Who knew that wood-fired thin-crust pizza could taste so good that I’d rather pay twice the amount than return to your neighbourhood franchised restaurants like Pizza Hut and Domino’s.
Pizza Hut and Domino’s have become too commercialised for my taste and their concept is more fast food today than ever. Fino Piza is family-owned with three branches in Klang Valley – Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Subang Parade, and Cyberjaya.
At Fino Piza, patrons can be certain that every dish is cooked with care, skill and passion. A household name that is associated with quality and reasonably-priced, delicious artisanal wood-fired pizzas.
The restaurant branch in Subang Parade boasted an understated exterior that at first glance, it looked as if the place was closed when driving past. The interior of the place owed its cosiness to grey tiled floors, wooden tables and chairs. It was quiet when we were there partly because the month of Ramadhan has started and those celebrating would only break their fast in the evening.
The manager was a jovial and friendly fellow. He knew his business and he knew it well. He answered our questions with ease, including one about how he handled the competition since Pizza Hut and Domino’s have been around for years, and people were familiar with those brands.
Their unique selling point? Made-to-order, wood-fired thin-crust pizza. Fresh and hot out of the oven. With cheese so melted that it was gooey, creamy, sharp, and salty. Taken together, it was a one-way ticket to a fatty but satisfying treat.
How to Order:
Simply choose between making an order for a 9″, 12″, or 21″ with any topping. If you can’t decide, you can go with the half-and-half which my husband and I went for. Do take note that the half-and-half only works if the two pizzas you’re combining have the same sauce base; e.g.: tomato base + tomato base, or white cream base + white cream base.
He chose the Moroccan Lamb while I went with Premio Quattro Formaggio (meaning four cheese). The Moroccan Lamb came with a white cream base topped with lamb cooked in Moroccan spices and complemented with chilli flakes, onions, and parsley. The Quattro Formaggio consisted of mozzarella, cheddar, gouda, and blue cheese, and was topped off with honey, chopped walnuts, and caramelised onions.
Both options were fantastic! My first bite of the Quattro Formaggio sent me to pizza paradise. The salty blend of blue cheese, mozzarella, gouda, and cheddar combined with the sweet drizzle of honey balanced everything. Not to mention the chopped walnuts that gave each bite (and every chew) a nice crunch. And the caramelised onions tasted so sweet (I found out that they used yellow onions which were known for their sweetness).
On the other hand, the Moroccan lamb had the right amount of spices that enhanced the ‘wood-fired wok hei‘ flavour. Seriously, I’d pay for quality and not just the thickness of the pizza dough that one can find in the flat square box by Pizza Hut or Domino’s.
SHEU QUEN | THE RACONTEUR 