Whilst I seem to spend a lot of my time reviewing new spots around the town, there’s always a place in my heart for a few old favourites too. Some small independents (Nobles in Leith for brunch), some part of a small group (Chez Jules on Havover Street for their roast chicken) and some are bigger national chains. Pizza Express falls firmly into the camp of the latter. I remember my first visit to the chain in London in my mid-teens , some time back in the early 90s, a few years off the first one’s arrival here in 1997.
What I liked about it 20 years ago, I still like now. It’s consistent, some may say predictable, but hey, sometimes you just want that taste of ‘familiar’ , and in my experience the food’s always tasty and fresh. The menu has had the odd tweak here and there over the years, but the basics – the good basics- are always there. This winter, there’s been a few seasonal specials added in too mix things up, and we popped in to the very shiny George IV Bridge branch to check them out.
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I still haven’t quite, and am unlikely to master the self-restraint required to say no to a bowl of PE doughballs. The seasonal, ‘speciale’ version are even better than normal, with a sprinkling of Gran Moravia cheese ,and a choice of the classic garlic butter or pesto for dunking. We went for both, along with a bowl of the very more-ish and fresh bright green nocerella olives. Both just enough of a nibble to get the appetite going, and a satisfyingly savoury appetiser before the main event.
Rumour has it that Pizza Express sell pasta dishes. Frankly, I’ve never even looked at that section of the menu. Since day one, I’ve ordered the Soho Pizza virtually every time – rocket, parmesan, black olives and garlic oil. Occasionally I’ll ask for some Parma ham. Even recently, with the Soho having been retired from the menu, apparently people still ask for it frequently enough that the team will know exactly what you mean if you order it. I was going to step up the interest on this trip though, and opted for the Romana version (super thin stretched out base) of the Toscana pizza. The Fox opted for one of the seasonals, the Vesuvio also on a Romana base.
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The pizzas are giant, actually bigger than the plate they’re served on, so if you have a smaller appetite, you might fancy a share with a salad and a few extra nibbles. Thankfully, we came armed with a good appetite, and enjoyed the lion’s share of our respective pizzas. Mine was dotted with chunks of tasty chilli and fennel sausage, tomato, baby mozzarella and some pleasingly fragrant basil leaves. This was a really good take on a classic savoury pizza, sweet tomatoes and the sausage – a hit with me! Mr Fox’s was a more ‘radical’ choice, with its creamy sweet potato sauce rather than the usual tomato. That sweetness contrasted perfectly with the spicy pepperoni and soft ‘nduja sausage (a with a bit of a chorizo like smokiness) , and a sprinkling of rocket and more of that Gran Moravia cheese brought it all together. I love the idea of the alternative seasonal pizzas, after-all, I presume that’s kind of where the idea of pizza originated, variations on a theme based on whatever was available in the kitchen. Besides, not everyone wants to eat the same pizza for the best part of two decades!
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We finished with another of the seasonal specials, a rhubarb and apple crumble with custard. It was pretty average ,the fruit chopped into tiny baby-food like pieces, and without much fruity tang from either the apples or rhubarb, but the crème Anglaise had a nice homely vanilla flavour and so it was passable without being particularly memorable.
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Pizza Express will always be about a chilled vibe, a glass or two of prosecco, friendly service and a good chewy-based pizza for me anyway; so here’s to the next time!
We dined as guests of Pizza Express on a Wednesday night in February 2014, and paid for our drinks.
http://www.pizzaexpress.com/visit-a-restaurant/restaurant/edinburgh-george-iv-bridge
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