Pizza Express - Victoria Square - Belfast

Last Sunday, we went to the Odeon cinema in Victoria Square. The movie lasted forever and both our stomachs were rambling loudly by the end of it. We were too famished to go home and cook ourselves something to eat so we decided to treat ourselves to a nice dinner in Pizza Express. I had meant to try this restaurant for a while as I heard a lot of positive feed back about it.

The place was modern with a nice open plan kitchen offering a tantalizing view over the pizza ovens. The menu was extensive and very appetizing so we both had a hard time choosing what to order. We finally opted for sharing a plate of dough balls as a starter and asked for a bottle of Chardonnay to drink with our meal.

The dough balls arrived in no time, piping hot and deliciously moist, served with a side of soft garlic butter to dip them in. We both were at first a bit surprised that the balls weren’t actually smothered in butter as it usually is the case but I thought it was for the best. Instead of getting that slightly “mushy” texture, the dough was perfectly soft and spongy and it was a real treat to tear them open to cover them with butter.

For the main course, Damien picked a dish of pasta called “Pollo Pesto”. The spiralled pastas were smothered in a beautiful homemade basil pesto mixed with Italian cheeses and garnished with tender chicken, fresh roasted mushrooms and red onions. It was a really good dish, full of flavours and perfectly cooked. Damien literally devoured it.

I had myself struggled to make up my mind, as I desperately wanted to try the Da Morire pizza but would rather have had it on a classic crust. They usually come with “Romana” dough, which is larger and skinnier and even though I am all for the thin proper Italian style pizzas, I still crave for that slightly chewy bread texture. I couldn’t be happier then, when they let me order the toppings I wanted on classic dough.

This pizza was incredible; it tasted even better than it looked and that says a lot. The crust was perfection to me, delicately crispy on the edges, nice and soft in the middle. It came generously topped with top quality fresh ingredients: tasty real Italian cheese, fondant leeks and artichokes that contrasted with the crunchiness of the salty pancetta, the whole lot beautifully seasoned with rosemary and chilli oil. Every single ingredient worked its magic to offer that amazing combination of textures and flavours. I was so impressed that I actually can’t wait to go back and sample more.

I must say I wasn’t expecting such quality cuisine and great service for such a reasonable price. Pizza Express will definitely hold a good spot on my recommendations’ list: cheap, cheerful, delicious and a lot of variety, everything for a great evening out.