Pizza, the saying goes, is a lot like sex. When it’s good, it’s terrific. When it’s bad, it’s still pretty damn good. If this little adage is true – and granted, a lot of women would dispute that – then Bangkok has a lot to be thankful for. Because for one of the world’s great capitals, it sure is full of highly mediocre pizza.
Let’s leave aside the “pis-saa” dished out by the likes of Pizza Hut and Pizza Company, critiquing which is a bit like taking the piss out of the school disabled kid. Compared to, say, Phuket, home of the sublime, the delectable, the unbeatable Capannina on Kata Beach (worth the price of a return flight to the Andaman isle alone) and several other top-notch pizza joints, there really isn’t much worth getting excited about in Bangkok. Indeed, the field is so weak that the likes of Scoozi, no better than mediocre, starts to look appealing. That’s why Coconuts is mighty pleased to have discovered Pala Pizza Romana.
Tucked under the Skytrain station on the North side of Sukhumvit Road, Pala is a compact Italian-run eaterie that opened its doors in October last year. It seats about 20 on stools and weird cushioned cylindrical seats. The kitchen is open, giving the place a lively feel, while a deli counter and hefty hanging legs of ham provide reassurance of the authenticity of the ingredients.
There are a few reasons Pala has got our juices flowing. First, they serve pizza by the slice (or by the half-meter or meter if you so desire). The rectangular pies are ready made and on display at the front of the restaurant. For the indecisive diner, the kind of person haunted by opportunity cost, the kind that always, without fail, orders his pizza “half and half” (i.e. this writer), this is a wonderful thing. If you come in a group, you can basically order every pizza on the menu. The slices themselves are cut into smaller slices before they’re served, so everyone gets a piece of every pie, so to speak. Party on.
Second, the Rome-style pizza here is probably different to what you’re used to – unless you’re from Rome. The dough has relatively little yeast in it and is slow-baked. This results in a light, aerated base. The chefs also go easy on the cheese. You can eat at Pala without leaving with the bloated feeling that so often makes you wish you hadn’t indulged in pizza in the first place – and makes a chore of an evening’s drinking, to boot.
Third, the quality of the ingredients is obvious. Doubling as a deli selling Italian produce like hams, cheeses and wine, Pala’s ingredients are the real deal and there are no tinned olives in sight. Stuff here tastes like it’s supposed to taste. That applies to everything from the olive oil that accompanies the excellent complementary bread, to the prosciutto, the salty anchovies and the ever-so-sweet cherry tomatoes.
On the Pala roster are 12 pizzas, 13 pasta dishes and various salads and appetizers, as well as a tiramisu that looks rather tempting. The chefs also put on specials when they feel like it. When Coconuts visited, we were highly impressed by the “lago verde” (“green lake”) pizza, which was topped with a vibrant green parsley and anchovy sauce and a mix of mushroom, zucchini, cherry tomato and eggplant, all of which was bursting with sun-drenched Mediterranean flavor.
Oh yeah – and it’s cheap. A good-sized slice of pie goes for THB50-95. With that, Pala Pizza Romana joins Terminal 21, The Black Swan, Suda and – go on then – Soi Cowboy on our list of Attractions of Note at Asok Intersection (everyone’s got one, haven’t they?). And it might just be our new favorite place to eat pizza.
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Pizza Pala Romana
Room 1 Sukumvit Platform (BTS-ASOK link to MRT)
Asok Rd., Klongtoey-nua
Wattana, Bangkok 10110
Tel.: 02 259 1228-9
Web: www.palapizzabangkok.com
Twitter: @pizzapalabkk
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Dan Waites is a writer, translator, interpreter and glutton based in Bangkok. Follow him on Twitter:@danwaites
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