Pizzas made in true Neapolitan style have found their way to Shenton Way’s latest development.
Contributed By Yong Yung Shin
Extra Virgin Pizza’s large woodstone brick ovens. PHOTO COURTESY OF LO & BEHOLD.
Making full use of the spacious atrium of the spanking new Asia Square Tower, the alfresco dining area of the Extra Virgin Pizza pizzeria is dramatic in its starkness, but do not let that intimidate you from giving it a try.
Owned by Lo & Behold Group, the people behind Loof, The White Rabbit and OverEasy, EVP’s main draw is its baked-to-order thin-crust pizzas. The provocative name is a reference to the extra virgin olive oil used, alongside a strict ban of artificial ingredients in favor of all-natural ingredients such as Italian double-zero flour, California organic Saporito tomatoes and premium imported cheeses. We didn’t take many of the claims to heart, but as they say, the proof is in the pudding!
Starters seldom get us so excited, but the Layered Caprese (S$15) justifies the lengths the owners go to in sourcing for their tomatoes, among others. An astoundingly simple dish of alternating slices of vine-ripened tomato, fresh mozzarella cheese and basil leaves drizzled with Balsamic vinegar, it was a delicate harmony of flavors sweet, tangy, salty and buttery all at once—upon a closer read of the menu, we discovered that the cheese used was mozzarella di bufala, the gold standard in mozzarella cheeses, made from the milk of water buffalo. The Oven-Fired Clams (S$18), served piping hot in a garlicky, butter and white wine broth, made a great natural dip for the accompanying Extra Garlic Virgin Bread, although the clams could have been sweeter.
The crust of the pizzas, being made with the “slap technique” in the tradition of true Neapolitan pizza, was wonderfully thin, soft and chewy. There were also nickel-sized black spots on the crust—a distinct characteristic of Neapolitan pizza that is made in a well-fired oven. The spots imparted a slight smokiness to the overall taste of our Prosciutto & Arugula (S$26), which was, in brief, faultless—fresh, and just the right amount of ingredients, atop an A-grade crust.
The Proscuitto & Arugula Pizza. PHOTO: Dawn Seow.
The Pistachio pizza (S$24), made from a pistachio pesto, mozzarella, rocket leaves and Parmigiano Reggiano (a premium Parmesan cheese unlike the powdered gratings we’re accustomed to), was distinctively flavorful with a subtle nuttiness—some may find the Parmigiano Reggiano a bit overwhelming but at least vegetarians who come here will not be constricted to just mushroom or four-cheese options.
On the beverage front, EVP is the first restaurant in Singapore to serve Kirin Beer on draft, along with a list of Italian wines and house sodas—the Strawberry Basil (S$6) is fragrant, fruity notes mixed with grassy whiffs. A full menu of specialty Papa Palheta coffee drinks are available too.
EVP’s desserts are no fringe attraction—try the Nutella Panna Cotta (S$8), a chocolate hazelnut-flavored version of the classic treat which melts into a milky ecstasy with each spoon, being impossibly smooth and silky.
Prices are understandably not low given the location, but for the quality, we’ll definitely be back.
Extra Virgin Pizza
8 Marina View, #01-04
Asia Square Tower 1
Singapore 018960
+65 6247 5757
