Location: Lane 4, Shahbaz Commercial, Phase 6, DHA.
Average cost for 2: Rs 2000 to 2500

Significant time of most Karachiites is dedicated to bickering over a restaurant’s food satiating both taste (and critique) buds. That being said, one such eatery has people divided, with many either loving or downright hating it. With a promise to deliver authentic, simple Italian grub, POMO opened its doors this year in July. I visited it one Thursday noon to see what the brouhaha is about. The eatery is spacious, with subway-tiled walls making a monochrome interior. Their kitchen with large glass windows occupies center stage. An unexpectedly large and modern Italian oven has a place of pride in one corner, which is indispensable for the Neapolitan pizza the pizzeria specialises in; which is not your average pizza. Navigating through the extensive menu, I select Tomato and Bresoala from the salads section and Tomato soup with garlic croutons from the starters. The most curious ingredient of the salad was undoubtedly the bresaola, which is basically air-dried, salted beef. The crisp bresaola delivered a tasty rawness chewed with fresh Romaine lettuce, baby tomatoes and milky-tanginess of blue cheese dressing. It topped my list of the-best-salads-ever had - I just wished they could have been a bit more generous with blue cheese dressing. The tomato soup had the perfect consistency; drops of olive oil and cubed croutons making every scoop tasty. The many ingredients had me intrigued, which are difficult to obtain locally. “Most, if not all ingredients are local or made in-house,” restaurateur and owner, Imran Bandukda told me. “Very few items are imported. The menu is designed in this manner to reduce dependence on imports and keep costs low.” The pizzeria even allows you to ‘Create Your Own Pizza’, allowing you to choose from different sauces, many toppings, dairies and add ons. Considering myself too Neapolitan-amateur for this feat, I choose Pepperoni pizza from the menu. For pasta, I settled for Penne with Creamy Tomato Sauce. I took my time with the pizza, adjusting to its eccentric taste. It was not your usual spicy pepperoni, it was quintessentially Neapolitan. The flavour fusion of crushed tomatoes, mozzarella and giardiniera hit the right notes on the taste buds. Though a bit underwhelming at first bite, I was already on my third slice of the surprisingly-light pizza, enjoying it. However, the penne-with-creamy-tomato-sauce pasta, which the general manager singled out as their “best”, didn’t win me over (even gradually) like the pizza. Maybe it was the distinct blend of roasted tomatoes and parmesan which tasted odd to me, or the bites of chicken which fell bland to the taste buds; I was done by the third bite. Servings of cannoli arrived for dessert, which are fried pastry shells with creamy filling. After trying to break the shells with a spoon to eat it, I was rescued by the waiter who advised I pick up the cannoli and eat it directly. Creamy, flavoured fillings in textured pastries tasted delectable, making it a rather eventful round of dessert.

TASTE 4 Stars

Neopolitan pizza is experimental. Don’t let the ‘pizzeria’ title confound you into thinking the place will serve Chicken Tikka Pizza; it surely wouldn’t. Instead be prepared to experience the distinct well-flavoured and tasty Italian grub POMO has to offer.

AMBIENCE 3 Stars

Clean, crisp and minimalist interior. During the day ample sunshine and art work on the walls add life to the place, but the evening ambience was somehow lonely and defunct. Also found the placement of their kitchen to be too-in-the-face. Their oven is very cool though and is very much part of the pizzeria’s architecture.

SERVICE 4 Stars

Affable and unobtrusive management helps you with menu at every step.

PRESENTATION 3.5 Stars

The salad and soup were picturesque. Pizza, however, classic in its taste, appeared to be prepared by an amateur. I wish my pasta too was a bit Instagram-lovey.

VALUE FOR MONEY 4 Stars

All items are priced reasonably with an upscale eatery dining experience. Everything being priced roughly under Rs 1150, the value of money is just fine.