Martino's, Webster, Revisited

My favorable review of Martino's in Webster last September generated some comments who found Martino's pizza lacking in flavor, doughy, and other bad stuff. This left me wondering if I just happened to go there on a good day or if this was just a matter of individual taste.
To try to find out, I went back recently for a large pie, pepperoni on half. Like the slice I got last time, it had a thin crust, but whereas my slice (which had been rewarmed prior to serving) had a very well charred underside, the bottom on this one was much lighter in color. It bore just the faintest signs of charring, but was mostly a medium shade of golden brown. It was dry, with no screen or tray marks, and firm though not especially crisp. The medium-thick lip had a nice, bready texture and flavor.
The cheese was nicely melted, though it lacked the creamy texture of the cheese on my slice last September. Although the cheese was applied in moderation, it had a prominent, tangy flavor.
Sandwiched between the crust and the cheese, the sauce added a mild tomatoey flavor. It too was moderately applied, and it, the cheese and the thin crust were in good balance with each other. The evenly distributed pepperoni was OK but unremarkable.
All in all, pretty good, more or less NY-style pizza, though not quite as good as last time. One thing that came through in some of the comments was a lack of consistency at Martino's, and maybe this is evidence of that. Then too, I think at some - though not all - pizzerias, you're better off getting slices rather than a whole pie, because the slices improve when they go back into the oven for reheating. That's particularly true with thin crust pizza, since a minute or two is all it takes to heat the slice all the way through and give it a nice, crisp crust.
After two visits to Martino's, I'm still not sure where some of the criticisms are coming from. I didn't find this "tasteless," to quote one reader. Admittedly, the sauce was on the mild, even bland side, but with a thin crust I don't like my sauce too heavily seasoned; a bold-flavored sauce seems more appropriate for a pizza with a thick, bready crust. Still, this was a bit of a comedown from last time, and I'll give this pizza a B.
Martino’s Pizzeria, 160 West Main St., Webster. 872-4140
Mon. - Thu. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Sun. noon - 10 p.m.