Jamie's Pizzeria: Pocket-friendly, yet high on taste

Gurgaon: As the news of British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver opening his restaurants Jamie's Italian and Jamie's Pizzeria in India surfaced, the capital's foodies went into a virtual frenzy. Upon getting a chance to taste the cuisine on offer at the Pizzeria, the immense hype around the brand was not unfounded. Located in the swish Ambience Mall here, Jamie's Pizzeria, which opened in October, is a pizza lover's delight. And, not to forget, a meal at the restaurant does not burn a huge hole in your pocket either. How expensive could a delicious, trademark Jamie Oliver pizza be? Well, a tad lesser than what you would spend at a multiplex watching a desi potboiler. And you would at least get value for money at the Pizzeria! With the rate list kept at less than Rs.500 per dish, chef Bakul Kodikal breaks down on how the Pizzeria keeps its pricing affordable. "Jamie Oliver believes in affordable fresh food available for everyone and that is exactly what we have in the restaurants too," Kodikal told IANS. "We have worked tirelessly over the past two years to build a local supply chain that can deliver this, while also ensuring the suppliers adhere to the highest welfare standards for their product and source them responsibly. We want to work with local suppliers to deliver a delicious product at an accessible price," he added. One would want to begin with the fritto misto, a deliciously soft combination of prawns, squid and fried fish in crispy batter with chunky Italian tartar sauce. Among the mains, there are as many as 12 pizzas on offer, out of which there are seven varieties for the vegetarians and the rest for the carnivores. "We have seven vegetarian pizzas and five non-vegetarian pizzas on the menu so we wanted to make sure our non-vegetarian customers had a variety of pizzas to choose from. We have two chicken, two lamb and a prawn pizza with each dish carrying its own distinct tastes...there is a pizza for everyone," Kodikal said about the menu. Among the vegetarian pizzas, the funghi woodman is, without a shadow of doubt, a compelling indulgence to partake in. The thin crust, laced with mushroom sauce and smoked mozzarella is a mouth-watering offering for the taste buds. "This dish is straight off the Jamie's Pizzeria menu in Cambridge (first ever Jamie's Pizzeria). Each ingredient carries a bold flavour and they work really well together, the freshness of the mint, the roasted wild mushrooms and the creamy mushroom sauce," Kodikal said about the dish. The dough, which is made in-house, gives the pizza base a crunchy and juicy flavour. For the meat lovers, the polpette schiacciata, which oozes with mozzarella and toppings of mutton meatballs, serves a very juicy combination of roasted onions with cheese and meat. The delicately thin crust of the pizza makes you relish it from the beginning to the end and savour every bite of it. As far as desserts are concerned, the affogato, which essentially is vanilla ice cream drowned in hot espresso, is the perfect way to sum up a scrumptious meal session at Jamie's Pizzeria. Overall, the newly launched eatery is a perfect way to spend a relaxed Sunday evening with great food, a minimalistic decor and not worry about the bill too much. FAQs: Place: Jamie's Pizzeria Location: 3rd Floor, Ambience Mall, Gurgaon Timing: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Cost for two: Rs. 800 for two people (approximately) (No alcohol licence yet)