Opening a restaurant is as precarious as riding a bike with your dog perched on the handlebars. Doing it solo with a shoestring budget? Like switching that dog out for a bear.

Yet Brian Williams at St. Louis National Pizza Co. is still rolling along.

National Pizza Co. — Natty's for short — didn't come easy. The historic district requirements for Natty's hip South Grand location meant epic cost overruns and renovation delays. An unexpected illness forced Williams to close his shop almost immediately after its soft opening.

But this is a guy who loves pizza in that last-meal kind of way. So he rode over those bumps to turn out some really good 'za.

And I'm telling you: Give Natty's a try.

Try it, because stints in pizza kitchens in New York, Chicago and our fine city mean that Williams knows and serves up solid versions of New York-, Chicago- and St. Louis-style pizza.

Try it, because in a world where the term "handcrafted" is appropriated by the most factorylike of chain restaurants, Williams' housemade dough, custom cheese blends and essence-of-tomato sauce are the real deal.

Try it, because the Rae-Rae ($12 for the 14-inch, available in both N.Y. and St. Louis styles) has brawny slices of ripe tomato alongside sauce; a decadently molten blend of fontina, mozzarella, provel and asiago; a sprinkle of fresh basil; and a flavorful crust.

Try it, for the buttery, delightfully doughy garlic knots ($2.95). Try it, because if you can't appreciate the sweet grooves of Chaka Khan and Rufus wafting through Williams' airy, appealing restaurant, then I don't know who you are.

Try it, because Williams makes a point of meeting every customer, one flour-covered handshake at a time.

Natty's Pizza — just try it!