Ad
Big portions, inventive flavor combinations elevate slice parlor at Winrock
If the Casales are Albuquerque’s first family of pizza, then Michael Casale is the founding father. The Italian immigrant launched Saggio’s in 1977 and grew it into a local legend that has nourished scores of University of New Mexico students over the years.
Michael Casale died in 2022 at the age of 98, but his legacy lives on through Saggio’s and Gimani, the pizza palace opened by two of his grandchildren, Alanna and Giannico, that has generated significant buzz since opening last year.
Gimani is located in one of the outbuildings at Winrock Town Center, the sprawling food and retail complex on Louisiana Boulevard, adjacent to Interstate 40. It’s on the Indian School Road side of the center just east of Target, occupying a commanding spot on the rounded corner of the building that was previously home to Sauce Pizza/Wine. A shaded patio sits in front.
Inside is a high-ceilinged space with wooden floors. Bottles of wine and cans of tomatoes line shelves above a semicircular bar fronted with green tiles. Seating is divided between wood-topped tables with metal chairs and a couple of long banquettes that stretch under large paper globe lights suspended from the ceiling.
Just inside the entrance, the menu is displayed with black letters affixed to a whitewashed brick wall. The paper menus contain more details on the dishes. Ordering is done at the counter, and a server brings your food to you when it is ready.
I had read stories about long lines at the register, so I was relieved to find that things were drowsy when I walked in just before noon to meet a friend for a weekday lunch. Within an hour, though, the line snaked out the door onto the sidewalk. It moved quickly.
We began our meal with two salads, the Caesar and the Chopped (both $10). The generously apportioned salads were served in white bowls. Under a cover of finely shredded pecorino cheese, the Chopped Salad consisted of lots of romaine lettuce plus some radicchio tossed in a sharp vinaigrette. Cherry tomato halves rimmed the bowl, and slices of salami and green Castelvetrano olives nested at the bottom.
The Caesar Salad also wore a topping of shredded pecorino, along with croutons made from blocks of the same sourdough that goes into the pizza crust. Here, the lettuce was Little Gem, as sturdy and crisp as romaine but a bit sweeter in flavor. The creamy, slightly sour dressing was a nice counterpoint to the other salad’s vinaigrette. The lettuce on both salads was fresh and I liked the light touch on the dressing that let the other ingredients shine. With its salty, snappy flavor, pecorino was a good choice as a salad topper.
The selection of pizza slices includes four varieties that are available daily and a rotating selection of one or two specials. A few of the names are shortened versions of familiar ones; e.g., Margh for Margherita and Pepp for pepperoni. A slice of Margh is $5.75; the rest are $7. We ordered a Flight of four slices for $25, plus one slice each of the two specials.
The flight arrived as four hefty slices on a large pizza tray. When I asked for a knife to divide them up with, the server instead gave me a couple of pizza cutters, a great idea that spares one from having to saw through a slice with a knife and fork.
Ad
The Margh served as a reminder you don’t have to clutter a pizza with toppings when the fundamentals — crust, cheese, sauce — are on point. The sauce burst with tomato flavor, and the combo of fresh and aged mozzarella provided a good melt and a tangy flavor. The sourdough crust that supported all the slices was terrific, with a leopard-spotted rim and a firm, crisp bottom.
The Pepp, another familiar variation, arrived topped with 12 pieces of pepperoni curled into little cups from the heat of the oven. A drizzle of hot honey glistened over it all. Even though the hot-honey-on-pizza trend is pervasive enough to have reached chains like Pizza Hut, I confess I hadn’t tried it until my visit to Gimani. The heat and sweetness it brought to the savory pepperoni and acidic tomato sauce made me an instant convert.
The other two slices on the flight were less familiar. The Angry gets its name from the heat of pickled jalapeños and spicy tomato sauce. I took a bite, shrugged, and was about to say “not so hot” when the spice hit and momentarily took away my ability to speak. It’s a delayed fuse, but the heat quickly fades to a pleasant burn that pairs well with the salty pepperoni and cheese.
Perhaps the most revelatory of the slices was the White Lemon, a tomato-less variation topped with mozzarella, fontina and dollops of whipped ricotta cheese. It was nice to look at, its surface speckled with lemon zest and bubbles of cheese browned from the oven, but even better to eat. The lemon added brightness and the airy ricotta was like a grace note at the end of each bite. The key was the balance of ingredients. Everything contributed, nothing overpowered.
Specials rotate in and out of the roster. One day, prosciutto and burrata may top a slice: the next, cremini mushrooms and shaved truffles. When I was there, there were two specials: Pineapple ($7) and Sausage ($7). The former is Gimani’s version of the Hawaiian pizza, with pancetta and house-made pineapple jam subbing for the usual ham and pineapple slices. It was another success, with the pineapple cutting the salty richness of the pancetta. I found myself wishing there was a jar of the pineapple jam that I could take home. My friend, who initially expressed opposition to the idea of pineapple on pizza, changed his mind after just a couple of bites.
The other special that day was a sausage pizza with bell peppers and tomato sauce. The rubble of sausage on top of the slice added spice and a faint mint flavor to the cheese and tomato sauce.
The lone dessert option on the menu is Gelato ($4) in two flavors: hazelnut and fior di latte, a classic Italian gelato flavor that tastes like sweet cream. I ordered the two swirled together. The tall swirl, drizzled with olive oil and sea salt, was excellent, the olive oil imparting fruity notes to the buttery gelato. My only complaint: the cup it was served in was too small to contain the gelato.
Drinks include beer and wines by the glass, mostly around $10, and a couple of Italian-inspired Spritzes. First is a Negroni Spagliato ($10), a lighter, sparkling version of a Negroni made with prosecco, vermouth and cappelletti aperitivo, a crimson-colored, wine-based aperitif. I opted for the Spaghett ($6), a mix of Peroni, a crisp Italian lager, and cappelletti aperitivo. Served in a tall slender glass, the drink was a beautiful coral color. Its effervescence and slight bitterness made it a good appetite stimulator and palate cleanser.
Gimani’s youthful staff was friendly and helpful. In appreciation of the size of our order, a server brought us two complimentary slices in a box. Unfortunately, options for gluten-free diners are limited to salads with no croutons.
Gimani offers generous portions and bold flavor combinations. It’s a sterling addition to our dining scene and a contender for the best pizza in town.
