Some of you might remember that I blogged about Tea and Little Cakes on Timber Hill, once upon a time. Alas, it is no longer open, but it has been replaced by Donnelli’s Pizzeria.
Having opened a few weeks ago, I was keen to get in there and give it a go – something I managed to do for lunch today.
The moment I walked in, I was surrounded by that peculiarly Italian scent of wood smoke, emanating from a pizza oven at the back of the restaurant – all warming and cozy.
The whitewashed walls and ceilings made the tiny restaurant feel bigger than it was, as well as friendly and informal.
A waitress showed us to a table for two, already laid with menus and cutlery. And although the offering menu is limited, I was quite excited, with several simple Italian flavour combinations and fresh dough.
Twice as nice
Because it was lunchtime, we both felt it would be best that we didn’t fill up on carbs and were delighted to discover that we could have two different toppings on one pizza. The Pizza Share option (£9) allowed us to have two toppings, half and half, which was perfect.
I went for the Torino, while my friend went for the Bologna.
The Torino promised anchovies, capers and olives, with classic tomato and mozzarella. The Bologna, on the other hand, had Parma ham, olives and garlic.
It arrived relatively quickly, considering it was freshly made, and came piping hot. We quickly tucked in and I will say it was yummy. The Bologna had salty meat off-setting the sweet, tartness of the tomatoes and the rich cheese. The only thing I would say is that the sauce was a little bit too garlicky, with that being the first thing I tasted.
The flavours of the Torino was more balanced, with the anchovies adding a salty, rich element, combining with the capers and olives to smooth out the sharp sauce.
The base was the best bit for me though – thin, crispy and smoky, just the way that an Italian pizza should be. And the knives were sharp (unlike at Pizza Express), so you could cut through it without stabbing your companions. It was perfect!
For £9, it was a total bargain – £4.50 a head for lunch. And it was filling – I didn’t eat again until dinner time. I am definitely planning on going back.
