Pizza Fabbrica - Pizzazz along Bussorah Street

Unknown to many and perhaps made aware by myself only recently, I have an unspoken soft spot for the Kampong Glam area. It is genuinely relaxed and laidback with none of that hipster poseur vibe found in the Tiong Bahru area. Alright, some nuances of that can be found along Haji Lane but that is acceptable.

Pizza Fabbrica is a darling find along Bussorah Street. Despite the ubiquitous stark, industrial chic furniture, there is some semblance of personality in the form of customised posters that would not look out of place on behance.net.

There were very minor hiccups with service but there was little to complain about, and one of the staff (who I later learnt is the Managing Director himself) even offered us a table at the quieter section when they saw the Dumpling asleep.

We only had one starter - Insalata Radicchio Gorgonzola e Pere - a radicchio salad neatly packed with gorgonzola cheese, pear and candied walnuts lightly dressed in a vinaigrette. If you want a salad where you can taste the vegetables (as opposed to drenched in creamy sauce - hey, noone is judging), this is it. A light, clean and refreshing start to our otherwise carby meal.

With a copper wood fire oven claiming centerstage in its kitchen, Pizza Fabbrica specialises in thin-crust wood-fired pizzas. But before you think, Yay low carb! Well, "thin-crust" just means you can pack in slices, honey.

The pizza menu is conveniently split into Red and White ("We are Singaaaa-poreee!") and the pizzas we had that day were both respectably charred and cheesy.

From the Red Pizza section, a familiar Pizza Frutti di Mare crowned with fresh mussels, prawns, squid and one lonesome scallop. It is quite a sight to behold, despite what this picture suggests. 

From the White Pizza section, we had the heady Funghi Scarmorza topped with mozzarella cheese, porchini mushrooms, scarmoza and truffle oil (*heart*).

Both pizzas were pleasing but the Funghi Scarmoza was the clear favourite of the afternoon. #TruffleWhore

Because of the Munckin, we also order the Spaghetti alla Carbonara, a gloriously non-creamy version made with pancetta, eggs and light as fairy dust grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Taking a breather from the carbs, we ordered a grilled beef ribeye and rocket salad dusted with shaved Grana Padano and a drizzle of sweet balsamic glaze. Though we could easily replicate this dish at home, it didn't stop us from enjoying perfectly grilled medium rare ribeye slices that paired so well with sweet sticky balsamic glaze. Those juicy roasted tomatoes were incredible!

More than halfway into the meal, we discovered the restaurant offers rare draught beers - you could imagine how pleased the men were. My father-in-law and KW both enjoyed their respective lager and Hitachi Beer, and this speciality of theirs found its way into a traditional Italian desert - the tiramisu. 

Making my way through the tiramisu, I could not put my (lady) finger on its uniqueness. There was nary a whiff of alcohol, yet there was something compelling about its mellow creaminess.  

I was really looking forward to their saffron panna cotta but alas, they had ran out of it. The Torta al Cioccolato (Home-made Chocolate Cake) took its place as second choice though it fought hard to keep our interest. The chocolate cake boasted a dark ganache-heavy richness - the kind that adamantly sticks to your spoon till you lick it off with considerable force - that could only be matched by a heady scoop of Cointreau ice cream.

Though I eat out alot less often and tend to be more forgiving of new restaurants, Pizza Fabbrica feels like a charming neighbour joint with a little more pizzazz.