J.OMA'S: PIZZERIA AND RISTORANTE'...A TOUCH OF ITALY IN BALLSTON SPA! THIRTY YEARS AGO AT THE CORNER OF BROADWAY AND WASHINGTON STREETS IN SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK; TWO YOUNG MEN HAD A DREAM. LORENZO AMATO AND SAL MANINNO, OPENED A "NEW YORK CITY STYLE" PIZZERIA. INITIALLY AN "EAT-IN" OR "TAKE-OUT" ESTABLISHMENT, THEY MANAGED TO CATCH THE INTEREST OF THIS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY IN A BIG WAY. THE COMMUNITY WELL-KNOWN FOR IT'S HORSE RACING, THE SARATOGA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, CAFE' LENA'S, AND THE SKIDMORE COLLEGE CAMPUS, WAS WIDE-OPEN FOR THEIR APPROACH TO "ITALIAN CUISINE". THE TRADITIONAL LARGE "OMA PIZZA" WAS ROUGHLY 16 INCHES IN CIRCUMFERENCE, LADEN WITH THEIR TRADEMARK SAUCE & NEARLY TWO POUNDS OF THE FINEST MOZZARELLA CHEESE. HAND-TOSSED AND BAKED TO A GOLDEN CRISP, THE AROMA QUICKLY LURED PEDESTRIANS IN. CONSUMERS COULD PURCHASE THE VIANDS BY THE SLICE, OR BY THE PIE. GENEROUS TOPPINGS WERE ALWAYS AVAILABLE FOR A NOMINAL ADDITIONAL CHARGE. EXTRA CHEESE, PEPPERONI, GREEN BELL PEPPERS, ONIONS, MUSHROOMS, ITALIAN SWEET SAUSAGE, BLACK OLIVES, FRESH TOMATO SLICES, FRESH GARLIC, AND ANCHOVIES, IN ANY COMBINATION WERE OFFERED TO HUNGRY PATRONS. LORENZO AND SAL HAD COME UPON THE PERFECT PIZZA. NOT TOO OILY, NOT TOO THIN. NOT TOO SPICY, NOT TOO SWEET. THE AVERAGE COOKING TIME FOR THEIR MASTERPIECE RAN ABOUT 12 MINUTES. WITH THEIR 4 "HOBART" STONE OVENS, THEY COULD PUMP OUT 16 PIES EVERY QUARTER HOUR. SAL, THE ONSITE MANAGER, WOULD OPEN SHOP AROUND 11 AM EVERY DAY AND STAY THERE TILL THE WEE HOURS OF THE NIGHT. WITH THE HELP OF HIS WIFE "FI", AND A FEW OTHER IMPORTED RELATIVES, THEY MANAGED TO BUILD A THRIVING AND POPULAR BUSINESS, FREQUENTED BY LOCAL BUSINESS PERSONS, COLLEGE STUDENTS, TOURISTS, MUSICAL PERFORMERS, AND THE NIGHTLY TAVERN CUSTOMERS WHICH KEPT SARATOGA SPRINGS ALIVE THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. SAL'S SMILING AND LAID BACK ATTITUDE, GREETED EVERYONE AS THEY ENTERED THE STORE, AND OMA'S REPUTATION GREW WITH EACH NEW SEASON. NO MATTER HOW HECTIC THE BUSINESS WOULD BECOME, SAL WOULD STILL BE SMILING AND TOSSING HIS DOUGH EFFORTLESSLY (PUN INTENDED!), WHILE HE SHARED A STORY WITH FRIENDS AND NEWCOMERS ALIKE. FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS WERE OFTEN "STANDING ROOM ONLY" AS EXPECTANT PATRONS WOULD CROWD THE COUNTER, LAUGHING AND EXCHANGING STORIES WITH SAL, OR LORENZO AND COMPANY. I REMEMBER ONE SUCH PATRON WHO WOULD STAND BY THE JUKEBOX, PATIENTLY SIPPING A DRAFT BEER. I ASKED HIM ONE NIGHT WHAT HE HAD ORDERED. I APOLOGIZED AND TOLD HIM HIS ORDER WAS HELD UP DUE TO THE VOLUME THAT NIGHT. HE REPLIED "DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. I'M ENJOYING THE SHOW!" PIZZA WASN'T THE ONLY LURE. ECONOMICALLY PRICED DINNER ENTREES WITH SIDE SALAD AND THE WORLD'S BEST GARLIC BREAD WERE READILY AVAILABLE. LASAGNA, CHICKEN PARMESAN, VEAL PARMESAN, BAKED EGGPLANT, LINGUINI WITH CLAM SAUCE (RED AND WHITE), SPAGHETTI WITH MEAT BALLS OR SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGE, VEAL AND CHICKEN MARSALA, VEAL FRANCESE, AND FETTUCINI ALFREDO ROUNDED OUT THE A LA CARTE. FOR A LIGHTER TOUCH, AN AMPLE