hristened after Shakespeare’s most famous heartbroken hero, I hoped to avoid the same tragic fate as the eponymous character, and come to enjoy, if not love, this new-ish tiny Italian resto.

There aren't many places to find a credibly decent $10 pizza, other than the usual chain suspects. But Le Plateau's Romeo more than obliges. This diminutive bar and pizzeria, appropriately taking up a corner space at Mont-Royal E and Henri-Julien, has morphed into one of the more quirkier spots in the area. Romeo is in full swing late at night, when the sun has gone down and the kitchen is busy cranking out sizzling (albeit, smaller than usual) pizzas.

Brought to us by the same owners of Misto, Romeo is being praised justifiably for the ability to magnify the charms of whatever lies at the core of a dish. While remaining a pizzeria at heart, the airy modest restaurant offers a small range of signature small eats like a plate of grilled asparagus drizzled in olive oil ($5.00), and an overly tart beet salad that induces an accompanying sour faced reaction.

While the kitchen pays more heed to emphasizing two or three flavours than to inventing oddball fusion plates or imagining eureka flourishes, most of these little dishes are surprisingly good considering the price point. A plate of thin slices of beef carpaccio, for example, with parmesan flakes is a mere $8.00, as is the salmon version. A tomato salad with buffalo mozzarella and balsamic vinaigrette clocks in at $7.50. A small lasagne serving ($8.50) drips sharp melted mozzarella and béchamel with a rich tomato-meat sauce.

Although the tapas-size portions were grilled fittingly, it was the little pizzas that really showcased the two chefs' talent. A mushroom pizza of perfectly grilled pie of portobello and button mushrooms ($13.00) was glistening with a smoked-onion tomato sauce and parmesan.