MELISSA HALTERMAN/Arizona Daily Wildcat Employees at Zona 78 put the finishing touches on a pizza. The restaurant features pizzas cooked over a real wood fire in addition to other Italian cuisine.

Zona 78 offers diners the luxury of chic bistro ambience without the pretentiousness that so often comes with it.

At 78 W. River Road, this "Area 78," or Zona 78, is a great candidate for getting out of a dining rut. The trendy bistro is open till 1 a.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and till 11 p.m. every other night of the week. It specializes in wood-fired foods, so it has a wide selection of pizzas. But one shouldn't confuse the place for strictly a pizza joint - though if you do, you may enjoy your food more.

The eatery, with a predictable but still appealing decor (picture- bright walls, light wood and stainless steel), should be commended for offering so many reasonably priced and interesting menu items, but at the same time should stick to their stone-fired pizzas.

I started out with the stone-fired portobello mushroom ($4). This massive mushroom cap came buried under roma tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, garlic and a generous portion of freshly grated parmesan cheese. The presentation knocked my socks off so, needless to say, I couldn't wait to try the dish. The portobello appetizer was tasty, but not amazing, and left me wondering how I could improve the seemingly easy-to-make dish at home.

Next I tried the Turkey Chop Chop Salad ($8). Definitely enough for a meal in itself or an appetizer to split with a few others, the salad's unusual mŽlange of ingredients, smoked turkey, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, cilantro, jicama, red onion, pear, pine nuts, white cheddar cheese and a rice wine-olive oil vinaigrette, pleased my taste buds in the first few bites. As I kept eating, however, the rice wine vinaigrette got a little too acidic for my liking. The salad is definitely worth a second try, especially with the refreshing, cool cilantro flavor, but next time I would get the dressing on the side.

When it came to the pizza, I had no suggestions. I tried the BBQ Chicken pizza ($9) after my server, who was one of the most helpful and genuine I've had in a long time, recommended the pizza as his favorite. Crust of medium thickness came smothered in a lightly spicy chipotle barbecue sauce and topped with mozzarella and gouda cheese, roasted chicken, smoked bacon, caramelized red onions and a touch of cilantro. Fresh out of the oven, the pizza put the other items I tried to shame. Other pizza choices include the "Pizza Boy" with pepperoni, Italian hard salami, mozzarella and basil, the Thai chicken pizza with a sesame peanut sauce, chicken, bean sprouts, carrots, green onions, cilantro and mozzarella and the "Latin Lover" with chorizo, cheddar, jack cheese, onions and a spicy tomato sauce. All the pizzas cost $7.50-9 and for 50 cents extra, you can get whole wheat crust.

To finish everything off, I tried the stone-fired apple tart with apples, sweetened Italian mascarpone cheese baked in a puff pastry and topped with vanilla bean ice cream ($5). When the server described it, he mentioned a secret sauce from the chef, too. The dessert blended richness from the pastry and ice cream with muted sweetness of the poached apple. The other dessert option, a double chocolate chunk cookie sundae, looked tempting but seemed too filling after that feast!

Zona 78 takes pride in offering organic foods that come from local farms cooking up a menu that offers diverse options in their starters, salads sandwiches and pizzas. And while it boasts using local products in the food

department, the wine selection is strictly Italian. Still, an Italian wine list doesn't necessarily mean lots of lira. You can order select wines by the glass for $4.50-7.50 and go for the bottle for $17-45.

But if non-alcoholic is your game, live the European life and get a big bottle of Pellegrino sparkling water for the table ($4) or get wise with hip Republic of Tea iced tea bottles ($3) complete with sage-like sayings printed on the inside label.

Zona 78 stays open late every night, especially Thursdays through Saturdays. So next time you're hungry for a slice and it's getting late, skip the Pizza Hut and go for the stone-fired. Zona 78 runs specials throughout the week, including a pizza and pitcher of beer (domestics and imports including Italian beer) for $12 on Thursday nights. Sit in a booth or snag a spot at the bar that's open to the tables set up al fresc, the perfect for people watching. Remember: Stick to the pizzas, take your server's advice and mangia, mangia!