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Thursday, August 18, 2016

Terrific Takeout: Uncle Paul's Pizza Summer 2016 Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins

Uncle Paul and Peachy at Battery Gardens
Paul Nicaj is one of our most FAVORITE restaurateurs in Manhattan
Dino Redzic above, and 
Dino Redzic and Nick Krkuti below. Paul, Dino and Nick own Uncle Paul's Pizza
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The name is deceiving: it should be called "Uncle's Paul's Much More than Only Pizza" and once you know who Uncle Paul is, you will understand. 
It was a total surprise to us the first time we visited. We asked owner Dino Redzic if he had an Uncle Paul. He did not but guess what-if you knew us in 2014, you know we found out the first time we visited we actually did know Uncle Paul Nicaj but did not know then he did pizza. He also does Battery Gardens, Nello and Paul's Times Square among his many, many ambitions.

And not to diminish pizza because you know we love it, but show us a place like this that does salmon as well as Dino and we'll call that much more than pizza too.  We're going to go backwards and start with the entree: meet the Salmone alla Griglia.  We don't see seafood presented like this with bespoke mustard sauce at any other pizza place; note that Uncle Paul's Pizza is in the Roosevelt Hotel near Grand Central, and is open 24 hours a day so you will never go hungry.
These guys hail from Montenegro, and so does someone we know in Connecticut that owns a restaurant that was friends with Peachy's grandfather before he passed, and they shared the same birthday too.  So this time, we chose the Grandpa pizza, something else we've never seen anywhere else.  You may have seen Grandma pizza, but you should know at Uncle Paul's that Grandpa pizza has a thick crust with fresh mozzarella on the bottom and the sauce on top. We chose tomatoes, spinach, onions, garlic, and pepperoni to grace the top and the result was delicious!
Under the pasta selections, which is a section of the menu that boasts tremendous depth, you'll discover that the homemade lasagna with organic beef is absolutely mouthwatering and perfection even on a hot day in Manhattan.  Many pizza places sidekicks to the pizza are not nearly as good as they are here; at Uncle Paul's Pizza every dish is a star like this lasagna that would impress even Garfield.
The resident chicken parm monster of Whom You Know was delighted with the incarnation of her favorite sandwich from college and they earn high points for consistency.  The juicy chicken with succulent sauce and cheese on a fresh baguette artfully sliced diagonally is going to hit the spot even if you are in a hurry.
Most refreshing of all in this heat wave is the salad section: of course you must try their signature vegetable concoction: Uncle Paul's Salad.
Not quite for the non-carnivorous, (but you know there is no such thing as Peachy Vegan) you will meet crispy bacon, roasted peppers, red onion, fresh mozzarella, grilled mushrooms and homemade dressing which they thoughtfully place on the side.
If you are looking for both delicious and quick service near Grand Central, this spot is tough to beat!

Uncle Paul's Pizza continues to be Recommended by Whom You Know.

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