ANTIPASTO, OR A CHEF'S SALAD COULD BE HAD; AND LUNCHEON CUSTOMERS COULD ALSO ORDER TRADITIONAL HOT AND COLD SUBS. OMA'S HAS BEEN REVIEWED FAVORABLY BY THE "METROLAND CAPITAL DISTRICT'S DINING GUIDE" AND WAS EVEN VOTED BEST AREA PIZZA ONE YEAR. SEVERAL NEWSPAPERS AND TOUR GUIDES HAVE MENTIONED THE PIZZERIA THROUGHOUT ITS THIRTY YEAR HISTORY AND WERE ALWAYS COMPLIMENTARY. LOCAL LEGEND HAS IT, A PIZZA-MAKER NAMED TONY INVENTED THE "CALZONE" ONE DAY WHILE TRYING TO SHOW OFF FOR A COUPLE OF ATTRACTIVE SKIDMORE GIRLS. HE WOULD LATER COMPLAIN ABOUT THE CREATION, GRUMBLING THEY WERE A "PAIN IN THE TUSH" TO MAKE! SORRY TONY! CALZONES HAD BECOME A HUGE SELLER. A FEW YEARS AFTER OPENING THE SMALL SHOP, SAL ACQUIRED THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR AND EXPANDED OMA'S BY ADDING A DINING ROOM. BEER AND WINE WERE NOW AVAILABLE, AND THE DINING EXPERIENCE BECAME MORE COMFORTABLE. BY NOW, SAL HAD HIRED SEVERAL LOCAL AND COMPETENT, PIZZA-MAKERS AND WAIT STAFF. SEVERAL OF WHOM STAYED WITH THE OPERATION FOR MANY YEARS. I WORKED FOR THE AMATO FAMILY FOR THE BETTER PART OF 15 YEARS. THESE WERE SOME OF THE BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE. THE PRESENT CO-OWNER JIMMY FLANDERS, HAS PROBABLY BEATEN MY RECORD BY NOW. WITH THE OPENING ACROSS THE STREET OF A NATIONAL PIZZA CHAIN KNOWN FOR IT'S DELIVERY SERVICE, SAL DECIDED TO TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE, AND THE OMA'S DELIVERY SERVICE WAS BORN! INITIALLY SERVING ONLY A THREE MILE RADIUS, THE "DELIVERY BOYS" (INCLUDING MYSELF!), WERE KEPT HOPPING THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. THE DELIVERY STAFF GREW TO FIVE DRIVERS AND OUR TRADEMARK RED CHEVETTES COULD BE SEEN EVERYWHERE. IT WAS NOT UNUSUAL FOR A DRIVER TO LEAVE THE STORE WITH 8-10 ORDERS EVERY HALF-HOUR. OVER THE YEARS, OMA'S CATERED TO EVERY HOTEL, COLLEGE DORM, BAR, AND EVEN OTHER RESTAURANTS, IN THE VILLAGE OF SARATOGA SPRINGS. ONE SUCH RESTAURANT REQUESTED THAT WE DELIVER, IN AN UNMARKED CAR, TO THE BACK KITCHEN EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT! I PERSONALLY DELIVERED HUGE ORDERS TO BOB WEIR & JERRY GARCIA OF THE GRATEFUL DEAD, AND THE CAST PARTY FOR "ME AND MY OLD MAN". ONE NIGHT I DELIVERED 113 PIES TO A CONVENTION AT THE "UPPER-CLASS" GIDEON PUTNAM HOTEL! THE MOST DELIVERIES I EVER MADE IN A TEN HOUR STRETCH WAS 126, MOSTLY TO AN ALWAYS RAVENOUS SKIDMORE COLLEGE. I DEVELOPED A WONDERFUL RAPPORT AND FRIENDSHIP WITH MANY OF MY CUSTOMERS. OMA'S BECAME A WEEKLY RITUAL WITH MANY OF THEM. ONE COUPLE WENT SO FAR AS TO LEAVE INSTRUCTIONS FOR ME TO ENTER THEIR HOUSE, PLACE THE PIE IN THE OVEN, SET IT TO "WARM" AND MAKE MYSELF A DRINK, WHILE WAITING FOR THEM TO GET HOME! THEIR DOG AND I BECAME FRIENDLY, AND WE OFTEN JOKED HOW HE WOULD BARK AT THEM, BUT NOT AT ME! THE RESTAURANT ITSELF SERVED LUMINARIES SUCH AS MICKEY ROONEY, EDDIE ACARO, JAMES TAYLOR, AEROSMITH, AND GOVERNOR HUGH CAREY. AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT OWNER FROM THE NORTHERN RESORT COMMUNITY OF LAKE LUZERNE, CAME FOR DINNER EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT WITH HIS FAMILY, AND A LOCAL JUDGE COULD BE SEEN, SANS HIS ROBES OF OFFICE, AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK! THE