Yaghi’s New York Pizzeria

 
It was a dark, rainy night in Westlake. The Balons had developed a sudden craving for pizza: something authentic, with East Coast sensibilities. You know how those food moods can just sneak up on you. We didn’t feel like making the trek all the way up to Saccones and we’d already driven substantially past Roppolo’s on 6th St. Just when we thought we were out of luck, there, shining like a beacon in the night, we discovered Yaghi’s New York Pizzeria.

And what a find Yaghi’s has been! The restaurant serves up a crispy, thin-crust New York style pie that appeals to the pizza lover in me. You can always judge a pizza joint by the simplest of all its creations: the cheese pizza. They use hundred percent whole-milk Wisconsin mozzarella cheese at Yaghi’s. It has an excellent flavor and texture with a nice, little bite to it. And it passes the refrigerator test. You can pop it out of the box the next morning and wolf down a slice cold. Try doing that with Double Daves or Dominoes.

Another really excellent pizza is the Feta pizza. They make this with feta cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, spinach, mozzarella cheese, and fresh tomatoes. The flavor component of this pizza is off the charts. The feta works perfectly to ad taste yet doesn’t overwhelm the pizza. And my personal favorite: The Meat Pizza. This has pepperoni, Italian sausage, sliced meatballs, hamburger, ham, mozzarella cheese, and sauce. For the final touch, ask them to add some onions. This is a seriously cool pizza. The faint of heart need not apply!

And there’s more to Yaghi’s New York Pizzeria than just pizza. I’m very partial to the Stromboli. This is a dough pie with mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, sausage, ham and green peppers baked inside. They do a very nice job with this. Another favorite is the Gyro. Using a combination of pressed beef and lamb wrapped into a big slice of hot pita bread along with veggies and a yogurt sauce, this is one of the best Gyro’s in town. Terrific flavor and lots of value at only $5.95. The Buffalo wings are also definitely worth trying. Again, great taste at only $11.99 for 24 wings. That’s a nice price for family dining. And do try the Ravioli as well. The accompanying marinara sauce is quite mellow and has a real character to it. Very affordable at $5.99.