Specialty pizzeria L’Arte Pizza & Focaccia has introduced eight enticing new pizza flavours from acclaimed chef Radostin Kiryazov, who has won multiple accolades at the World Pizza Championships. Widely regarded as the Bulgarian ‘God of Italian Pizza’, Chef Radostin Kiryazov was in town recently to host us over multiple pizza slices, made with dough perfected through his three decades of kneading, be it for pizza, bread or pasta.
Chef Radostin Kiryazov (far right) and the L’Arte team in Singapore. Photo © Fen Chia.
You may have previously tried the Pizza Romana (Roman-style pizza) at L’Arte, whch come in light, crispy and airy rectangular portions. The new ‘Contemporary’ pizzas are characterised by a light, long-rising dough that creates a soft and crispy crust with large airy pockets. Its preparation starts with a premium finely-ground Italian flour that is known to result in a thin, crispy yet still flexible base. The highly hydrated dough is fermented for 48-hours, a process which enhances its taste, texture and digestibility.
And yes, these pizzas are round! The dough is chewy, yet not too thick. It did not taste like a heavy bread crust the way some pizza bases do. This allows the toppings to shine (and your belly to fit in more slices).
L’Arte Pizza & Focaccia. Photo © L’Arte Pizza & Focaccia
We started off with Formaggi (S$23), a pizza that is all about the cheese. Not your usual ‘four cheese’ pizza, there are five here. Adding to the more commonly seen Mozzarella, Gorgonzola, Parmesan and provolone is smoked scarmoza, which comes from Southern Italy and adds a woody dimension to the flavours. Formaggi was a wholesome, gooey, classic stretchy pizza experience that teased our palates for the more exciting flavours to come.
Go for Formaggi if you love cheese! Photo © Fen Chia.
The next pizza was Carbonara (S$21), topped with guanciale, pecorino, mozzarella and egg. Most people know of carbonara as a commonly-found pasta. However, many eateries in Asia serve a cream-based ‘adulterated’ version with bacon while the authentic Italian carbonara has eggs and no cream at all. Here, Chef Radostin adds an even more luxurious touch with guanciale (cured pork cheeks), which is usually available only at gourmet butcheries.
Carbonara – unlike the popular Asian belief, carbonara in Italy is not made with cream, but with eggs. Photo © Fen Chia.
Hawaiian pizza and its pineapple slices are a classic order for many of us dialling for pizza delivery. Whether or not pineapples belong on pizzas can be a divisive topic as the Hawaiian is not a traditional Italian invention, but was in fact created in the 1960s by a Greek-born Canadian). A slice of the Tropicana (S$23) melts away any reservations one may have, once one embraces the sweet-sour tang of caramelised, glistening pineapple slices in the same mouthful as the salty bite of Parma ham, with the addition of refreshing notes of mint and basil. Bring on the pineapple, I say!
Tropicana. Photo © Fen Chia.
As the buildup to more funky flavours continued, we arrived at All’Amatriciana (S$24), a surprisingly spicy one with sun-ripened tomato sauce, guanciale, pecorino and mozzarella cheese and bird’s eye chilli for a spicy kick. One is reminded that Italy is one of the European countries that produces and weaves in spice in many dishes (think Pasta a l’Arrabbiata), particularly in its southern regions. Together with Tropicana, All’Amatriciana and Tropicana provide a burst of spicy and sour notes that cut through the richness of my first two slices, which makes sharing pizza great for a night out among friends as you get a balanced range of flavours.
All’Amatriciana. See the small spicy chillies! Photo © L’Arte Pizza & Focaccia.
For those who cannot do without sweets, there’s ‘dessert’ on the menu too, although you may see only pizzas, focaccia sandwiches and salads. This came in the form of the Mascarpone Pizza with Berries (S$23), a playful creation that features mascarpone cream cheese, berries, pistachios, honey and mint. This looked like an indulgent treat that a parent might give a child for being good, and though mascarpone takes away from the indulgence being a light cheese with the texture of whipped cream. It was a refreshing reward for devouring so many slices before this.
Mascarpone Pizza with Fresh Berries. Photo © Fen Chia.
Apart from what we’ve tried, there are three other new contemporary pizza flavours:
- Pepperoni Pizza (S$20): Italian sun-ripened tomato sauce on a pizza base, topped with mozzarella cheese and pepperoni salami imported from Italy.
- Calabrese (S$23): A tomato-based classic with mozzarella, juicy mushrooms, garlic, onion and Pecorino cheese.
- Porky’s Pizza (S$23): A meaty treat with pork ham, salami pepperoni and pork sausage topped with a sprinkling of chilli flakes, on a bed of tomato sauce, mozzarella and provolone cheese.
With the exception of Carbonara, all the new flavours will be available for both contemporary and romana pizza types.
Promotions
To mark the eatery’s second anniversary, patrons will receive a complimentary Margherita contemporary pizza worth S$18, with a minimum order of any contemporary pizza from 9 to 12 May 2024.
Meanwhile, Formaggi, Porky’s and Mascarpone Pizza with Berries will also be available at Wine Connection Cheese Bar from 6 May, as part of an ongoing collaboration that encourages diners to pair the pizzas with Wine Connection’s extensive list of over 300 wines from around the world.
L’Arte Pizza and Focaccia
5 Wallich St
#01-14
Singapore 078883
Operating Hours: Monday to Saturday, 11am to 8pm
L’Arte Pizza & Focaccia X Wine Connection Cheese Bar (walk-ins only)
Wine Connection Cheese Bar
11 Unity Street
#01-05
Singapore 237995
Available daily from 11.30am to 9pm (last order 8.30pm)
