A taste of Neapolitan pizzas

by Javan Ng
inSing.com - 86 days 23 hrs 46 mins ago

Mushroom bianco pizza

While Singapore may not be known for its pizzas, we’ve seen several new gourmet and artisanal pizzerias popping up all over town in the past few months. Joining the ranks of new pizzerias like Crust Pizza, Slices Pizza, Slice and 12-inch Pizzas & Records is Extra Virgin Pizza. This casual alfresco pizzeria at Tower One of Asia Square (near Lau Pa Sat), opened by the group that runs Overeasy, The White Rabbit and Tanjong Beach Club, specializes in handcrafted Neapolitan and Roman-styles pizzas.

True to its name, Extra Virgin Pizza uses only extra virgin olive oil in all their food and the pizzas here are made to order with all-natural ingredients, imported flour, tomatoes, cheeses and toppings, and freshly baked in Wood Stone brick ovens (same as the ones used in Pizzeria Mozza). The crust of the pizzas, made using true Neapolitan’s “slapping technique”, was thin, chewy and has a yeasty flavour. There are also small charred spots about the size of a coin on the crust which give the dough a hint of (or excessive, depending on your taste buds) smokiness to the dough.

Pistachio pizza

The pizza menu is varied, ranging from the classic margherita and proscuitto pizzas to a few unique offerings such as our favourite Pistachio pizza ($24), a green pizza topped with fresh baby arugula, pistachio pesto, mozzarella, lemon vinaigrette and parmigiano reggiano (a premium Parmesan cheese). The subtle, peppery taste of baby arugula goes perfectly with the slight nutty flavour of pistachio pesto. This light, fresh and flavourful pizza is great for vegetarians or weight watchers.

Another must-try is the truffle oil-scented mushroom bianco pizza ($22) made with béchamel sauce (a simple white sauce of milk and roux), mozzarella, roasted mushrooms and onions, fontina (Italian cheese) and rosemary. This pizza was delicious. The roasted mushrooms and onions paired beautifully with the mild Italian cheese. The drizzle of truffle oil imparts a nice earthy flavour and aroma to this gourmet pizza.

Oven-fired clams

Besides pizzas, Extra Virgin Pizza also offers a small selection of salads, antipasta and desserts. For starter, the Oven-Fired Clams ($18) in garlic, butter and white wine broth and served with extra garlic virgin bread is worth trying. The broth made a great dip for the accompanying garlic bread, although the clams could have been sweeter.

And if you have a sweet tooth, the melt-in-your-mouth Nutella Panna Cotta ($8), a delicious smooth chocolate hazelnut cream custard served with fresh berries and the crispy Lobster Tails ($3 each, min 2 pieces), a flaky pastry with hazelnut filling, will end your meal on a sweet note.

One of the things we liked about Extra Virgin Pizza is their laid back alfresco dining and the fact that there is no service charge. Be prepared to queue if you’re going there at lunchtime on a weekday, as the place is packed with business workers in the area.