Hands down – the best pizza yet! Yes, when I took the first whiff as the Pistachio Pizza arrived onto the table, my senses picked up something awesome. And as I took the first chew, the crust was crisp, soft, tender, elastic and light such that the flavours of the yeast and caramelised white sugar revealed themselves slowly. Simple toppings of Arugula, mozzarella and pistachio pesto, it was a luxurious combination altogether in flavours of savoury, sea salt salinity, and a warmth unexplainable. And this is Extra Virgin Pizza.
I simply had to begin this post with a description of the best pizza I’ve had yet. A pizzeria that is apart from the norm with only alfresco dining options and the interior dedicated solely to the kitchen, huge oven and staff. Located at the heart of the city at Asia Square, Marina View, Extra Virgin Pizza is the place to be to satisfy that craving for a portion of chewy pizza with a delightful flavour and simplicity all around.
The interior of Extra Virgin Pizza is essentially the whole kitchen itself. No seats are found on the inside though you can watch the chefs hard at work. The whole image is just there, a dedicated pizzeria for all to see.
And you are dared to Explore Virgin Territory!
The pizzas are the brainchild of Consultant Chef Matthew White and each is a combination of taste and textures of Neapolitan and Roman styles. Each piece is baked in dedicated brick ovens which results in pizzas bearing beautiful charred edges and browned “bubbles”, all with a freshness of dough ripely cooked.
Stretching the pizza dough!
Seeing Chef Matthew White in action.
Pizzas are also not the only offerings on the menu with a small selection of starters, salads and desserts all made to compliment the build up to the pizzas themselves. The menu is not extensive and that leaves to a more select spread with specific focus on each dish itself.
I started off with the Salami & Cheese Board ($22) as I simply had to have cheese. The cheeses selected for the day were the Kikorangi and Irish Cheddar. The former being luxuriously pungent yet light enough to the tastebuds with no extreme hints of acidity making it appealing to a larger audience. The Irish Cheddar, mild and nutty with generally sharp edges in savouriness. The cuts of Salami and Prosciutto were decent though what really stood out was the side of Cherry Mostarda. Mustard and cherry go into making this sweet spicy dip which really balanced out the heavy saltiness from the cheese and preserved meat very nicely.
Served with flatbread, olives and preserved peppers. Cheeses changes from time to time, but this is an excellent starter to begin with and share.
For a starter a little heavier, robust and full of buttery flavour, there is the choice of Oven-Fired Clams ($18) . Simple ingredients of garlic, butter, white wine go along in this dish while the natural juices from the clams flow out to make a great savoury sea dip. Comes with Extra Garlic Virgin Bread which could have been better if crispier upon serve.
And then its time for pizzas. Upon recommendation by Liza, I tried first the Margherita ($18). Perhaps the simplest of all pizzas available with the basics of tomato, mozzarella and basil with extra toppings of buffalo cheese upon request ($4). A very nice combination with the pizza served hot and the sweet tangy umaminess of the tomato puree enveloping the crust itself. Buffalo cheese add stringy textures and fattiness, so it was more luxury than a necessity. And if you noticed, that black bubble in the center is not an olive. It’s the crust which formed a “bubble” in the brick oven. Nicely charred.
But perhaps the best recommendation to come from Liza would be the Pisatchio Pizza ($24) . Pistachio pesto, mozzarella, baby arugula, lemon vinaigrette and parmigiano reggiano was all that was needed to make me go “wow”. Upon serve the smooth nutty fragrance of the pistachio lingered upwards, and the first bite was immediately touched upon by the robust earthiness followed by the salinity from the sprinkles of sea salt. Next, a burst of light freshness of the arugula and then the unmistakable scent of cheese and then the warm sweet savoury crust. A wonderful combination all in one.
One more shot for the camera!
Desserts to round up the entire meal include the Nutella Panna Cotta ($8) and Lobster Tails ($3 ea min 2 pcs). The panna cotta was smooth and creamy and the choice of nutella came into mind that anything with it would be hard to go wrong as a dessert. The lobster tails on the hand were a bit more unique with flaky pastries stuffed with either lemon custard or hazelnut filling. It was ok, though a little dry. And the lemon custard really reminded me of the lemon cream biscuits from Khong Guan.
Housemade sodas of Ginger Lemon and Strawberry Basil ($6 a glass/$15 a jug). Fresh, sweet and sparkling, these were very nice especially with Singapore’s weather.
Currently, Extra Virgin Pizza does not do delivery which is due to come in early 2012. As of now, enjoy the pizzas either dining in or take-away.
Me and Consultant Chef Matthew White
Dining at Extra Virgin Pizza initially seemed like a quiet little place since I made the visit on a empty Saturday night in the CBD area. But after being wowed by the Pistachio Pizza, I reckon all the office executives in the area are really in for a treat. The best things on the menu are really the pizzas, followed by the salami and cheese board and the baked clams. The desserts are really for those craving for something sweet to end with.
Extra Virgin Pizza currently does not accept reservations, and seating areas are limited. If only they made deliveries to places like NUS, then i could really share them with everyone. Though for now, I shall be content with dreaming about that pizza and perhaps make a return visit very soon!
Many Thanks to The Lo & Behold Group for the invitation.
| Extra Virgin Pizza 8 Marina View #01-04 Asia Square Tower 1 Singapore 018960 Contact : 6247 5757 |