Jamie's Pizzeria: A Tasty Bang for the Indian Buck

Most of us have heard of celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver but not many are familiar with his philosophy on food: Simple, clean, rustic, made with the freshest ingredients. I decided to check out Jamie’s Pizzeria on a Sunday afternoon. Leaving behind the hustle and bustle of the mall, I entered the cosy, naturally-lit, well-designed rustic space; the open kitchen only adds to the warm vibe.

I had a meal there with a large group but would have been perfectly content eating alone. The staff was polite, attentive, {a bit too eager}, but were forgiven for continuing the tradition of interrupting the diners mid-conversation to ask if they need a refill.

For appetisers, I highly recommend the Hand Stretched Garlic Bread with Rosemary and Olive Tapenade; it is baked to perfection and the combination of garlic with the spices is just right. I was also quite pleased with the Marinated Feta and Watermelon Salad with Crispy Ginger, Chilli and Mint. The sweetness of the watermelon is wonderfully juxtaposed with the creamy and slightly salty feta cheese chunks. The ginger makes it a zesty and crunchy affair.

Traditionally a hand-stretched pizza is eaten as it is with a knife and fork. But here, in Delhi, due to customer demands, they cut the pizza into slices, which does make it a bit sloppy. The trick is to fold it and then eat it. Or, you can request that they not slice it, as I did.

The first bite of the Delhi Hot {spiced mutton meatballs, crushed tomatoes, mozzarella, chilli and oregano} made me go mama mia, and I was transported back to my favourite pizza joint in New York City. The combination of the sauce and cheese was just perfect and it had me begging the chef for the secret ingredient.

The other favourite was the Margherita: Its simplicity is what makes it delightful, and the touch of green basil on top makes you want to tear into it with relish.

If you want to give the customary pizza a miss, the Rocket Radicchio and Parmesan Salad, Crispy Potatoes with Rosemary, Mango Sorbet and Tiramisu are worth a try.

Jamie’s Pizzeria surpassed my expectations. Kudos to Brand Chef Bakul Kodikal. The ambience leads to a very relaxed meal, and the best part is, despite eating a lot one doesn’t feel the need for a food-induced nap right after.

PS: They still haven’t gotten their liquor licence, so if you’re in the mood for some booze, you might want to pre-game.