She Said: Pomo is a treasure and a pizza spot worth visiting

A good friend of mine took me to the original Pomo years ago in the old Borgata center saying it was her favorite authentic Neapolitan pizza in the valley. A few years and four locations later, my friends claim still holds. While I do admit Pomo had some rough patches as they got settled in their new locations, they are back in full force serving up delicious dish after delicious dish.

My latest visit was to the gorgeous Gainey Ranch location. The restaurant is very inviting with a little attached Italian market & Mozzarella Bar where you can purchase authentic Italian products. The open kitchen and signature hand-built wood burning oven overlook the restaurant and hearing the kitchen staff’s Italian chatter just makes the experience more authentic.

We started with the meatballs on this visit. Two massive spheres of meat smothered in red sauce were the ideal appetizer. The meat is a mixture of beef and pork and the tomato sauce has all the mouthwatering old world essence you crave. Simply delicious, as the meatballs soak in the red sauce with each bite.

The Pollo salad is an excellent choice before the pizza. Chicken, pine nuts, tomato and avocado keep this salad light and refreshing, which is perfect before your pizza or pasta entrée.

Time for the main event, the pizza! Oh, where to start? If you have never had Neapolitan pizza before you may be a bit surprised. It has a very thin crust and the fresh mozzarella is delicately placed on top it almost slides around.

The Pomo family uses a recipe that been passed down for generations that consists of highly refined organic wheat flour imported from Naples, Mediterranean sea salt, and water. The edges of the crust are crisp thanks to the wood fire oven giving the “leopard spotting” effect.

The pizzas are large enough to share with one other person, but being the overeater I am I always get my own. My motto is: you can always have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

My favorite pizzas are:

Bufala Verace with tomato sauce, imported mozzarella di bufala campana, parmigiano, basil and extra virgin olive oil.

Diavola with tomato sauce, mozzarella, spicy salami, basil and extra virgin olive oil

Quattro Stagioni with tomato sauce, mozzarella, Italian sausage, mushrooms, salami parma, black olives, basil and extra virgin olive oil.

They even have pizzas without sauce if you are in the mood, as well as gluten free options.

A highlight is the red pepper olive oil. You can dip your bread, crust or drizzle a little on your pizza for a little kick of spice!

With four valley locations, you can enjoy a little piece of Italian heaven wherever you are. Trust me, Pomo is an AZ treasure and worth a visit. Buon Appetito!!

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