My Heartbreaking Pizza Loss

By Susie Timm, Head Cheese

Sometime this spring, I found the perfect pizza. Crispy around the edges, soft and chewy in the center. Topped with chicken, bacon, pine nuts and fresh basil. Just the right amount of cheese to sauce ratio.

This pizza was the stuff dreams are made of. I tweeted about it. I told friends. I invited others to share said pizza with me.

This pizza puts most other pizza in the Valley to shame. As a matter of fact, I would argue it is the very best pizza in the state. (shocking!)

Yesterday, I dined with a couple of my favorite gals at this pizza joint and opened my menu.

I recoiled in horror. This pizza. The Sopranos at Pomo Pizzeria Napoletana. The pizza of my lifetime. Was. Gone.

I bit back a scream and summoned our server over.

“The Sopranos Pizza–is it gone?” I asked.

“Yes ma’am, he rewrote the menu,” she sheepishly replied.

“He” of course is Chef/Owner Stefano Fabbri. He’s the only certified “True Neapolitan” pizza place in the state with the controversial VPN certification. (some say it really doesn’t mean anything)

I grimaced and subsequently requested the server ask Fabbri to make me the Sopranos.

I told her to ask him in Italian and to tell him I had a broken heart.

I watched their interaction. He smiled and nodded.

She returned and said he was in a good mood and would indeed make me my pizza.

It arrived shortly thereafter. I took the above photo for posterity. I have a distinct feeling that might be my very last Sopranos pizza.

So my pizza loving heart is broken. I know, I know. They have freaking amazing pies. I am 100% certain there is another pizza on the menu that I will enjoy.

In fact the Quattro Stagioni has every food writer in Phoenix drooling. (this baby is loaded with San Marzano tomatoes, Mozzarella, mushrooms, sausage, salame, gaeta olives and fresh basil)

However, I liked being a rebel. I liked ordering my chicken pizza. I liked the simple, clean flavors.

Ah well. I guess I’ll have to taste test my way through the menu. Seeing as how I’ve never even tasted any other type of pizza Pomo has to offer.

Sigh.

Got a favorite at Pomo? Leave it in the comments section so I can consider it for a replacement to the Sopranos.