When East meets West on a pizza crust
I am pretty sure most of us have heard our friends from the North say, Chal pijja khayyenge (C’mon let’s get some pizza) in an accent that does not quite get the Z. Well, that is exactly what the founders had in mind when they opened Pijja in Indiranagar this year.
“We envisioned a dinerlike space where people could hang out with friends at any time of day, enjoying good food,” says Dipanita Loy, spokesperson for the space, adding that their menu features eats one can enjoy at any time of day.
Well, Pijja is denitely one of those places to try with a sporty crowd as it takes the term ‘fusion food’ to a whole new level.
We begin with the cheese balls. Bite into one and once you get past the crunchy cheesy goodness, a familiar and yet unfamiliar taste spreads across your palate. That would be chitrana — called the chitrarancini poppers, they make for great conversations starters.
Next up were the onion rings, dipped in dosa batter, fried and then dusted with a generous helping of podi (chutney powder). The name is straightforward enough, but the taste so-so.
Pizzas are a must try at a place called Pijja, right? When you see the name Andhra chilli margherita do not envision your favourite gravy smeared on a pizza base — there is a subtlety to the serving. You
Pijja
Hits: Kasundi aglio e olio spaghetti
Misses: Dosa batter onion rings
Cost for two: ₹1500
get bright green chillies and chunks of chicken served up on a 100% Italian, 48-hour fermented sourdough crust pizza base with dollops of Italian mozzarella and buratta. The Italians, guardians of Indian cuisine and purists may shudder in disbelief, but to paraphrase Joey from FRIENDS, “bread good, topping good, cheese gooood”.
The kasundi aglio e olio spaghetti was unusual, but in a good way. Those familiar with the pungence of this Bengali specialty are bound to enjoy the avours it unfolds. As for those not in the know, it is a surprising take on the many types of pasta you may have sampled over the years.
The menu is dotted with delightful takes on the tried and tested. It takes a special sort of culinary creativity to whip up a thecha (Maharashtrian green chutney) or a haleem garlic bread, to say nothing of the “panzeroti” in vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, and the coconut trufe aioli.
Then, when you nally want the gastronomic roller coaster you have been on to slow down, there are a range of gelatos such as blueberry cheesecake, gianduia, watermelon, lemon yoghurt and bubblegum, depending on the avours Pijja churns out that day.
Boba teas, cold brews, iced teas and milk shakes also vie for your attention. But if you have had too much of an adventure, and still crave something sweet, a cup of their special roasted hazelnut latte should hit the spot.