Lanza Restaurant, Lower East Side

My BF and I were drawn to this place because of the good prices and outdoor patio. When I walked into the outdoor area however I stopped short. It was weird. It had a narrow opening and then a few tables crammed together. I guess that's not abnormal for NYC, but it was also almost eerily quiet. After a couple sips of wine however, it grew on me . The food was pretty good- not the best, but certainly not the worst. What really bothered me though was that they let people smoke in the outdoor patio. (It's enclosed, but there's no ceiling.) Breathing in second hand smoke while trying to eat is just not cool. Will I be back? Perhaps when I'm in the mood for a quiet glass of wine and some cheap pasta.