Have you ever been to Italy? If so did you ever venture off into the unknown and dine in a hole in the wall that happened to have the most mouth watering Italian pizza you’ve ever tasted?
Most people know that the pizza was discovered and perfected in Napoli, Italy.
I happened to take a trip to Napoli (better known as Naples to us North Americans) a few years back before taking off to the Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri. Most of my time spent in Naples was taken up by eating…authentic Napoletana pizza! In fact most of my trip to this region of Italy involved eating.
Did you know that in order to serve a true authentic Neapolitan style pizza your restaurant must be granted a designation by the VPN (Vera Pizza Napoletana)? This is hard to come by and requires a wood-fired pizza oven which has stayed true to its Neapolitan roots and the art of Neapolitan pizza making…because it truly is an art. Most Neapolitan pizzerias make pizza with a wood-fired oven. When made in a wood-fired oven the pizza dough should be thin, soft and with a little bit of a crunchy crust. The success of this depends on the oven, but also on the dough, the water, and the way the cook works these materials and clearly the ingredients used.
Nicli Antica Pizzeria in Gastown has been given the VPN designation and has also been given two thumbs up by the Hungry Nomad! Anyone who has had the opportunity to travel to Italy will appreciate a good authentic Italian pizza and this restaurant serves just that in a really modern trendy setting.
They offer a variety of pizzas (surprise, surprise)including your classic margherita (see menu. Fresh made pizza dough, fresh basil plants and buffalo mozzarella cheese all put together into pizza perfection. The pizza dough was just the right touch of crispy (no burnt crust which is a major no no). No soggy dough and perfect amount of tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Make sure you order yourself a nice glass of Chianti to wash down your meal. Followed by dessert. We tried the Panna Cotta served with chestnuts and dark chocolate mousse served with figs- both were delicious!
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