Eat Like Ushi

Canberra is known for its wine region. It isn't something I care about as I don't enjoy drinking wine (other than used in recipes, added to sangria, or mixed blasphemously with coke or lemonade when in Spain). However one particular place 40mins north enticed me with the promise of woodfired pizzas.

Both pizzas (rosemary & potato, chicken & Spanish onion I seem to recall) were covered in thick cheese and had nice crusts with mildly puffy edges. Satisfying for a cold day and maybe even with a glass of wine.

I won't say the pizzas are worth heading out there for, but if there then don't need to hesitate.

I don't find that much to do in Florence. After visiting David, considering a trip inside Uffizi, seeing the street sculptures and roaming about Ponte Vecchio, there's only really outlet shopping left. Perhaps this will change on my next return after recently reading Dan Brown's Inferno. Crossing over to the other side of the bridges is probably something I should look more into. On this one occasion the journey over had the purpose of eating on the other side. Surprisingly not many places on the main cityside took my interest.

I wanted to eat bistecca alla Fiorentina. On my list Trattoria Sostanza sounded interesting because it had this dish but also a particularly well reputed buttered chicken. Unfortunately it is closed on weekends so I had to look elsewhere.

Trattoria Dante met the criteria for across the bridge, exploration and also reputation for pasta (for my brother) and steak (for me). I was surprised to find the name of the place Pizzeria Dante, although the official title still says ristorante trattoria pizzeria. It's a much more upmarket place than the standard trattorias or pizzerias, so be aware the clientele and setting is quieter.

- bread - we didn't order this but as is Italian restaurant tradition, it was served. Considering the pizzeria reputation, this was exceptional bread. I imagine their pizzas would be fantastic;
- Insalata di mare caldo (calamari, gamberetti) - seafood salad with squid, shrimps;
- Spaghetti ai frutti di mare (calamari, cozze, vongole e gamberetti) - rich with calamari, clams, mussells and shrimps;
- Pappardelle al sugo di cinghiale (wild boar sauce);
- Bistecca alla Fiorentina - Tuscan beef T-bone served perfectly seared into rare. The meat was lovely and tender but could have used extra seasoning.

Overall it was a little too much food for two people. But it didn't stop me from having impromptu gelato down the road at La Carraia.

There's something quite exciting about plotting a Rome map dotted with pizza venues. There's a few websites that list the few most well reputed pizza places. Pizza extends beyond the standard notion of rolled out circular dough with topping and includes particular breads and versions that are local delicacies.

Some are a little further out and require exploring, but the results are worth it in the end to sample everything Roman pizzerias have to offer.

- Li Rioni - a short walk near the Colosseum. The heaps of buffalo mozzarella was smooth and fresh;
- Forno Campo de Fiori - know for rossa pizza, which has the most simple and exquisite tomato sugo;
- Dar Poeta - the jewel of Trastevere;
- Forno Marco Roscioli - slightly difficult to locate (as I think there are two of these close together - one is the pizza place and the other is a deli) but known for bianca pizza, which is olive oil topped;
- Il Trapizzino di 00100 - worth the journey south to Testaccio for this unusual pocket pizza and some wonderful meatballs and tomato sauce.

Other than these, the only one I didn't make on my list was Pizzarium. It's a decent walk past Vatican City and even though I made it, the queue was too long for the time I had before my Vatican tour. Next time.

Sometimes you crave a big pizza all to yourself. The last time for me was back in 2013 when I got a 20" (half bone marrow/spring onion/watercress and half pork belly/chimichurri/smoked onions) all to myself at Homeslice at Seven Dials near Covent Garden or the Georgian khachapuri (cheese, cheese, cheese) in St. Petersburg a few months later. On those occasions despite the more unusual ingredients and my greed, I could only finish half each.

Tonight was another of those pizza moments and Arte seemed a good choice. I'd read about it and the menu seemed conventional and nice, albeit a little expensive. Once I went inside the small home business I saw how large a family pizza is and the prices made sense. The small and medium are significantly smaller so don't really seem good value (unless you can't bear the thought of eating day old pizza - shame on you).

- Calzone Traditionale - a huge calzone filling a family sized box with thin pieces of ham (not smoked or cured), tomato, an occasional basil leaf and a load of molten mozzarella;
- Prawn Pizza #1 - 6 high quality prawns (cut in half to form 12) on a thin pizza base topped with cheese and a nice tomato base. Garlic was a listed ingredient but although I chewed through a few granules I couldn't detect any of the flavour;
- Garlic Pizza - very thin crispy like flatbread rather than pizza base with a few chunks of garlic. Prefer much more garlic, some butter and a little burning. Disappointed overall.

The pizzas were decent quality but I did feel slightly unsatisfied (not dissatisfied) at the end. Given the other local options are Domino's and Crust (which I don't mind actually), this is a clear step up above in quality.

My favourite pizzas of all time (other than the simple fresh passata and buffalo mozzarella in Rome) have had anchovies or capers or speck or proscuitto. So I think I probably just like much heavier seasoning/salt with my pizzas. I still have half a calzone, 3/4 family prawn pizza and half a small garlic pizza left. I'll easily get through it and it should satisfy my pizza needs until I decide to recreate Franco Manca's recipe for the 2nd time.

You wouldn't ordinarily expect to eat pizza in Seychelles. Occasionally laziness slips through and your guard is let down.

After arriving into the accommodation at Beau Vallon, the host graciously drove us around the area to point out the roads to the beaches, shops, restaurants. With a dining area that is glorious for facing onto the beach, and also having some nice nonchalant diner-style charm, Baobab was explained to be the best pizzeria on the island and the only one having a true wood-fire pizza oven.

A late evening trek to the outdoor seating surrounded by beach, plants/trees and water on one side was surprisingly free of insects and mosquitoes. Perhaps my 50% DEET played a role, but no diners seemed bothered.

Being an island, my goal was to eat as much seafood (hopefully) local as possible. Unfortunately the limited menu only featured prawns and smoked fish as seafood items for pizza, and both were not available. Great. I instead settled for Proscuitto & Funghi SCR120 which featured some ham, a lack of detected mushrooms, and thick layer of molten cheese and tomato mix. The base had crisp edges and a soft folding core although could have used a more salt in the dough recipe.

A special of the day was Fried Calamari SCR150 which had a nice salty batter and some decent (imported) squid underneath.

Overall the meal was fine. Nothing special, but a good adequate Italian meal.

Next time I would order the Baobab Special pizza (with prawns) if available. The place is near Boat House buffet, which has a mixed review of local seafood and grilled meat dishes. If the thought of pizza won't fill your belly, try the nightly buffet instead.

I actually had a bit of difficulty finding this place. But the allure of a 20" pizza all to myself from (yet another) recently converted food van made the searching worth it.

I had a half-half - Pork belly, chimichurri, smoked onions vs. Caprese, bone marrow with spring onion & watercress. The base is thin and crisp and the pizza toppings are unusual (to say the least) but nice and creative.

Somedays are personal pizza days.

For some good standard Italian staples, Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria & Cucina inside The Shops at Crystals.

- Calamari "Fritto", Garlic Aioli, Lemon, Paprika
- salad of lettuce, tomato, pistachio, parmesan
- bread with prosciutto, asparagus, rocket, parmesan
- Pappardelle, mushrooms, parsley
- Linguine, Steamed Clams, White Wine-Garlic Sauce
- 4 pizzas
- gelato & biscotti