Say ‘Ciao’ to the new artisan pizzas at Jamie’s Italian VivoCity

You’ve got five new delicious pizzas to try (and much more) with a Jamie’s Italian menu re-vamp, mama!

Utter the words “Jamie’s Italian” and we’re there faster than a meatball rolls off a mountain of spaghetti. Say the words “pizza” and, well, we’ll basically be there yesterday. While Jamie’s Italian at the Forum has been serving up pizzas since it opened last fall, the original VivoCity location has just introduced five new artisan pizzas for the first time, owing to the arrival of a shiny new pizza oven imported directly from Italy!

Whether you’re bringing the kiddos or you want to get your daily serve of healthy veggies, Jamie’s has got you covered. All but the Margherita at $21 (your traditional tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, and extra virgin olive oil) are available exclusively on the VivoCity menu, mama!

So what makes Jamie’s pizzas so moreish? It all starts with the dough, lovingly hand-stretched (not rolled) for hours and made from the finest premium Italian bread flour (Manitoba in case you want to try your hand at home, mama). This results in a delightfully crispy, slightly chewy crust that retains its heat and freshness with a special stoneware serving plate.

As always, Jamie’s is all about fresh, healthy ingredients, so the pizzas are baked to order and are just about as wholesome as you’re going to get when it comes to this carbalicious treat.

My hands-down favourite was the Fiorentina, a white-based pizza topped with lemony ricotta, sprouting greens, anchovies and a free-range egg ($23.50). I know anchovies are a contentious pizza topping, but I love ‘em, and was actually a bit disappointed that I couldn’t taste them in the two slices I tried. And yet the egg was so perfectly cooked (just the right amount of runniness), and the ricotta so zingy, I barely minded their absence (so long as I still got some of their omega-3 goodness!).

Running a close second was the Courgette Pollo ($24.50) with crushed tomatoes, charred courgettes, flaked chicken, Gaeta olives, bocconcini, Parmesan cheese, and rocket leaves (I told you you could get your daily serve of veggies, mama!). This was seriously like eating a hearty and satisfying salad, it just happened to be on top of a delicious crust.

While the Fiorentina and Courgette Pollo were my personal faves, that doesn’t mean I didn’t gobble up slices of the other two pizzas on offer – The Funghi Misti ($23.50) and Spicy Meatball ($24.50) – just as quickly. The former is a mushroom-lover’s dream, combining four different varieties along with mozzarella, chervil and tarragon for a creamy, textured treat. The latter utilizes the unusual topping of ’nduja, a spicy salami, in concert with tomato sauce, hand-rolled pork meatballs, garlic and Parmesan.

While the pizzas are obviously the new stars of the show, Jamie’s has actually revamped its menu across both restaurants. A few additional highlights include new wines imported direct from Italy (two thumbs way up to the full-bodied Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico, which pairs perfectly with tomato-based dishes, and the refreshingly light and easy-drinking Gavi La Scolca Oro, lip-smackingly delicious with chicken and fish).

If you’re hankering for more than just pizzas, mama, you can also try new apps like The Ultimate Garlic Bread, mains like Chicken Milanese, or a soulfully satisfying Pumpkin Ravioli that’s just available at the Vivo location.

And let’s face it, if you’re going to treat yourself to pizza and pasta, you might as well throw dessert into the bargain as well. I was actually blown away by the deliciousness of Jamie’s Lemon Meringue Cheesecake (I am always a chocolate girl, but this one did me in), although word on the street is that a new Molten Chocolate Praline Pudding (with salted caramel ice cream, no less!) has just debuted, so I’ll obviously have to return for further investigation.

Finally, with the welcome addition of the new pizza oven, Jamie’s Italian at VivoCity is now also offering kids’ pizza-making parties just like their brethren at the Forum. Kiddos will get to take an herb garden tour while learning about edible herbs and pasta, make their own dough, and get creative with personalized pizza toppings. It’s a super-fun (and surprisingly wholesome) way to celebrate a kiddo’s birthday or encourage burgeoning young foodies.

Jamie’s Italian, 1 Harbourfront Walk, #01/165-167 VivoCity, Singapore 098585, Tel: (+65) 6733 5500

www.jamiesitalian.sg