The Italian job

Ever since it opened its doors in 2000 in Bandra restaurateur AD Singhrsquos Mediterraneanthemed Olive Bar amp Kitchen has taught the city to relish a vibe thatrsquos easy fun and minimalistic However the food that Olive serves up is not easy to carry points out chef Irfan Pabaney country head of SodaBottleOpenerWala another brand by Singh ldquoPeople do order and pack stuff from Olive but itrsquos a very inrestaurant dining menu So we thought lsquoWhy not offer what Olive does best to people at largersquordquo shares Pabaney about what prompted them to launch their new pizza delivery venture Olive PizzeriaCaramelised onion and feta pizzaConceptualised by Pabaney the pizzeria offers Neapolitanstyle gourmet pizzas pastas and pullapart breads across the city from kitchens in Andheri West and BKC With nine and 12inch options such as wild mushroom pizza classic margherita pizza BBQ chicken pizza and OP signature pepperoni pizza pastas including penne in porcini cream spaghetti aglio olio and mac and cheese and a couple of pullapart breads the menu is a happy blend of classic and new flavours Therersquos also a makeyourownpasta section Pabaney tells us that their focus has been on three main components mdash the base sauce and cheese a Danish variety ldquoWe wanted to make sure the food was simple and familiar to peoplerdquo he addsOP signature pepperoni pizzaA big win for the pizzas when they arrive on a Saturday afternoon are the thin crisp bases mdash a welcome change from the soggy slices that sweat and stick to delivery boxes The secret to this Pabaney informs is a zigzag corrugated base on which each pizza sits as opposed to being directly placed inside the delivery box It ensures better air circulation wersquore told We kick off our Neapolitan journey with the caramelised onion and feta pizza Rs 535 for 12inch Rs 375 for nineinch which is fresh and fragrant The caramelised onions offer a mild sweetness that complements the crumbled feta and the beacutechamel sauce base they also throw in a box of chips to amp up the crunch The pesto chicken pizza Rs 595 Rs 495 features succulent shreds of poultry marinated in a nutty pesto sauce Although flavourful with generous portions both these pizzas are a tad dry to our liking mdash and so we use the creamy cheese dip Rs 150 to finish them offPesto and smoked scamorza pullapart bread with aglio olio dipThe OP signature pepperoni pizza Rs 695 Rs 595 and the pesto and smoked scamorza pullapart bread Rs 195 emerge winners Each slice of the pepperoni pizza is juicy with a briny coarse black olive tapenade that cuts through the meatiness while the pullapart bread is pillowysoft and layered with pesto sauce It holds its ground alone but can also be paired with the creamy cheese dipChef Irfan PabaneyAt a time when several new pizza delivery joints are mushrooming across the city Olive Pizzeria offers classics that have stood the test of time at competitive prices but it might need a little more game to make it to the upper crustLog on to httpslinktreeolivepizzeria or olivepizzeriaindia on Instagram