28/11/14 - Jamie's Pizzeria, Oxford

A cool thing that has happened to me recently (who knew I had a life outside of pizza) is that I now sing in a super dope band called Dot's Funk Odyssey which is made up of people who are at my university and who like (and are really good at) playing funk and soul music. DFO is so great and so full of stupidly talented people that I am not entirely sure how I fooled them all into thinking I am anywhere near good enough to be in it, but it happened and here we are. 

Anyway, enough of the Self Deprecating Humour™ that u have come to ~know and love~ from restinpizza, and onto the actual point of me mentioning the band I'm in (other than for attention and to have people telling me 'omg of course u are good enough to b in DFO hun :-) ur a star xx'). Most weeks before our gigs we eat as a group before we play, and a few weeks ago, PIZZA was our meal of choice. Obviously I was very excited to combine two of my (v professional) interests, and so here is the review of that pizza. 

The night was November 28th, the place was Jamie's Pizzeria (an offshoot of Jamie's Italian which specialises in pizzas, because a man from Essex has not monopolised the Italian restaurant market enough lol) on George Street in Oxford, and the pizza was a special vegan one made just for ya girl over here. As you can see from the picture, they didn't scrimp on the toppings and I was very pleased that when I asked, the ingredients of the dough could be counted on one hand. The crust was thin and crispy, with satisfyingly chewy crusts, the sauce was a pretty standard tomato sauce, and the quality of the veg on top was really good (special shout out to the mushrooms tbh). For a cheeseless pizza, this was very yummy and I think that I would probably go to Jamie's Pizzeria again which is a good sign. Although they were a bit heavy handed with the chillies on my pizza, which was sad. 

After the pizza, we went to play a gig and I truly believe that the pizza made us funkier. Just another of pizza's divine properties, I guess. *looks into the distance, shakes head wistfully*

Pizza rating: 8/10

Jamie's Pizzeria, 24-26 George Street, Oxford, OX1 2AE

SORRY/A MASTERPOST OF AMAZING PIZZAS

I am literally terrible and haven't posted anything for about two months. I am very sorry to the one avid reader of this blog (Hector Craft) for my transgressions. But now I am back with good news - first of all, the restinpizza zine is still on its way. We have experienced some delays in the process (i.e. me being incredibly lazy) but things are getting back on track and we're hoping that it'll be with you by the beginning of December. We're also working on doing a launch night at a venue in London which will hopefully be super dope and involve bands and free pizza.

The second bit of good news is, despite my absence, I have still been eating pizza! (How could I not though rly, I think at this point I would probably get withdrawal if I stopped) And I am here to provide you with a masterpost of all of those pizzas, including pictures to make you really really really hungry. Get excited.

1) Pizza Paco, Barcelona

We went on holz to Barcelona in September and this was the only pizza we ate because we couldn't find any anywhere else :( know that this pizza probably looks hella plain, but sometimes simplicity is best (also none of the other pizzas were vegan lol) - this pizza was a v pleasing experience, was topped with oregano and some chopped garlic and had a really crunchy crust. Big up Pizza Paco. 

Pizza rating: 7/10

2) Basilico, London 

We ate this pizza the day we came back from Barcelona. Basilico pizzas are really really nice, and have the cheesiest vegan cheese I have had yet. I was very into it. I am a thin crust lady, and this ticked all my dough-related boxes, and the sauce was really great, although it did get a lil overpowered by the cheese at points. Basilico do two different vegan pizzas, and one is a vegan margherita to which there's an option to add toppings so you can basically design yr own pizza. AND the garlic bread (below) is vegan! AND they deliver! AND they do hella big pizzas like 15 inches or something which I haven't had yet but someday will. Maybe I will buy one and wear it as an ostentatious pizza ruff, like in Elizabethan times but edible and delicious. I don't know what I am talking about either. 

Pizza rating: 9/10 (that cheese!)

