Another Pizza Place in Chiswick

So let me ask you a question about the tip jar. I had a little thing with the calzone guy this week . I go to drop a buck in the tip jar and just as I am about to drop it in he looks the other way. And then when I am leaving he gives me this look think thanks for nothing. I mean if they don't notice it what's the point

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Calzone”)

I’m still exploring all the food options in Chiswick. My last stop was a small authentic Italian restaurant called Tarantella. Opened by three Italian chefs, Giuseppe, Francesco, and Domenico. The place is usually fully booked, so one day for a late lunch we saw our opportunity. 

Tarantella

We got the Tarantella gnocchi and Tarantella explosiva half calzone half pizza. Pizza was ok, the calzone part with the nduja was superb, even thought that in some parts of the calzone was only dough with no filling. I will suggest cut from the middle so the nduja juices will drip all over the plate and then you can moist your pizza bread pieces into them. Pasta was traditional and with good spiciness as they use the same spicy nduja for the sauce.

Pizza time

Gnocchi

Nice option, be aware as it's a small place so book in advance.

Tarantella

T: 020 8987 8877

Italian Cuisine / Pizzeria

Approx Damage: £20pp

Area: Chiswick

Borough: Hounslow

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Escaping the Royal Wedding VIII: Acclaimed Italian in Liverpool

While in Liverpool I decided to visit Il Forno, considered by the Times as one of the top ten authentic Italian restaurants, importing ingredients from Italy, such as their cheeses are sourced from Salerno, their cured meats are from Parma, and the olive is produced in Basilicata. Their objective makes you have two great pleasure food and wine.

The Place

The Menu

Arrived to the place and was in a mood for a pizza, even though they have a great selection of Italian dishes. My selection was the pizza calzone, a unique creation of the place, half calzone half pizza, tomato, mozzarella, and spicy salami on the inside, and tomato, mozzarella, ham, and mushrooms on the outside.

The actual "Forno"

The Pizza Calzone, Half Pizza Half Calzone

Excellent food, good and traditional flavours, great service, all these in a relax and friendly  atmosphere. If you are in The Pool and are craving for pizza this is the place t go.

Calzone always reminds me Seinfeld episode “The Calzone” where George Steinbrenner is completely hook with the calzones of Paisano’s.

Mr. Steinbrenner: That's right, do you want to say it again? I'll say it again. I hadn't had a pimple since I was eighteen and I don't care that you don't believe me or not. And how's this. Your fired. Okay you are not, I am just a little hungry. Where's Costanza with my calzone? It's 1:15, he's late, that smell, I have to call you back. Costanza! He's in the building, Costanza is in the building and he's not in this office, Costanza! I'll get you.

Jazz and Pizza

A place I usually go from time to time is Soho Pizzeria, a lively Italian place which every night but Sundays have live Jazz music. What can go wrong with a pizza, a bottle of Chianti, and a duo playing Jazz? 18 different pizzas, extra ingredients if you’re not satisfied with their combinations, and a humble but classic selection of salads, pastas and antipasto.

The Place

The Duo

I went a couple nights ago with a beautiful friend and we share a bottle of prosecco while listening Jazz and catching up. I had the calzone, which was quite good as usual, might not be the best pizza in London but the ambiance is quite nice, good music, and terrific company.

Calzone

A place I recommend if you want to enjoy a nice evening with good company.

A beautiful woman reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Pick” when George is convinced he’s in love with Susan and completely lost her.

George: I loved her Jerry, I loved her.

Jerry: No, you didn't.

George: And she loved me. Hoo, ho, she really did.

Jerry: No she didn't.

George: What am I going to do now? I can't live without Susan. I gotta get her back. How? How, am I gonna get her back?

Elaine: Not only didn't you love her, you didn't even like her.

George: Who says?

Elaine: You did.

George: Ah! A beautiful successful intelligent woman's in love with me and I throw it all away. Uh oh boy. Now I'll spend the rest of my life living alone. I'll sit in my disgusting little apartment watching basketball games, eating Chinese take out. Walking around with no underwear. Because I'm too lazy to do a laundry.

Jerry: You walk around with no underwear?

George: Yeah, what do you do when you run out of laundry?

Jerry: I do a wash.

George: Who am I going to meet who is better than her? No one, Jerry. No one's better than her.

Jerry: When you were with her you said you couldn't stand her.

George: I loved her!

Jerry: You said going up the steps of her apartment was like being taken to a cell.

George: I would give anything to be going up those stairs again.

An Italian Graffiti in the heart of Soho

I love Italian food, every time I have the opportunity I go for it, I think I was born in the wrong continent, because the few times I’ve been in Italy I felt like home. I love their food, like the “pizza al taglio” in the streets of Rome, or the cured meats in the mountains of north Italy, and how about the mozzarella cheese, I don’t know why but the taste in Italy is totally different, maybe is the scenery, or the atmosphere.

My love for pizza and calzone is comparable to the Seinfeld episode “The Calzone” when Steinbrenner starts asking George to bring Calzone for lunch every day.

Jerry: So what's Steinbrenner gonna do if he doesn't get his calzone?

George: What's he gonna do? That's exactly the point! Nobody knows what this guy is capable of! He fires people like it's a bodily function!

Italian Graffiti Milano Pizza

I had the opportunity to visit another pizzeria here in London, this time Italian Graffiti in Soho (163 Wardour Street, London W1F 8WN), a cosy, warm, family run pizzeria. Good selection of pizzas and pastas, I went for the Milano pizza and a cold Moretti beer, really good taste, great size, the pizza crust was thin and crunchy, the only negative thing I could think of is in my opinion I would put a little bit more of each ingredient, the pizza looked just a little empty, but the price is not bad, at the end I spent 15  quids for a nice meal and a cold Italian beer.

To end February I went to Mika show in the HMV Apollo in Hammersmith. This was my gig of the month, I have already bought at least one concert a month for the next 7 months, and the list is getting bigger and bigger every day. The show was amazing, full of energy, good special effects, and great songs, definitely Mika is not stuck in the middle. In conclusion it was a superb performance, a real happy ending for my week.

Mika on stage