Olivella’s. Half the pizzerias on the planet claim their pizza is “New York-style.” But hardcore aficionados insist there’s only one place to get New York-style pizza. (New York. Duh.) That frustrated pizza fanatic Charlie Green, a software and medical supplies salesman, who got sick of flying to the Big Apple to fulfill his cravings. So he decided to re-create it here and, rushing headlong into his dream, opened Olivella’s near Snider Plaza.
He says it’s for-real New York-style, and to prove it, he imported celebrated New York pizza master Salvatore Olivella, a native of Naples, Italy, who gained renown at New York pizzerias such as No. 28 Carmine.
Olivella trained the staff at his Dallas namesake well, and it’s all there: thin crust, robust tomato sauce, random pools of melting mozzarella cheese. There’s also a roster of high-end ingredients, from thinly sliced prosciutto to Gorgonzola cheese to truffle oil to fresh basil, added after the pie is baked to retain flavor and integrity.
Green imports raw materials from Italy, including canned San Marzano tomatoes. But in the end, the key to Olivella’s pizza is its crust: thin across the center, with puffed edges enclosing the occasional air bubble, and a charred finish from the wood-burning oven.
Oddly, one pizza arrived at the table lukewarm, as if it had been partially baked ahead of time, then topped and heated. That Green is new to the restaurant game is evident, especially in the inconsistencies in service. The staff can barely handle a crowd, but it’s trial by fire: with barely 10 tables, there’s a crowd every day.
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