Wala Pizza - Private Kitchen

When I was a kid, I refused to eat pizza. Once, I went to a friend's house for the day and, when I was served a slice of pizza, I requested roast chicken. I am incredibly sorry for being an uncultured snob at the age of about eight. I do also slightly blame my mum for doing her best to make sure that we ate healthily, not realising that pizza is, in fact, life.

Unbeknownst to me at the time, pizza can actually be good for both the soul and the heart, and most probably for the rest of your body, too.

Jenna’s omakase pizza menu is almost like something that would come out of a horror story, but in a very, very good way. Would you ever think that your gloriously airy pizza dough should be covered in pumpkin puree? I’m assuming no. But did it work? Yes.

Me very much enjoying the Pumpkin Chorizo Pizza

I am, however, getting ahead of myself. Let’s have a look at the collagen beef starter. The lines of collagen running through the beef were very soft and made it pretty tender overall. However, the lack of seasoning was a little upsetting. The only saving grace were the gloriously juicy vine tomatoes. I am guessing that the focus is definitely more on the pizzas…

Beef Collagen and Vine Tomatoes

The garlic basil pizza bread that follows the starter is a staple of Wala’s menu, and it is always a welcome delight. If you say that you don’t like garlic then there is most certainly something wrong with you. It is basically a smaller pizza that is completely covered with garlic and basil. Unless you’re pretty confident and ok with reeking of someone that wants to fend off vampires, I don’t suggest taking your potential new someone here for your first date. All jokes aside, you’re struggling in life if you don’t try it as soon as you possibly can.

Garlic Basil, Petite Pizza Bread

Now, let’s discuss the 3 pizzas that you get served as part of a 4 pax team. We were, in actual fact, a 2 pax team that decided to go ahead with the reservation, even though we were now paying for 4 people. We had already done this previously and didn’t want to miss out this time due to the new covid regulations. It always helps knowing that you’ll have leftover breakfast pizza the next day.

My favourite pizza was our first one. When you come to Wala Pizza, don’t ever think that Jenna is going to serve you a traditional Italian pizza. If that is what you want, then don’t come here. If you want to open your mind and experience flavours that clearly should have always been sitting on top of a wonderfully airy piece of dough, then this is where to go.

Picture this. Pumpkin puree instead of the usual tomato base. Gorgeous rounds of thinly sliced chorizo that are topped with blue cheese and walnuts. Are you drooling yet? I certainly was. I really wanted to know more about what exactly went into the pumpkin base, but Jenna was very secretive, and I understand why, considering just how fantastic her flavours are. When I had the final slice of this for breakfast this morning, I literally licked the plate clean, hoping desperately to get more of that pumpkin taste.

Next was the Xinjiang lamb pizza, my husband’s favourite. This one has flavours from Xinjiang in China, but it also really reminded me of a spicy lamb shawarma or skewer from somewhere like Turkey or Lebanon. The lamb pieces were perfectly spiced and the red onion added a fantastically crunchy texture.

Last on our pizza menu was the harissa and aubergine. I was honestly quite surprised that Jenna had chosen a vegetarian option for the end of our evening, considering how vocal @somebodyfeedlach has been on wanting meaty options. However, it couldn’t have been more perfect as a final savoury offering. The aubergine was crispy on the outside, while soft and amazingly gooey on the inside. The harissa had the perfect amount of spice and smokiness, while the pine nuts were that last piece of icing on the cake that made this pizza really sing.

I love my traditional pizza, but I also love the wonderful experimentations that Wala Pizza has come up with. Often, experimenting may not turn out so well, but this is, without a doubt, not the case with Jenna’s experiments. Time and again, she comes up with flavours that probably should have been on a pizza already. Team that with the fact that she has created the airiest pizza crust that I have possibly ever seen, and she is onto an absolute winner.

We will definitely be back again soon, no matter if we have to pay for 4 people. It is more than worth it.