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If they do proper wood-fired pizza with proper dough and base along the lines of Franco Manca in Brixton, they will clean up.


There is no decent pizza place for miles around (apart from Franco M which doesn't deliver) Firezza's base is so-so when they get it right, but are unable to follow basic instructions as to how you like it fired, The Gowlett is OK, but again doesn't deliver.


Google Franco Manca if you want to see an outstanding commitment to proper Neopolitain authenticity. The trouble they have gone to in order to reproduce the simple brilliance of the real thing (save a couple of additional toppings) is simply amazing. The quality control that takes in everything from the flour used in their dough to the exact timings of the perfect pizza is something rarely seen anywhere these days.


If I lived nearer Brixton, I'd live on their pizzas.

Yeah, I believe that Franco Manca is one of only very few pizza makers in Britain to be accredited by whoever the Neopolitain body of excellence is. Not in London, but in The UK!


That makes them part of a very select few. We're pretty lucky to have them on our doorstep. Try them once and everything else tastes like Birdseye.

I've bigged up FM before and whilst 'reasonable hours' might be a factor (PixxaHut are obliging in this respect), I think that what the pizza actually tastes like is just a tad relevant. A wood fired oven on Melbourne Grove would truly be a case of Franco Trovato? Not holding my breath though.

Reasonable hours is definitely a factor.

If I can't go there when it's open, I don't care what the pizza tastes like.

That becomes like discussing how good the new Ferrari Testa-tostarona is...


Wood fired pizza in Melbourne Grove would be superb, particularly if it is open when I need pizza.

Jeremy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Personally I'd settle for a decent pizza place

> open at reasonable hours, rather than a superb one

> which is only open for lunch.


I'm sure I didn't mention a thing about opening hours.


just that if they do a good wood-fired pizza, they'll do very well.


Move along. Nothing to see here...

Mick Mac Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The best pizza I have ever had in London is at The

> Gowlett - I think their bases are spot on.


Each to their own and all that. I agree The Gowlett's good, but too thin for my liking, and that's just my preference alone. The whole thin crust thing is a bit of an odd one for me. Authentic Neopolitain ones are by no means a Chicago style deep filled monstrosity, but they have a lovely doughy centre within a well fired bite.


That just happens to be what I like and I really struggle to get one not only in London, but in the UK.

Jeremy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Gimme Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > If I can't go there when it's open, I don't

> care

> > what the pizza tastes like.

> > That becomes like discussing how good the new

> > Ferrari Testa-tostarona is...

>

> Exactly!


But equally if it is a dogsh!t 3 in one kebab, pizza and chip joint, surely it doesn't matter if it is open 24/7 with a 5 minute delivery time to anywhere in the borough.


OK, so what we are saying here is that we would like a good quality pizza place that is open from about midday to late evening...


Wow! Who'd have thunk it!?!???!?!?!???

alethea Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> But equally if it is a dogsh!t 3 in one kebab,

> pizza and chip joint, surely it doesn't matter if

> it is open 24/7 with a 5 minute delivery time to

> anywhere in the borough.

>

> OK, so what we are saying here is that we would

> like a good quality pizza place that is open from

> about midday to late evening...

>

> Wow! Who'd have thunk it!?!???!?!?!???



I think you're onto something there.

Let's hope it isn't a 3 in one kebab, pizza and chip joint AND that they open reasonable hours (i.e. in the evening and on Saturday) AND that the pizza is as good as Franco Manco's AND that the waitresses are all supermodels waiting to be discovered AND that pizza and a beer gives you change from a fiver....


.... and then they are guaranteed to do well.


And then Gimme, Jeremy, Alethea and DC and everyone else will be all be happy.


If not, see you down the Gowlett!

  • 2 weeks later...

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