A truly memorable pizza is about balance. Not the kind of balance required to traverse a tightrope or ride a skateboard – good pizza demands culinary balance. The deliberate selection and placement of ingredients to ensure the finished product is palatable and unique.
Much of the time pizza can be an easily forgettable meal. It’s fast, easy to make and unless you do something ungodly, it generally tastes okay. But you know you’ve found a great restaurant when the pizza keeps you coming back, and Piazza is capable of doing just that.
Located on the eighth floor of Happy Valley Shopping Mall, Piazza is a new edition to the Tianhe casual dining scene. Each pizza is crafted with quality ingredients to ensure superiority over other options in the same price range.
Yet what really sets this location apart from others in Guangzhou is the freedom to pick your own pizza dough. The dough is the paper on which pizza is written, so it’s nice to have a choice. Presently, options include original, pepper and onion, spinach and whole wheat, although more are on the horizon according to co-owner Sevag Baroudjian.
Piazza’s resident chef, Davide Parlato, is from northern Italy and has been making pizza for the past six years. Lending the restaurant credentials, he’s been working here since it opened two months ago.
The calzone (RMB53) is a great place to start, particularly if you are dining alone, because it is portioned perfectly and expertly crafted. Unlike most calzones that come out as a greasy, folded-over pizza, Piazza’s is brilliantly executed, with just the right amount of sauce and cheese to complement the soft crust. The calzone’s innards also host ham and thick, meaty mushrooms.
If pizza is not really your deal, Piazza’s menu offers eight eclectic and traditionally Italian pasta options, including spaghetti carbonara with Parmesan cheese and French bacon. Or, keep it simple with an order of the beef lasagna (RMB37).
Alternatively, ditch the carbs and go for a salad. The spinach salmon salad (RMB29) is a delicious choice, which comes complete with mushrooms, fresh spinach and smoked salmon in a vinaigrette sauce.
Although the interior of Piazza is relatively small, its brilliance lies in a large detached ‘patio’ in the center hallway of the mall, which can accommodate up to 90 guests. Tables even come with umbrellas to set the waterfront Venice feel.
Ultimately, however, it’s still in a mall, and thus bound by the Happy Valley mall hours. Unfortunate, because being located next to a movie theater would make it a great place to grab a beer and pizza with some friends after an evening flick. For now, your Piazza enjoyment will be limited to the hours of 11.30am-10pm.
Balancing quality of food and price can often be a difficult task, but Piazza makes it easy with authentic Italian cuisine for a fair price. Now, dough-n’t you want a slice?
Price: Approx. RMB60 per person
Who’s going: Students and middle-class pizza lovers
Good for: Pizza crust options
// Listing.
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