L'Uccellino

When I was 19, I stayed in a small village outside Rome for a month with a friend.  It was the ancestral home of her family.  Her aunt lived in the old part of the town, in the small, winding streets that ascended to an old fort.  It was an idyllic summer.  I remember one time, after drinking too much strawberry-flavoured sparkling wine (we were teenagers, after all), we went in search of "hangover food."  All we could find was pizza, but not the flabby, cheesy, mystery-meat kind that our throbbing heads craved - thin-crust, single-topping, perfect Roman-style pizza.  A few slices did nothing to take the edge off the morning after, so light were they on cheese and oil.

Pizza in Australia has typically been thought of as greasy junk food, although it is safe to say that over the last 20 years, the tide has been turning to reveal that authentic crisp Italian style.  Here in the US, the pizza is still greasy, but it is made with a lot more care than it is in Australia.  Pizza parlours take great pride in their tomato sauce, and there are regional variations, from Chicago's deep dish to New York's thin crust, impossibly large slices that you eat folded over onto themselves. 

We have tried almost every pizza place in Footscray and surrounds, and none are particularly stand-out, all serving the same spongy shredded ham and bad salami atop mediocre bases.  We gave up and have been making our own.  All that may change, however, now that I have discovered l'Uccellino.

"John's number 2", $16.50

(tomato, fior di latte, pesto & sopressa)

The pizzas are just fabulous.  The bases are delectably crisp and pleasantly chewy, the toppings all top quality, especially the excellent fior di latte mozzarella cheese.  This melts in large white blobs, quite unlike the yellow stuff that passes for mozz on most takeaway pizzas.

Capricciosa, $17

(tomato, fior di latte, virginia ham, mushrooms, black olives, artichokes & anchovies)

There is a mix of "classics" (e.g. Hawaiian) and really interesting pizze like zucchini & mint or sausage, pea, and red onion, as well as a selection of pizze in bianco (without a tomato base).

"Pizza for a friend", $18

(in bianco, fior di latte, roasted pumpkin, pinenuts, rocket & goats' cheese)

I will gripe that the pumpkin here did seem boiled rather than roasted (big difference, people), but it was nevertheless very, very nice.  You are paying for what you get, though.  A pizza here is a one-person meal and is between $15 and $19; thus, a pizza and DVD night in might end up very expensive when compared to, say, Il Paesano's $5 small pizza.

Then again, pizza does of course not need to be just takeaway.  The restaurant itself is really lovely, dimly lit and very romantic, with friendly, efficient service.  I will definitely be there next date night.  The ensuing hangover will have to be satisfied with McDonald's.

L'Uccellino

20 Ballarat St, Yarraville (map)

Phone: 9689 9788

Hours: Tues-Sun 5pm-late