Napoli On The Road

Best Pizza in the World, according to the awards but is it true?

Opening Ramble:

Having just published the best pizza in London blog, I rolled my eyes when I saw the Timeout article saying the world’s best pizza maker was found in London.¹ Not just London but in Chiswick, a 10 minute cycle ride away from me! How can pizza that good be so close and I’ve never even heard of it. When I googled it, it turned out that I had actually walked past the shop several times since it was near one of my favourite gelato shops in London.² So I thought about it and having reviewed their menu, I knew I had to go down, as I had questions. Could there be a slice of Italian deliciousness on a street in Chiswick that is unparalleled in London? Could my journey to get fit soon be receiving a giant tasty obstacle? Could I eventually get sick of pizza if I keep reviewing pizza joints? Let’s find out!

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The Order (dishes as described on the menu):

Starters

1. First Starter - 2 Suppli -
   One fried breadcumb-coated rice ball stuffed with cacio & pepe sauce and one suppli al pesto served with trofie pasta, basil pesto cream, parmigiano reggiano and fior di latte

   £7.95 Rating : 8.6/10

2. Second Starter - Montanara -

   A double cooked pizza dough, first fried and then finished in the oven with ragu of tomato sauce, buffalo mozzarella, basil leaf

   £7.95 Rating : 8.9/10

Pizzas

1. Assoluto Di Carciofi
   Cream of jerusalem artichokes, smoked mozzarella, black olives powder, grilled artichokes, parsley

   £14.95 Rating : 9.0/10

2. Genovese Di Agnello
   Slow cooked genovese ragu made with onions and lamb, fior di latte, parmigiano reggiano

   £15.95 Rating : 9.3/10

3. A’Parmigiana
   Organic Tomato Sauce, fior di latte, baked aubergines, parmigiano reggiano, basil, EVO oil
   £14.95 Rating : 9.4/10

4. Diavolo
   Organic tomato sauce, fior di latte, spicy salami, basil, EVO oil
   £13.95 Rating : 9.1/10

Total Bill incl tip:

£149.71³

Overall Rating:

8.9/10

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Review:

The Vibe:

I really liked the vibe of NOTR. The decoration felt very clean and Mediterranean. Accents of blue and white with different lemon related paraphernalia were festooned across the restaurant. Things like lemon trees and paintings helped keep it fun, bright and clean.
The same was true of the tables. A lovely faux marble table (with asymmetrical serving plates.⁴ Each one a fun explosion of colour that made NOTR more homely. It felt actual thought had gone into the decoration, taking a risk with colour and, for me, it paid off.

The Food

Starters

1. First Starter - 2 Suppli -
   The pesto suppli was one of the best starters I’ve ever had. The perfectly fried breadcrumb coating would have been an ASMR lover’s dream. As I cut into it, it exposed what turned out to be green gold. I’ve not had pesto this good, this flavoursome and smooth in a long long time, maybe ever. It combined well with the troife pasta and cheeses but honestly I was so lost in the sauce already, it was just gilding the lily.
   
   The second suppli was a Cacio E Pepe which after the pesto suppli I was gassed for. Cacio E Pepe is one of my most favourite pastas in this world, whether it’s at a restaurant or home cooking Sadly however this suppli didn’t live up to expectations. It was just fine and the more I think about it, bland. I could definitely taste some of the cheeses but the warmth from the pepper was missing. This made it kind of stodgy.

2. Second Starter - Montanara

   I was initially sceptical of this starter and that’s why I didn’t order it. I don’t like fried pizza for some reason that I can’t put my finger on. I love fried food, I love pizza but together, I just can’t rock with it. What a fool I was. Firstly, it was a gateway drug to the pizza dough. The first indication that NOTR ain’t playing with their dough. The inside of the dough was almost marshmallowy. Uber soft but still maintaining bounce back and remaining slightly chewy. I’m still not sure of the value of frying the dough but it tasted awesome so who cares. I don’t come to a pizza restaurant to count/pinch calories, I’m here for a good and long time because I’m greedy and this satisfied my greed briefly.