3) Papa John's, Oxford

I have written before about my warm feelings for Papa John's pizza - it is really stodgy and satisfying and unlike Domino's they don't include like milk or whatever the fuck else in their pizza bases so well done to them. Sadly they don't do vegan cheese, and we were too lazy to put any on, but this pizza was still very tasty and it did its comfort food job very nicely. 

Pizza rating - 8/10

4) Gallery Café, London

I just wanna take a sec to profess my love for Gallery in general. It's an all vegetarian/mostly vegan cafe in Bethnal Green and it is so amazing. Their food is always so impressive, and they do breakfasts, cakes, sandwiches - basically everything you could ever want. They also have theme nights (they do a chip shop one every Thursday and serve tofu fish and chips which is obviously delicious, and I think a diner night every Tuesday with vegan hotdogs, burgers and MAC AND CHEESE). Also, as you can see, they do pizza. It is a joyful thing. ~Rustic~ but thin, soft crusts literally smothered in the cheese of your choice (vegan or dairy, bring ya mates) and topped with basically whatever veggies you like. The pizza above has black olives and rocket and it was rly rly tasty and filling. I am feeling happy just thinking about it. 

Pizza rating: 8/10

5) Pizza Artisan, Oxford 

…or, the first pizza to ever receive a perfect score on this blog some months ago. Srs accolade. Ben had never had Pizza Artisan so we went last weekend after finding out that not only do they make amazing pizzas, but they also do vegan cheese. If it is possible to improve on perfection, Pizza Artisan did it. All of their toppings are so high quality, their sauce is so authentic tasting and the crusts are baked to to optimum deliciousness in their wood oven. I have nothing bad that I could possibly say about this pizza. Their service is great too - you can choose from about 4 different kinds of oils to have on your pie and there are bespoke extras for certain kinds of pizzas (swear I heard fennel seeds being offered but only for some pizzas - that's some bespoke shit). Basically, top class pizzas taken hella seriously. These guys treat pizza as an art form and that is how everyone should treat it. *Kisses fingers*

Pizza rating: 9/10 (it was a really busy Saturday night and we had to wait for like an hour in the cold, so whilst the pizza was 10/10 the overall experience of the pizza was slightly tarnished by this)

I hope that this ~round up~ of pizzas has served as something of an apology for my absence. I promise to do better next time. Happy Friday, eat a pizza this weekend xxxxxx

Pizza Artisan, Oxford - 11/06/14

"Some pizzas are born great. Others have greatness thrust upon them." 

- ancient proverb

It has now been a while since I ate from Oxford's elusive Pizza Artisan truck, but I still remain as impressed as I was when I took that fateful first bite. I'm going to cut to the chase: this is hands down the best pizza experience in Oxford, and it rivals every London hype pizza joint I've visited, like, ever. It's as good and as fresh as pizza I ate in New York. Yeah, I said it. 

This was my second Pizza Artisan experience: the first was on a rainy evening at some point during my first year of university. This one was markedly better, 'cause the weather was gorgeous and the service was hella quick. For those unfamiliar with the Pizza Artisan mythology (get out tbh), the set up is as follows:

Most evenings from 7pm, a big shiny silver food truck appears outside Christ Church college on St. Aldate's in Oxford. However, this is not yr usual university town kebab meat fare: this van is a purveyor of the finest pizza in the land, with a menu which defies its tiny size in order to compete with the very best around. Both veggie and meat options abound, and each pizza is lovingly crafted by hand inside the van, and set to bake in its specially installed pizza oven. Obviously, when you're eating pizza this fresh, it's going to taste pretty fucking sexy. 

Olivia's margherita

Accompanied by my pizza pal Olivia, I ordered a Shiva (roasted red peppers, olives, mushrooms, green chillies) without the cheese, and Olivia got a margherita which you can see above. All of the Pizza Artisan pizzas also come with a generous helping of salad leaves (rocket and spinach), and a drizzling with the oil of your choice - I had garlic, Olivia opted for olive.

