On a recent evening, I found myself tasked with providing dinner for a crowd of family and friends in need of comfort food. Naturally, my mind turned to my favorite old reliable: pizza.

With a recommendation to try Palmieri's NY Style Pizza in Waterford, I pulled up the pizzeria's online menu and was bowled over immediately by my options. How am I supposed to choose between pizza options like Penne Alla Vodka Chicken ($24); 16-inch-square Sicilians ($17); and lovelies like BBQ Chicken and Arugala Bianca? (Both $19; both 16-inch rounds.)

Three hours later I'd made my pizza picks for this evening: one BBQ chicken and one Margherita, two of my family's favorites. Both were huge hits.

I'm fussy about my BBQ chicken pies (no breaded cutlet cubes and no ketchup-y BBQ sauces for this gal!), and Palmieri's does its BBQ chicken quite right. Tender, shredded chicken dressed in a sweet, well-executed BBQ sauce goes perfectly with thinly sliced red onion - I also can't stand huge hunks of onion on anything, and Palmieri's nailed it with its deft touch on the onions. Quality mozzarella provides delicious cohesion.

The Margherita's fresh mozzarella is what clinched it for all of us, but a few of us particularly enjoyed the garlic-forward tomato sauce. Finished with basil and Parmigiano cheese, this pie is a perfect springtime dinner for those of us longing for the taste of garden-fresh things.

The crust on both pies was just what I'm looking for: soft, with a bit of crispiness and subtle but present flavor.

I also picked up an eggplant parmigiana sandwich ($8) to split with the fam, and we've got a winner here. Tucked in a toasty, sesame roll, lightly breaded eggplant, great sauce, and plenty of cheese merge with that yummy bread in delicious fashion.

And naturally, when I see a sign posted that notes an eatery's many flavors of cannoli, you better believe I'm going to try those too. That evening, vanilla, chocolate, almond and raspberry cannolis were available. The vanilla and raspberry mini cannoli ($2 apiece; $3 for a regular size) I grabbed were filled fresh on the spot and did not make it to my family's dinner table. I saved them for a sweet surprise for later in the evening, and my husband and I enjoyed them. The vanilla filling was nicely nuanced and more flavorful than the raspberry, but we still appreciated the mild burst of fruit flavor delivered by the raspberry-filled pastry.

On a less festive night, I sought to feed my husband - recovering from a springtime sinus infection - back to health. Step one was to get some veggies into the man with a Palmieri's Greek salad ($9). The menu description had me at "stuffed grape leaves" (three of them, which were delightful), but the additional, generous dash of feta, roasted peppers and loads of very good greens made for a great first course. (There were green olives atop the greens too; not my favorite, but less picky eaters likely will be pleased to have them.)

Step two on the hubby's health plan was a hearty portion of carb after days of Nyquil, tea, and little else. I selected the penne alla vodka, which is well worth the $10, as it's gigantic and accompanied by garlic knots (the garlickiest I've ever consumed) and a side salad. Palmieri's penne alla vodka presents more cheese flavor than tomato or cream, which makes for a decent dish, but a bland one in the end. We could've used more spice and garlic infused in the vodka sauce, and maybe a heavier hand with the tomatoes.

And the key to moving along any sinus infection in my house is to eat spicy or tangy foods, so dinner also included a six-piece serving of Palmieri's boneless buffalo chicken wings ($9; or get 10 traditional bone-in style for the same price). These "wings" were more like chicken tenders from some very large chickens. Lightly crisped breading locked in the moisture, which made for great texture, but our wings were a little light on buffalo sauce and therefore lacked the healthful zing I sought initially. Still, the overall quality of the chicken might convince me to try the other wing flavors - BBQ and parmesan pesto (plain available too).

Palmieri's has two other locations in the region - one in Clinton and one in Killingworth - but here in the eastern reaches of the shoreline, diners should be quite content with the Waterford store, where reliably good food is served by cheerful, helpful staff.

Palmieri's NY Style Pizza

316 Boston Post Road, Waterford

(860) 437-3730; palmierisnystyle.com

Cuisine: Gourmet pizza, grinders, pasta

Service: Cordial and polite

Atmosphere: Homey and bright, Palmieri's offers approximately five booths of interior seating; the takeout operation is a quick, tidy business.

Prices: For pizza, a bit pricey: gourmet pies are $19; a traditional thin crust starts at $14; a deluxe (pasta-topped) gourmet pie is $24; hot sandwiches are all $8.Hours: Monday through Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Credit cards: Yes

Handicapped access: Ramp located about two stores down from Palmieri's, which is situated in a plaza. Interior is small but spacious, with a few booths only.