About Pizzaeria Fabricca
Walking into Pizza Fabricca, there are two things that are immediately apparent. This place takes its pizza and beer seriously. The first thing that drew my eyes was an immense wood fire oven roaring at the back of the kitchen, and an elegant bar complete with multiple exotic looking beer taps and even a wine dispenser.
The pizzeria opened its doors about three months ago on Bussorah Street, just a stone’s throw away from the hipster paradise known as Haji Lane. Since then, they have been churning out homemade pasta, fresh pizzas, classic Italian dishes and premium craft beers.
Antipasti (Appetizers)
Insalata Proscuitto di Parma e Mango ($18)
This was a great tasting dish. Traditionally, the dish is served with melon instead of mango. While the flavours of the mango do carry over well, the texture the melon contributes is lost in translation.
Instead of the typical soft and crunchy texture the melon would provide, this dish feels soft on soft, which isn’t as exciting. Still, it tasted fresh, sweet, and salty, which are necessary flavours for this dish to work.
Involtino di Melanzane all’Ortolana ($14)
This is a basic dish disguised by its beautiful presentation. The flavours are light, and it’s well balanced. The ricotta stuffed eggplant does well to counter the hot marinated peppers and the peppery artichoke.
I’m glad to see the usage of more exotic ingredients like artichoke and it worked in this context, but the star was definitely the eggplant. The ricotta was pleasantly rich and light which made the otherwise drab dish interesting.
Antipasto all’Italiana ($24)
It’s hard to go wrong with high quality cold cuts but the pizzeria takes it one step further by offering some home made condiments to go with the spread. The spreads were wonderful and mostly added a sweet element to the salty meats which was very pleasant. One condiment in particular was spiced with wasabi giving it a nice kick as well.
Primi Piatti (First Course)
Tortellini in Bordo ($18)
This is probably my favourite dish of the night. The tortellini is stuffed with pork and beef as well as some parma ham. It’s a great savoury mix that works well with the broth that surrounds it. I had to force myself to stop so I could accommodate the later courses or I would have probably finished the bowl of hearty goodness. It doesn’t seem to be on the menu yet, but keep an eye out for it soon.
Fregola con Bottarga ($24)
Ok lets get this out of the way first – Bottarga is cured and dried mediterranean fish roe and Fregola is a type of pasta that originates from the island of Sardinia. Fregola resembles couscous which makes sense due to the island’s close proximity to Africa.
The dish is cooked with a range of seafood including prawns, mussels and scallops. The fregola is cooked very well and i appreciated its doneness. While the seafood should have lent the dish some great flavours, they were downplayed by being underseasoned. The flavours were too subtle for me.
Pizza
Pizza Fabbrica ($34)
Now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for, pizza! The base is made of pumpkin cream which is a first for me, and topped with broccoli and sundried tomatoes. I loved the idea of a pumpkin cream base. It’s something really rare and makes this dish a must try. However, the seasoning is lacking once again. It’s a pity because a little salt would have gone a long way into elevating this dish.
Pancetta Funghi Caprino e Scalogno ($24)
Have I mentioned how much I love the pizza dough here? Well it’s great! One of the first things I look at in a pizzeria is the dough itself. It’s cooked really well and it’s fragrant. I’m pretty sure I’d be happy to eat it without toppings at all. The crust is crisp and the insides are fluffy and unburnt, a feat that is hard to achieve for most pizzerias.
Again this pizza is underseasoned but it’s helped along by the pancetta and the pungent goat cheese. I loved the combination by my partner found the goat cheese too overpowering. Stay away from this one if you’re squeamish about goat cheese.
Funghi Scamorza e Tartufo ($24)
Everybody loves truffles. It’s no surprise then that this dish was one of the most talked about dishes at the table. It’s not just a measly sprinkle of truffles either, but a good serving of freshly shaved truffle. The earthly flavour certainly brings something new to the plate while the generous portion of cheese helps to ground things.
Dolce (Desserts)
Birramisu ($12)
This is the classical Italian dessert with a twist. Instead of using the regular marsala wine, they used a stout which lends the dish a different flavour and gives it a coffee-like aftertaste. It’s a great idea and certainly pays off to an extent, although I would have preferred the taste of stout to have come off stronger. Still, it’s sweet and incredibly light in texture and a joy to dig into. A great end to a meal.
Beers
Unlike most European restaurants, the pizzeria focuses more on beer than wine. The establishment stocks a respectable collection of Italian craft beers, some of which are seasonal.
It makes for a great spot for beer connoisseurs to delve into the world of Italian craft beers especially with their upcoming beer degustation menu. Beer will not only be paired with the courses but will also be used in the cooking process.
Fabbrica Della Birra Perugia Golden Ale, Italy ($14 per bottle)
This beer was served with the antipasti. It’s pleasantly bitter and a little heavy on the hops. It’s not as easy to drink as some of the other beers I tried, but it is still quite easy going.
Birra Amarcord AMA Bionda Pale Ale, Italy ($19 per bottle)
This was served with the pasta course, and I loved how it had a fruity and sweet taste to it, definitely easy to drink which is quite surprising for it’s 6% alcohol content. It’s slightly higher than conventional beers.
This particular beer is fermented in the bottle champagne style which explains the design of the bottle. An interesting beer for sure.
32 Via Dei Birra Nebra – Amber Ale Italy ($38 per bottle)
This one is my favourite – it has a sweet and caramel taste to it and while it’s not as easygoing as the other beers, it tempts you to take another sip with it’s extremely unique flavour which lingers on the palate. It’s an 8% beer so go easy! Otherwise it’s a must try for beer lovers and the curious. These guys are only available in 750ml bottles to preserve the traditional method of their production.
Conclusion
Pizza Fabbrica has some great potential. It falls short sometimes on the seasoning but it’s nothing major that can’t be fixed. Just request for some salt when you visit. There are some really creative dishes that pay off well, and I like that the most of the items are made fresh.
The concept is also fresh thanks to their focus on Italian craft beers, giving potential guests another reason to pop by. The prices are pretty fitting as well with the exception of the antipasti which is a tad pricey. Otherwise it’s a great new spot to dine at!
Recommended dishes:
- Antipasto all’Italiana ($24)
- Tortellini in Bordo ($18)
- Pizza Fabbrica ($34)
- Funghi Scamorza e Tartufo ($24)
- Birramisu ($12)
Getting There:
Get off at Bugis MRT walk to the end of Haji Lane towards beach road. Turn left and it’s the second street down.
Address:
69/70 Bussorah Street
Opening Hours:
Tue – Thu: 11:30 am – 11:00 pm
Fri – Sat: 11:30 am – 12:00 am
Sun: 11:30 am – 11:00 pm
Rating: 8/10
This post was brought to you by Pizza Fabbrica.