Pzza.Co: My Second Visit After the Opening :: NoGarlicNoOnions: Restaurant, Food, and Travel Stories/Reviews

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When I first published a review on Pzza.Co, people’s anticipation to try this new pizza spot in Beirut was rising. I was invited to be the first to try it before it actually opened and in details shared my experience with my readers. After posting the article, people started calling me and sending messages, asking a zillion questions…about the prices, its location, is it as good as the pictures suggest… Honestly I started asking myself a few questions as well. Will it be as good as when I first tried it? Will they be able to handle the rush?

Pzza_Co_Beirut_Souks_Italian33

Visiting Pzza.Co again was a personal choice. I wanted to taste their unique pizza and enjoy its amazing flavors once more. I'm writing today to reconfirm that Pzza.Co's experience was superb and their Pizza is to-date my favorite in town. My friend and I arrived at 02:45pm to find a place fully booked. The energy in this beautifully designed place was immense. Both the owner and headwaiter recognized me and apologized for not being able to serve me today. The place was packed. Until, to my luck, a table paid and we had two seats ready to welcome us. We had 15 minutes to eat and leave. I had to leave at 3pm precise. It was really a challenge for them. But they accepted. We ordered a salad, a pasta dish and two pizzas and waited.

Let’s look into the little details of interior architect Gregory Gatserelia’s designs:

Black and white tiles decorate the place. Large tiles cover the floor, while smaller ones cover the right side wall
The place oozes cleanliness due to the white general ambiance
An open kitchen, facing the entrance, shows all the action. Plates are prepared and served in front of all: Transparency is key
The piece de resistance is the large big pizza oven and its flaming colorful tiles designed by Eva Szmilas, a Polish artist that was invited for the job
White marble tables fill the space, surrounded by wooden chairs
Shiny cutlery by Sola is placed on recycles paper placemats. Of course there’s the olive oil bottles along with salt and pepper grinders
The restaurant can host up to 36 guests inside and another 50 on the terrace

The menu:

Starters
Salads
Mozzarella Specials
Simply Classic Pizzas
Hussein Hadid signature Pizzas
Pastas
Fresh Homemade signature pasta
Our Risotto
Di Pollo
Our Vitello
Desserts
Sweet Pizzas
Drink Up
Wine and Proseco

Let's "Eatalian":

Baby spinach salad with toasted pine nuts with a traditional balsamic vinaigrette 16,000L.L: Simple and clear. A fresh and healthy salad where the pine nuts crunch in style leaving a pleasant aftertaste. Considered a superfood, this salad is an enjoyable way to start your lunch. Look out for the subtle and enjoyable sweet taste from the balsamic vinegar
Rigatoni creamy Bolognese with creamy tomato sauce with minced beef 24,000L.L: Al dente cooked rigatoni bathing into a homemade tomato sauce with its lemony aftertaste and mixed with minced meat. Just add some Parmesan to make things even tastier. This is a signature dish, which should not be missed. I've had it before and appreciated it so much that I finished the whole plate all by myself. It was even better than the one I had before… with less salt
Marinara with fresh tomato, stoic, oregano, fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil 15,000L.L: This is the definition of 'amazement' on a plate. An extraordinary pizza that’s simple yet intense with flavors.
The Portobello Mushroom with fresh tomato, mozzarella cheese, Portobello mushroom, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil 28,000L.L: What a pizza, what dough, what greatness… I don't know where to start

Here’s a perfectly rounded pizza filled with the richest of ingredients, I said to myself, the minute I saw this piece of edible art. Candy to my eyes I enjoyed the intense rich color of fresh homemade tomatoes sauce covered with moist cherry tomatoes bursting with premium flavors. The dough is thin, fine and light. How great it is to feel the extraordinary crust prepared with love and dedication. It starts with a simple bite, which takes you on a journey around Italy and its wonders. Thin crunchy circles where bubbles have been formed making things even more interesting. Just when you think that the experience is over, you’ll reach the borders! Awesome… Pleasantly crunchy yet tender in the middle with a taste and smell of fresh… you will not want to skip out on this one…especially the salty aftertaste…

The details of the terrace I liked:

Zassenhaus salt and pepper mills decorate all the tables
A fresh ambiance where light Italian musical background plays
Wood flooring, the same as the one at Brgr.Co, that’s just next door
Square white marble tables fill in the space
Parasols, block the day's sun spells
"Sauce Remover" is the name of the napkin, if you need some

The MINUS!

No pork ham? No way! We are in Lebanon, the open minded country... and no ham at a restaurant with an aim to expend locally and beyond? No, that's unacceptable for me.
I'm sorry to tell you that you are deprived from eating a Parma Ham Pizza, one of the most renowned worldwide due to inexplicable reasons

What else can I say? This new concept just reaffirms the fact that we Lebanese are capable of introducing unique creative innovations. Pzza.Co offers great Italian food, which can be enjoyed in a perfect ambiance. What I had today was remarkable – and mark my words when I say that Pzza.Co is going to be one of 2014 most talked about restaurants... We left at 03:15pm with a smile on our face.