A Favorite Pizza [On The Road: Edinburgh]

I'll tell you something. It'll be years before they find places to hide more cheese on a pizza

Elaine Benes (Seinfeld episode “The Nap”)

Part of the Vittoria group La Favorita is a modern eatery with some Italian touches, considered the best pizza in Edinburgh, several awards including AA one rosette, a lovely wood fired oven and even they offer pizza delivery.

For starter we got panzerotti, really nice, the mushroom sauce was brilliant, a bit different of what I was expecting as it was more similar to a ravioli rather than the classic Pugliese panzerotti I have had in the past.

The weird panzerotti

For main I had to have the pizza, and the one that took my eye was the Giro d Italia, really nice to have different flavours in each slide, nice crust, good flavours, good combination with regional hams and cheeses changing in each slice, and huge size.

The huge pizza

Great food, nice service, and huge portions. If you're craving for a pizza in Edinburgh La Favorita is the place to go.

La Favorita

T: 0131 554 2430

Pizzeria / Italian Cuisine

Approx Damage: £25pp

Area: Leith

Edinburgh

Twitter: LaFavoritaEd

---

---

Panzerotti in Melbourne, Mamma Mia! [On The Road: Melbourne]

Last year culinary revelation was definitely Panzerotti, I’ve been thinking on visiting my friends in Milan as an excuse to have more of this Italian savoury pastries. To my surprise while wandering around the CBD I struck gold, I couldn’t believe when I saw Panzerotti di Cerignola miracle! 

Miracle

Yes the delights from Apuglia in the centre of Melbourne, I talked with the owner Vince, born in Melbourne, Italian roots, a few months ago he decided to took his Mamma recipe from Cerignola and give that culinary gift to the Aussies. 

Options

Vince in the front of the house

I went for a traditional, mozzarella, basil, and tomato. Perfect, bellissimo, the flavours were just there. I couldn't resist and got also the Calabria, hot salami, mozzarella, and tomato. Again buono, gustoso, saporoso, splendido. 

Ready

The taste of Apuglia

I reckon I will be eating a lot Panzerotti these days 

Italy reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Maestro” 

Jerry: Ah, excuse me, I'm looking for a Mr. Giggio 

Giggio: Si, Si, am a Giggio 

Jerry: Poppie sent me to see you Mr. Giggio 

Giggio: Si, Si Poppie 

Jerry: Um, did he did he mention why I called? 

Giggio: Si, the house in Tuscana 

Jerry: Yeah, right, right. So is there anything there to rent? 

Giggio: Si. Two million lira. You give me the check 

Jerry: I didn't actually want to rent it

Giggio: The keys, here are the keys. You give me the check. Two million lira. Seventeen hundred Americana. Molto generoso

Panzerotti di Cerignola

T: +61 3 9662 9921

Italian Cuisine

Approx Damage AUS$ 10pp

Neighbourhood: CBD

Melbourne

---

View Larger Map Get Directions View Bird's Eye

---

Italian Revelation Panzerotti

My last day my friend took me to a place she knew I was going to love. A small take away sort of bakery in the heart of Milan, just a couple blocks away from the Duomo. The place Luini, selling all sort of baked and fried Italian treats, salty and sweet, but the specialty and the big queue has one name Panzerotti. A fried folded dough filled with the best Italian ingredients, plenty of options to choose, mine the classic mozzarella cheese and tomato. 

The Place

Panzerotti is a gastronomic specialty from Puglia, it came to Milan in 1949 when Giuseppina Luini moved there from the southern Italian region and opened a bakery, a couple years later she found her grandfather recipe and started to do the Panzerotti. The recipe is a family secret and according to them the reason of the success. 

Delights

Getting mine

I honestly can tell you these Panzerotto are amazing, is the best thing I have tried in years. The filling is perfect, the fried dough is perfectly done, and the taste is superb. Apparently Luini had a sister place in London but I haven’t been able to find it, these babies are so good that I’m in desperately need of a Panzerotti as any addict passing withdrawal symptoms, if anyone knows where is his place in London just let me know. 

Best in Milano

Ready to Roll

Bakeries remind me the Seinfeld episode “The Dinner Party” when Jerry and Elaine are trying to buy a Bobka for a party. 

Jerry: That's the last Babka. They got the last Babka 

Elaine: I know. They're going in first with the last Babka 

Jerry: That was our Babka 

Elaine: You can't beat a Babka 

Jerry: We should have had that Babka 

Elaine: They're going to be heroes 

Jerry: What are we going to do now. If we can't get the Babka the whole thing is useless 

Elaine: Well how about a carrot cake? 

Jerry: Carrot cake? Now why is that a cake? You don't make carrots into a cake. I'm sorry 

Elaine: Black Forrest? 

Jerry: Black Forrest? Too scary. You're in the Forrest, oohh 

Jerry: How about a Napoleon? 

Elaine: Napoleon? Who's he to have a cake? He was a ruthless war monger. We might well get Mengele 

Jerry: That was our Babka. We had that Babka! 

Elaine: What's this one? 

Clerk: That's cinnamon Babka 

Jerry: Another Babka?

Luini

T: +39 02 8646 1917

Bakery

District: Centro Storico

Zone 1

Milan

---

View Larger Map

---