Reviewed: Jamie’s Pizzeria, Mumbai

If you’ve kept yourself updated with Hauterfly, you probably knew that Jamie Oliver’s pizza place was arriving in the city. It’s time to rejoice, as Jamie’s Pizzeria has made its entry into Mumbai, at High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel. I was invited for a tasting of the menu and I have all the juicy (no pun intended) details to dish out!

 

Jamie’s Pizzeria proudly stands, bright lights and all, in place of Häagen-Dazs, right next to Starbucks. It’s also bang opposite PVR Cinemas, making it an ideal place to grab some pizza after a good movie. I stepped into the restaurant and was instantly engulfed with an extremely positive vibe. It’s bright and cheery, much like its decor. The checker-board flooring and open-kitchen and bar provide the true essence of a pizzeria. My favourite corner was definitely the graffiti wall, complete with sketches of aamchi Mumbai — dabbawalas, the quintessential vada pav, the Gateway Of India, to name a few.

 

My seat gave me an unobstructed view of the open-kitchen. There is also a flat-screen TV mounted on a wall that plays Jamie’s shows and this really does whet your appetite! The staff was helpful and offered to help me make a choice. We called for the Lychee Spritz, the Marinated Feta & Watermelon Salad, Hand-Stretched Garlic Bread and the Mushroom Fritti, to begin with. The drink was cool and fresh, but nothing unusual or exciting. The salad was something I fell in love with, while the fritti was a little bland. The Hand-Stretched Garlic Bread was the star of the show! Served with a garlic butter, rosemary and olive dip, the bread was fresh and struck just the right balance between crisp and soft. Full points to the chef!

The starters sure packed a punch, which is why we settled for just one pizza. The Red Rocket pizza came piping hot, topped with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan. For non-vegetarians, the Tuscan pizza seemed to be the popular choice, topped with dry-cured pork, cheddar and crushed tomatoes. While the dough was crisp and chewy (a classic combination), the sauce was strictly okay. The flavours didn’t quite pop through and it was missing a bit of zing. While the pizza did taste different, I sure expected a lot more, considering it’s called Jamie’s Pizzeria! For dessert, don’t miss out on the tiramisu with orange zest, which was love at first bite. Anything with a dash of orange usually is!

 

All in all, even though it wasn’t as phenomenal as I expected, given the reputation of the brand, it was a delightful experience. The pizzeria seems like the ideal place to chill with a bunch of your friends over a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Location: High Street Phoenix, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel.
Timings: 12 noon to 11 pm
Cost For Two: Rs 1,000 (approx.)
Contact: 022 30151441