Needless to say, these pizzas were d o p e. Made carefully to order, each pie is clearly a labour of love, even during busy periods. The toppings are of an incredibly high quality (check out those mozzarella globs!), and the base treads the perfect balance between soft and crispy. All of my vegetables were totally delicious, and there was also no shortage of sauce which I really appreciated, 'cause the Pizza Artisan sauce is delicious and I'd drink it like Coca Cola for realsies. 

I feel like, for this Pizza Artisan visit, the stars really aligned: our food was ready quickly, and we waited for it in the beaming sun; we also ate outside in the super cute surroundings of Christ Church Meadow, and the pizza tasted fresh and delicious. I can't really think of much else that I would want from a pizza visit, and so for that reason a restinpizza first is about to happen: 

Pizza rating 10/10

If you're in Oxford this summer, do yourself a favour and visit your new best mates at Pizza Artisan. You will thank me, I swear. 

P.S. - s/o to Danny for suggesting that I go to this place on the very day I was planning on going. Some spooky shit, hunty.

Pizza Artisan
Christ Church, St. Aldate's, Oxford
http://www.pizzaartisan.co.uk

The Rusty Bicycle, Oxford - 7/6/2014

I'm leaving Oxford for summer soon (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) so before I go away for a few months I'm trying to hit as many local pizza spots as possible. What it may lack in fun stuff and people who actually understand the real world, Oxford sure makes up for in good pizza places. 

The Rusty Bicycle which is a cool lil pub about 3 minutes from my house in East Oxford is no exception. I'm pretty sure they have only recently started doing pizza, but you probably wouldn't notice. Their menu is varied and affordable, and best of all, first on their list is a vegan pie with actual toppings (Franco Manca, take note u guys) - I had their "Vegan Mary" pizza, which has on it black olives, chopped garlic and fresh rocket, and it was delectable for realsies.

What I really liked about this pizza was the base. It's a sourdough crust, which I would usually not feel too sure about, but having given it a shot, I can confidently say that it really works (lol I sound like I'm on an infomercial for a hair loss product). It's super thin and crispy, and the slices held up well even though they looked like they wouldn't. The outside crusts were a little thicker compared to the inner base, and I was especially into how chewy they were because it meant that there was a sort of variety of textures which I was all about.    

Also also, I would like to invite you to look at the picture of this pizza and how huge it is, and then think about the fact that it only cost £6. The ingredients tasted like they were of nice quality, and I was really surprised at the size for the price. It was super good value and the pizzas with cheese and stuff were also pretty reasonably priced so I don't know maybe you should go get dinner at The Rusty Bicycle or something I mean I'm not trying to force you or anything but I just really do think it would be in your best interests. Also I think on most weekdays pizzas are half price at lunchtime (they do burgas and other bar food too!) So now you need no excuse. 

Pizza rating: 7.5/10

The Rusty Bicycle

28 Magdalen Road, OX4 1RB

http://www.therustybicycle.com

Fundi Pizza @ The Library, Oxford - 6/5/14

I can be a complete idiot. Last week I burned sweetcorn, and I do that thing where I go "WHERE THE FUCK IS MY PHONE??" when my phone is in fact in my hand or pocket on average about twice a week. But perhaps my worst idiocy of all has been failing to notice that every Tuesday, some of the best pizza in the Oxford area is being cooked literally four minutes away from my house. For shame, me. 

The Library is a cool pub on the Cowley Road in Oxford, and once a week it plays host to Fundi Pizza, which is an operation consisting of one man and a wood oven in the beer garden. This is, I truly believe, how all of the most successful operations are run. 

I will cut to the chase here and say that this pizza is great. The fact that you can watch it being made is what proper food bloggers would probably call "a nice touch", and it's also really fast and really fresh. Whilst I'm usually all about a crispier base, this one was soft and comforting (like a nan or a dog or something equally as nice) and I dug that 100%, though the crust around the outside was still nice and crunchy, so the balance was rly good.