TIPS WERE GENERALLY EXCEPTIONAL, ACTUALLY CONVINCING ONE OF OUR PART-TIME DRIVERS TO QUIT HIS DAY JOB,...WORKING FOR GENERAL ELECTRIC! IN 1976 OMA'S ACHIEVED WORLD WIDE ATTENTION WHEN LORENZO DECIDED TO BUILD THE WORLD'S LARGEST PIZZA! THE FIRST OF THESE GARGANTUANS WAS BUILT IN THE PARKING LOT OF OUR SISTER STORE IN NEARBY GLENS FALLS, NEW YORK. THUS WAS BORN, OMA'S FIRST ENTRY INTO THE "GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS"! THIS FIRST PIE WAS APPROXIMATELY "?" IN CIRCUMFERENCE, WEIGHED NEARLY "?" POUNDS, AND ATTRACTED QUITE A RETINUE. THE PROFITS WERE GIVEN TO CHARITY AND A GREAT DEAL OF FUN WAS HAD BY ALL. PARTICULARLY BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHOM SHARED THE PARKING LOT WITH LORENZO'S NORTHERNMOST STORE! A FEW YEARS LATER, AFTER SOMEONE BEAT THE RECORD, LORENZO, SAL, AND CREW DECIDED TO DO IT AGAIN. THIS TIME A SITE ON BALLARD ROAD IN WILTON, NEW YORK, JUST SIX MILES FROM THE SARATOGA STORE, WAS CHOSEN. THIS PIE WEIGHED IN AT "?" AND BOASTED A CIRCUMFERENCE OF "?"! THE FIRST SLICE WAS AUCTIONED OFF FOR $5,000 AND CONSUMED BY HIZZONER HIMSELF, GOVERNOR MARIO CUOMO. THE LOCAL NEWS MEDIA KEPT THEMSELVES BUSY, AND EVENTUALLY OMA'S LANDED A SLOT ON "THAT'S INCREDIBLE!" ONCE AGAIN OMA'S WAS THE LARGEST! UNTIL... ...THE LATE 1980'S, AND ANOTHER PRETENDER TO THE THRONE, THIS TIME FROM SOUTH AFRICA, DECIDED TO TAKE UP THE TORCH. LORENZO, NOW LIVING IN BRADENTON BEACH, FLORIDA, AND MANAGING YET ANOTHER SISTER STORE ON THE GULF OF MEXICO, UTTERED A "NI ALLEZ VU!", AND STARTED AGAIN. THIS PIE DWARFED THE CHALLENGER'S AND DISPLAYED 5,000 POUNDS OF SAUSAGE! A CONSTRUCTION "CHERRY PICKER" WAS USED TO PLACE THE MEAT. THIS PIE WAS "?" FEET WIDE AND "?" POUNDS! HOW COULD THEY BUILD SUCH PIZZAS? WELL, THAT WOULD BE TELLING! HOWEVER, STAINLESS STEEL PLATES ABOVE BLAZING PROPANE GAS JETS MIGHT GIVE YOU A CLUE! OH, BY THE WAY...AFTER THE FIRST PIE, A MAKE-SHIFT TENT COVERED THE PIE. JUST A PRECAUTION FOR OVER-FLYING BIRDS WITH THE WRONG IDEA! IF YOU'RE REALLY INTERESTED, A VIDEO OF THE FEAT WAS PRODUCED IN 198?. OVER THE YEARS SAL AND LORENZO HAVE RETIRED, AND NOW LIVE IN FLORIDA, WITH THEIR FAMILIES. THE RESTAURANT HAS BEEN THROUGH SEVERAL INCARNATIONS, AND PRESENTLY IS LOCATED IN THE CAROUSEL VILLAGE ON ROUTE 50, IN BALLSTON SPA, NEW YORK. THEY ARE STILL PUMPING THE BEST PIZZA AND ENTREES, THAT HAVE MADE THE RESTAURANT FAMOUS FROM SHORE TO SHORE. CURRENTLY OWNED BY JIM FLANDERS AND HIS BROTHER "?", PLANS ARE IN THE OVEN TO EXPAND BACK TO SARATOGA SPRINGS. GUISEPPE AMATO, SON OF LORENZO, HAS HIS FINGERS IN THE PIE, KEEPING UP THE FAMILY TRADITION STARTED OVER THIRTY YEARS AGO. WHEN IN THE AREA, MAKE SURE YOU STOP AND GET A SLICE! HELL, BUY A WHOLE PIE! I PERSONALLY RECOMMEND THE LARGE "OMA SPECIAL" WITH EVERYTHING! ...AND DON'T FORGET THE ANCHOVIES! TELL 'EM WAYNO SENT YOU! A SPECIAL NOTE TO OUR WESTERN NEIGHBORS: A FRIEND OF MINE ONCE SAID (AND ACCURATELY I WOULD DISCOVER FOR MYSELF!), "JUST AS THERE ARE NO DECENT MEXICAN RESTAURANTS EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI, SO TOO, THERE AREN'T ANY DECENT ITALIAN RESTAURANTS WEST THEREOF." DO YOURSELF A "FLAVOR"...COME EAST, YOUNG MAN! BE SEEIN' YOU!