Pizza Rules

     How fortunate we are that  Stefano Fabbri, owner of the new Pomo Pizzeria in the Borgata, is a pizza fanatic. He is obsessed with the authenticity of his Napoletana style pizza - so much so that  his restaurant will be vetted by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana at the end of the month. There’s a lengthy set of rules to be followed: specific imported tomatoes and cheeses, the proper kind of flour, the dough must be shaped to a certain size (12 -14 inches) and thickness after a particular rising time. You get the idea. Fabbri has an imported wood burning brick pizza oven that heats to a blistering 950 degrees and cooks the pizza in 90 seconds. It’s smoking hot coming out of the oven, which gives the toppings time to meld to perfection. 

     There’s something you have to understand and be open to experiencing in this crust. It’s thin and light as a feather, but what most of us are not used to is that it’s slightly moist in the center, not crispy. That’s because one of the above rules says that the crust must be foldable. Stefano says that after you’ve tried it two or three times, even die-hard crispers will be converted I say that it’s possible to enjoy both crusts. The one concession made to American tastes is in the variety of toppings. Traditionally the pie is made only with tomato, oregano or basil, mozzarella di bufala, garlic and oil, but 17 varieties of pie are offered here - though for sure you won’t find pineapple and Canadian bacon. Also available are some appetizers and salads. We had an antipasti platter with meats and cheeses, sliced on an imported hand-cranked slicer. I learned that if an electric slicer is used the blade becomes hot enough to start to cook the prosciutto. There’s a soup and pasta of the day, five paninis, and some amazing desserts made in-house daily by a well-known local pastry chef.

     Pomo occupies the space formerly used by Thai Thai. It’s done up simply in dark browns and white, with a floor to ceiling mural of Naples on the back wall. The bar, with a selection of Italian wines, and the open kitchen takes up about a third of the space, while banquettes, tables and chairs (somewhat crowded together in European fashion) uses the rest. Patio dining is available. Our server was delightful and efficient although I have read some complaints about the service at peak hours. This is not a restaurant for the faint-of-wallet. Our antipasto, pizza, and molten lava cake came to about $40 without tax or tip. But believe me, it was worth every penny. YOU’VE GOT TO TRY THIS PLACE. Like I said, pizza rules!!

Pomo Pizzeria

6166 N. Scottsdale Rd., in the Borgata

480-235-5822

pomopizzeria.com