The toppings were equally as tasty. I chose a 'Fungi' pizza (margherita with mushrooms) with added olives, and my dear pal and pizza date Olivia chose capers, pepperoni and olives. We were both totally in2 our selections. The mozzarella tasted like it was of goooood quality, and the pizzas came with generous sprinklings of grated parmesan on top also which actually really added to the flavour. So far, so dope.

I also wanna add that this pizza cost me only six English pounds. Think of all the things which cost more than six pounds that are not as good as this pizza (spoiler alert: there are a LOT.) If you're in or around Oxford on a Tuesday evening then I would recommend that this is what you do for your dinner 'cause it's great, The Library is a really friendly place and watching your pizza get made is a cool novelty. 

Pizza rating: 8.5

The Library, 182 Cowley Road, OX4 1UE
www.thelibrarypuboxford.com
www.fundipizza.com

Mansfield College, Oxford - 25/4/14

The college I go to in Oxford is pretty well known within the university for having dope food. It really is pretty great. We have theme nights every Saturday and roast dins every Sunday and there is always lots of delicious veggie options, and sometimes even vegan stuff too. Best of all though, occasionally, we have pizzas. 

Friday was one of those occasions. This fine hunk of hot dough you see before you was billed as a "black olive, feta and piquillo pepper pizza" and it was indeed all of those things. It also only cost THREE POUNDS AND TWENTY FIVE ENGLISH PENCE. I wanna holla particularly at the toppings here, because they were all v good quality for the price (mad love for the feta), and in general this was a very pleasing meal (coulda gone for more crispiness/coulda gone for a slightly hardier base/coulda gone for less salt in the sauce but how am I really going to complain about a pizza that cost me three pounds). Big up Mansfield College Hall and Dining. 

Pizza rating: 7/10

(plus points for the LOW LOW PRICE and the feta)

Il Principe, Oxford - 19/4/14

This sultry, spinach-y temptress came courtesy of Il Principe pizza, an unassuming lil Italian deli joint on Cowley Road in Oxford (or, as I often fondly refer to the city of dreaming spires, 'prison'.) I can say with almost certainty that Il Principe is one of the three best pizza places in Oxford (matched and potentially topped only by the Pizza Artisan van but I'll almost definitely discuss that with u another day so don't you even worry pizza fans I got yr backs), mainly because, as a deli, their ingredients are pretty out of this world. 

Allow me to elaborate: I want to bathe in the Il Principe sauce. I'm not even a tiny bit ashamed of that fact. It's got a completely amazing fresh tomato tang that sets off their mild but huge globs of fresh mozzarella in a match more heaven-sent than David and Victoria Beckham (their love is so pure, man). This particular pizza was number 16 on the takeaway menu, and it's called a Venezia. It features "tomato, mozzarella, spinach, garlic olive oil and parmesan", which is a pretty simple topping combination but obviously, as you can probably tell, it tasted great. I was also pleasantly surprised by the garlic olive oil, which I could actually taste. Usually when places include shit like that it's pretty bland so I was impressed.   

The base is also dope. I appreciate the fact that they clearly lube the crusts up with oil before the pizza gets to you, 'cause they retain their crispiness whilst simultaneously achieving a slight moistness which keeps the enjoyable notion that this foodstuff is fundamentally bad for you at the back of your mind.

If you're in Oxford and you're not eating Il Principe, you're probably a FUCKEN NERD (lol let's face it u probably are though) and you should change that sharpish. This is rly good pizza that almost reminds me of a New York slice (but tinier) and maybe you should treat urself to it one time, bae.

Pizza rating: 8/10 

(loses a point because it's pretty expensive sorry guys)

Il Principe, 82 Cowley Road, OX4 1JB

http://ilprincipedeli.co.uk