One of my male friends likes to compare pizza with sex. You can sometimes get a really yummy pizza, but even a so-so pizza is worth finishing despite being cold and droopy the next morning. I don't think I agree with this hypothesis - being a girl and all - but I do admit that Motorino hit a home run on my first date there.

I love the location of Motorino: it's on the ground floor of a five-story walk-up smack dab in the heart of Soho. People heading home along the adjacent mid-level escalators can't miss it - which is the idea, as dining-in or taking-out pizza is somewhat de rigueur for busy mid-level executives with no time to cook.

The shop front can be completely opened to form a bar for those looking to eat and run. Inside, the long and skinny space boasts a rare terrace that takes up a corner of the restaurant's rear.

The restaurant is styled after Motorino in Manhattan, and its gray-tiled floors, green-striped walls and light metal cafe chairs strike just the right vibe for a friendly local cafe.

A quick glance at the menu immediately draws the eyes to the pizza wine. Curious, I ordered one. It was served in a small glass without a stem, just like in those mafia movies where Ray Liotta sits at a red-checked clothed table eating pasta.

It was a Grangnano 2011 with 30 percent Piedirosso, 30 percent Sciascinoso and 40 percent Aglianico, and the sunny Campania varietals shone through in the full-bodied wine. It was aptly named, as its leaning toward sweetness complemented the robust flavors of the pizzas.