It’s pizza time again. A short post, as I’ve not really been going out with the newly restored restrictions in place on getting around the city. We can do it, but we’ve been asked to limit going out and about for a couple of weeks. So, as you’ve seen from the last half dozen posts, I’ve been staying home and cooking a lot more. But, during April, I’d tried out three pizzerias and hadn’t gotten around to posting about them. So… a short post, but, hey, pizza, almost always a good thing!
Fugazi Pizza, Ayacucho 684, Once – Really, right on the border of Once and Recoleta, this place popped up midway through quarantine last year. It’s only open at night, and for awhile, they were, I think, takeout only, so delivery wasn’t an option. But, delivery is now (or perhaps always was and I just didn’t notice it). Although fairly Neapolitan in aspect, they’re upfront that they’re aiming for an artesanal Argentine style of pizza. If one pie is enough to go by, it’s probably just that they don’t use much sauce, and there’s more cheese than a lot of the Neapolitan ones, but it’s kind of on the line. Still, it’s their pizzeria, and they can make whatever claim they want!
I went for half pepperoni and half mushroom. The crust is nicely browned and nicely risen. It’s a little on the bland size, kind of like they did the whole slow fermentation thing, but used bleached white flour instead of something with a bit more flavor to it, and didn’t put any salt in the dough. The cheese is decent. The pepperoni looks good, but doesn’t have the kick that I’m looking for. The mushrooms were the best thing on the pizza. Nice and fresh, abundant, and flavorful. Overall, a decent pizza, but not one I’d rush back for. I just shouldn’t have to season a pizza myself. Pizzas run between 700-900 pesos.
Roma del Abasto (ex-Bar Roma), Anchorena 806, Once – Again, right on the border of Recoleta and Once. One of the city’s “bar notables”, recently taken over by the folk behind Ocho-Siete-Ocho and Floreria Atlántico, an unapologetically Argentine a la piedra style. Relatively thin crust, lots of flavor to it, good sauce, albeit not much of it. Not a huge amount of cheese, but good quality. And way generous toppings. I mean, look at that! Half mushroom (mostly pine mushrooms, which I love, and something different from the ubiquitous button and baby portobello) with a sprinkling of capers, and the other half touted as a mix of heirloom tomatoes, though I really only saw fairly straightforward red vine tomatoes and a few scattered cherry tomatoes. Still delicious, though I’d have liked more variety of them if that’s what’s being offered. Pizzas run around 900-1100 pesos, but they’re huge, two of us didn’t finish this one for dinner, and had enough left for lunch the next day.
I’d also swung by the place back a couple of months ago and just had a late afternoon vermouth (La Fuerza) and soda and enjoying the sunshine. Nice place, they open at 4pm for vermouth sipping, but don’t start serving pizzas until 6pm, though oddly the rest of their menu is available during those two hours.
La Stampa, Salguero 2741, Palermo – And, yet another just over the line, this time between Recoleta and Palermo, and a very classic Argentine pie. Also, an in-person visit! One of the few places that offers the option of half and half pies for individual sized ones – most places just say that they’re too small to do that. Here, half Calabresa, spicy longaniza sausage and onions, and the other half anchovy. Crust a little on the bland side, but good tomato sauce and enough of it, okay mozzarella with a sprinkling of grated provolone, and generous on the other toppings. There are better Argentine style pies out there, but I wouldn’t say no to another of these, and I do like the option of half and half on a small pizza! On the other hand, it becomes a bit pricey for a pizza, they’re 800-900 pesos, but that’s for a small individual size, the medium and large are more, and, they have a 190 peso/person cubierto charge, which might be the highest one I’ve seen.