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Mains

1. Assoluto Di Carciofi
   This was one of the weirdest pizza I’ve ever had. Chef Michele Pascarella is known for contemporary pizzas and not being a strict Neopolitian Pizza acolyte which I respect and really rate. But I had no idea what to expect with this pizza. The creamed artichoke created a lovely impression straight off the bat, smooth and creamy with the lovely savoury flavour of the artichoke. As you chewed, you got notes of the smoked mozzarella but not so much that it filled your mouth like a badly smoked rack of ribs. The added umami punch from the black olive powder mixed beautifully with it. Using powder rather than actual olives ensured you got a flavour of black olive, without overpowering the rest of the flavours and textures. Then everything was cleaned up by the wash of parsley. These flavours really could have been a haymaker for your tastebuds and prepared by most other chefs it probably would have been. Not NOTR however, they have created a harmonious and delicate pizza that just works. Even if logically I shouldn’t like it, I do, maybe even love it.

2. Genovese Di Agnello
   This was the pizza I was most looking forward to, the one I ordered. I’ve never had Italian lamb ragu so I was intrigued.⁵ The first thing that hits you is the smell, I didn’t even need to taste it and I knew I was in for a good time. A smell that only a long and slow cooked red meat can achieve. Biting into a slice, I was hit with lovely complex flavours of the lamb. It was almost gamey in its richness and the onions provided a sweetness that made it so comforting and satisfying. If you had a slice with basil on it, it provided a fresh finishing note. It was such a rich and perfectly balanced flavour profile. The amazing thing about it however, was that it didn’t feel too heavy. It’s lightness, given it’s depth of flavour, was magical to me. I damn near inhaled the pizza.

3. A’Parmigiana
   I’m not the biggest fan of eggplant. I’ve had it cooked via a myriad of cuisines; Greek, Indian, Italian and French to name but a few. When it’s executed poorly, they all share the same characteristics of a slimy gloopy mess. So I was worried that on a pizza, it would be too wet and slimy. I was completely wrong. Before we get to that though, let’s chat about the tomato sauce. It is divine. If the heavens did speak, they would probably tell us a recipe that was almost as good as NOTR’s sauce. It was the perfect level of sweet and had those delightful herby notes that give it depth and left you wanting MORE. When combined with the A’Parmigiana’s baked aubergine, which had melted into the sauce, it was delightful. The sweetness and slight smokiness of the aubergine combined really well with the sauce. Combined with the fact the pizza base remained structurally in tact, it was an amazing pizza.

4. Diavolo
   The Diavolo was the most traditional pizza we ordered since it’s essentially a cheese pizza with salami. But in true NOTR fashion, they elevated this relatively humble pie. I really appreciated the fact that for their Diavolo, they cut up the salami into chunks rather than slices and put them under the cheese. It’s genius. You get a more even spread of salami across the pizza and, more importantly, each bite. It also added an interesting texture that I wasn’t expecting. The rest of the pizza was as above, bloody brilliant. It was just more evidence that the NOTR crew really think about flavour and how the food can best display the flavours on show at all times.

Conclusion

I can very easily see why this place and the chef was given the best pizza in the world. The dough is frankly insanity; to get it so pillowy soft and yet chewy and crispy is something that people definitely would have got the chef done for witchcraft back in the day. The organic tomato sauces on the pizza and starters, you will not find better without being in Italy with a nonna tried and true recipe.⁶ The toppings range from comforting classics executed perfectly to insane creations that are perfectly balanced and defy what my simple tastebuds would expect. This was the first review I’ve written where I’ve craved the content as I’m writing. I’m definitely going back soon and honestly everyone should join me.⁷

PS

They also deliver! I got some delivered as I finished writing this article. So there’s no excuses really.

PS PS Check out the crust bounce back!

1. Shout out to my friend Dami for linking it to me

2. DUCI (ducilondon.com) it’s very good especially for London and a great after pizza treat since its right across the street.

3. I didn’t include drinks/dessert because I didn't have space in this article. Maybe on my next review because I’m definitely going back for more

4. I’m guessing, if it’s real marble then my bad

5. I’ve had lamb ragu at some trashy Mediterranean restaurants before and usually it’s an oily sloppy mess

6. It still might not actually taste better but the environs will have you in a chokehold and boost the flavours immensely

7. I meant this as more go with your friends but I’ll jump at any chance to go NOTR if you need an extra wheel for your party