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| - I am a NY pizza snob. Born and bred in Brooklyn, I know good NY pizza and have been searching for a slice since I moved to Scottsdale eight years ago. I can now say that I've reached the promised land. Yo Pauly's is a true pizza joint. It's in a strip mall and is nondescript. That's usually where you find the best pizza in NY. So without further ado, here's my review (yeah, I like to rhyme a bit).
In my snobbish opinion, there are three things that make a good pizza. First, the crust must be crispy but not burnt from the edge to the center. Second, the sauce should be garlicy and salty with just the right level of acidity. Third, the cheese has to be just the right amount and should be of high quality. Pauly gets five stars on each of these points. The crust was just perfect, the sauce should be named a new food group, and the cheese was delicious and not over the top (I hate when places just dump cheese onto the pizza and it overwhelms everything else).
My family and I ordered the 24 Inch pizza with 1/2 plain and 1/2 mushroom. It was truly enormous and I'm happy to say that we have leftovers (but not much). A normal NY pizza is 18 inches and it would nicely feed three people. The 24 inch needs at least four people. Before the pizza came out, we were served complimentary garlic knots with Pauly's sauce. They were delicious and my wife wanted to drink the sauce.
My son (not a real pizza eater) ordered the spaghetti and meatballs. Once again the sauce was outstanding, the pasta was good (al dente) and the meatballs were great. I'd actually consider ordering that occasionally.
This is a joint so the service is jovial and personal. David, our server, was fun and attentive. He made sure everyone was happy and joked around with us. Pauly was also very attentive and fun. I can't tell you how much the food and people reminded me of home. If you're from NY or just know real NY pizza, this should be at the top of your list.
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