The evening starts off with a 'Rossini' of strawberry purée and prosecco as well as a tangy housemade lemonade blended with ice which, when consumed too quickly, offers an instant brain-freeze. An antipasto platter laden with salame, mozarella balls, prosciutto, bresaola, white anchovies, semi-dried tomato and Sicilian olives is shared between three – the only thing lacking being some bread to go with it.
But it's the pizza which takes me by surprise here, with its bases only a few millimetres thick at most, with puffed and chewy edges and even toppings without being overloaded. The menu states that pizzas here are "stretched by hand only [and] cooked straight on the hot stone, not on a pizza tray" and informs diners, "Sorry, no super supreme, meat lovers, pineapple or half & half pizza". They obviously take their pizza very seriously, and rightly so. I'm tempted to order the 'Marinara (not a seafood pizza)' just because of the name, but we sensibly decide instead on a classic 'Margherita' and a 'Salsiccia' – one of only three pizza bianca (no tomato base) on the menu, topped with mozzarella, ricotta, spinach, parmesan, pancetta and sausage. The pizzas are thin and crisp, but not dry, and just a little floppy towards the centre.
Dessert consists of one each of the evening's cannolo flavours – custard, ricotta and chocolate – as well as waffles with banana, ice-cream, whipped cream, caramel sauce and an unidentified shot glass of other topping. The choice of waffles for dessert at an Italian joint was not mine, but they are fresh without being overly doughy nor chewy. Next time, I'll give the dessert pizzas a try.
But trust me, it's the pizza you should by trying here which hopefully you'll enjoy as much as me.
La Piazza, Top Ryde Shopping Centre, corner Devlin St & Blaxland Rd, Ryde NSW
happy eating!
But trust me, it's the pizza you should by trying here which hopefully you'll enjoy as much as me.
La Piazza, Top Ryde Shopping Centre, corner Devlin St & Blaxland Rd, Ryde NSW
Tel: 1300 264 656
Opening Hours: Mon 7:30am-6pm
Opening Hours: Mon 7:30am-6pm
Tues-Sun 7:30am-10pm
happy eating!
Canolli!!! I know they're so bad for you, but they are so good! Thin crust pizzas make the ultimate pizzas.
ReplyDeletezomg i heart pizza biancas! i haz issues with tomato bases so they sound delish!
ReplyDeleteBest pizza.... that is a big call. Will have to somehow figure out how to get there and try it.
ReplyDeleteTop Ryde??? I had never thought such good food could be found in Top Ryde but perhaps I am out of touch.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever had pizza at a restaurant before.... :O But these pizzas sounds amazing! It would be awesome if they had an open kitchen or something so you could see the pizzas being made- it sounds so interesting!
ReplyDeletei second you! the pizza is well worth trying here!
ReplyDeleteOoh are they as thin as the Bondi Pizza ones? I've been to Kazbah but never noticed Bar Angelo before..teehee so close to home, must drop by for dinner.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a fab, classic pizza experience! I feel totally overdue for pizza, prosecco and cannoli right now...
ReplyDeleteI was hooked after eyeing that first pizza photo. I am totally going there.
ReplyDeletePizzas look really good, I like them thin not thick with minimal topping. Wish I could find a place in the Shire that could do a decent pizza bianca.
ReplyDeletezomg antipasti and cannoli! i want!!
ReplyDeleteDamn it! You have me wanting pizza now.. AND cannoli!
ReplyDeleteI am so in need of a good Italian hit! The pizzas look divine and the cannolos even more! Argh, am having damn soup for dinner tonight. so sad!
ReplyDeleteThe pizzas and cannolis look wonderful - I'd love to bite into both. In sequence. Hope all's well - Happy American Thanksgiving...to you in Australia. And no, haven't lost my mind . Honorary American. X X X
ReplyDeleteHey Cass, ahhh but it's not everyday that we have cannoli!
ReplyDeleteHey chocolatesuze, can't resist ordering a pizza bianca when I see one!
Hey penny, a huge call! But seriously the thinnest pizza I've had.
Hey Hotly Spiced, part of the newly rebuilt shopping complex there.
Hey Von, time for you to give it a try then, especially if it's coal or wood-fired!
Hey panda, have you been here as well?
Hey Vivian, thinner than the Bondi Pizza ones!
Hey Tina, yes, yes and yes to pizza, prosecco and cannoli!
Hey Anna, go, I urge you!
Hey Sara, not many places offer pizza bianca so we had to try one whilst we were there.
Hey sugarpuffi, heheh!
Hey Phuoc, good pizza at that too!
Hey catty, heheh, but saw you got a bolognese fix tonight!
Hey kitchen Butterfly, yes, you are an honorary American!
This is a Beautiful blog on Food. Why don't post a blog on Best Pizza in Melbourne in your food blog?
ReplyDelete