Petrillo's Pizza Restaurant   

Way out in the mercilessly hot flatlands of the San Gabriel Valley, wedged between nondescript strip malls and apartment complexes, is a pizza place that has managed to retain the spirit and quality of the Big Apple for half a century. In fact, some people go one step further and claim that this restaurant serves Los Angeles' closest approximation of Sicilian-style pizza. Brick oven-baked and served by the slice, small pie, medium pie or square, it's undeniably tasty, even though you can't stumble over and grab a slice on your way home from the night clubs. Other than Petrillo's Specialty (everything on it) and Petrillo's Pizza Bianca, there aren't any specialty pies, but you can build your own from a standard list of toppings. Pasta dinners and veal, eggplant or chicken parmigiana round out the menu offerings. The dining room is quite pleasant, though it looks like the decor hasn't been updated since the restaurant opened in 1954. Separate but adjacent is a takeout window with a few seats -- the only option available at lunch. The striped awning outside is tattered but still cheerful. -- Lena Katz