only now it cooks up pizza with a Middle Eastern (read: Assyrian) bent, and some of the finest flatbread pita outside the Persian Gulf.

And yet pizza is just the tip of the iceberg. The fare is Mediterranean, with a fresh and light disposition. Steady streams of Middle Eastern patrons favor plates like the beef shawirma ($9.95) and kifta kabob ($9.95), and there are ample vegetarian selections. Falafel ($6.95) is crispy, yet non-greasy and devoid of over-spicing.

Unlike La Rosa's, which tended toward red-checked tablecloth cliches, there's no shortage of eye-popping color at Larsa's. Bright turquoise panels intersect murals with Arabian motifs and black and red drapes hang from the ceiling, giving off a tent-like feel of being in another world.

Lunch is a solid deal because it comes with the lentil soup made with fresh dill – a thick and comforting porridge that if doled out in large batches could solve the world's hunger woes. If you have any wits about you, don't forget the creamy hummus ($3.25 regular and $6.50 large), which along with the chewy bread is a study in omnivorous perfection.

Of course there's pizza, if you're feeling nostalgic for the days of yore – i.e. La Rosa. But the Mediterranean delights here are enough of a draw that folks from as far away as Wisconsin are known to make the schlep. Catering is available and weekends (especially Sundays) are jammed.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: Marla Seidell