Food at Jamie’s Italian has always had a mixed bag of reviews from my friends and family, which explains why I generally kept away from going to the place for a meal. I’ve been there only twice since the Vivocity outlet opened, and while the food wasn’t bad, it also wasn’t anything to shout about.
So imagine my surprise when I was told that Jamie’s Italian was launching a new pizza menu (they didn’t have pizzas at the Vivocity outlet), and was running a pizza showdown as well!
Before we start with the photos, I think the key thing to note is that the dough is made fresh daily from a combination of premium Italian bread flour, yeast and water before it’s hand stretched by the chef. So, it’s rather different from the usual rolled dough.
We tried 5 pizzas that day…
Let’s start with the good news: There’s something for everybody. Want all vegetables? The Funghi Misti ($23.50) is just packed full of mushrooms. Feeling like a bit of seafood? Thats the Fiorentina’s ($23.50) job to sate your needs. It’s a well-rounded menu, but a little rough around the edges when it comes to flavours.
Spicy… with a chance of Meatballs
I liked the Spicy Meatball Pizza ($24.50) for it’s classic Italian heartiness. Flavour wise, it’s bold because of the tomato sauce and ‘njuda, a spicy salame. While I wouldn’t say that the pizza is really spicy, it does have a slight kick to it. The hand-rolled pork meatballs are tender and juicy as well. However, I felt like the weren’t enough meatballs on the pizzas, so that took the edge off an otherwise great dish. It’s great as a group sharing item, especially when you order a few pastas along with it!
Rocket Science
As the night wore on, I realised that I started to focus more on the lighter Courgette Pollo ($24.50). Pizza is all about how the ingredients come together with the dough and this combination didn’t disappoint. A mixture of crushed tomatoes, charred courgettes and flaked chicken with Gaeta olives, bocconcini and Parmesan cheese is topped with rocket leaves for a vibrant finish. This almost Mediterranean set of ingredients marries well with the delightfully chewy dough.
Mushroom Madness
I’d like to give the Funghi Misti a very special mention for being one of the best mushroom based dishes I’ve had this year. It’s sort of like a very tasty mushroom soup in pizza form. The porcini mushroom sauce is remarkably creamy, while the roasted Oyster and Paris mushrooms really amped up the flavour. When melded with the mozarella, it’s super enjoyable!
Final Verdict
At the mid-$20 price range, This new pizza menu at Vivocity’s Jamie’s Italian has the potential to go very far. I think what they need to do is just really keep up the quality of the pizzas and make sure that the dough stays the way it is. For now, their pizzas aren’t something that I would travel specifically to eat, but I think if I were at Vivocity with a group of friends, then it would be almost a default choice for me. It’s easy to eat, friendly on the wallet and rather tasty.
Details
What: Jamie’s Italian (Vivocity)
Where: 1 Harbourfront Walk, Vivocity, #01-165/166/167
Website: www.jamiesitalian.sg
