Roma Bakery

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That's step one in the recipe for delicious. Step two, for the wonderful za'atar, is the more than a millennium's legacy behind the dried thyme mixture atop a cracker-thin crust. There are only a few ingredients, but they make a greater whole when olive oil binds the powdery thyme into what's almost a pesto paste. Add a bit of oven char at crust edges, intense bits of flavor from toasted sesame seeds, maybe cool tempering from an optional kefir-like labne dip side order, and you understand what's kept the za'atar around so long.

Also worth mentioning is that Roma's za'atar pie costs just a buck fifty. One day at noon, an older couple came in and ordered a za'atar, a ground meat pie, and a cheese pie for a truly fresh and ample lunch--for two!--for $5 and change. The prices and the no-frills presentation--pies are served on a piece of paper on a plastic tray--make Roma seem a lot more than five miles from Main Street.

Roma Bakery calls itself "Home of the Pepperoni Roll," so of course we had to try one. It was okay, although the halal pepperoni tastes more like generic salami. The broccoli cheese roll has more charisma, with chunks of lightly cooked vegetables and a nice amount of mild cheese. The lemony spinach triangle is simple and divine. All are bargains.

On any given day, there are likely to be a half-dozen more savory baked goods to choose from, served warmed up in the oven if you want. They range from mild and doughy feta-filled sambusik to deep-fried (and rather greasy) meat and potato samosas, with a few veggie options in between.