I'll be honest, I hadn't thought much about this rather niche Italian speciality since leaving university. There, the half-circle shaped, stuffed pizza pockets were an honoured riff on the theme of Chicago-style pizza, and … when served piping hot from the back of catering trucks near midnight … essential fuel for academic all-nighters. Though supposedly invented in Naples, I can't remember them there, and haven't encountered them in any memorable way either in Italy itself, or in Italian restaurants in the UK.
Yet here they were in Putney, a menu cornerstone at a long-running, much-beloved local pizzeria called Al Forno. And there, whenever he can entice the family, is where nephew Charlie celebrates anything significant. Specifically so he can dig into one of those enormous calzone.
It is, without doubt, a fabulous place to celebrate. The calzone's not the only thing that reminds me of Chicago. This is one of those cozy interiors done with wood, brick and amateur art, with murals in brick "windows" and market umbrellas hanging from the ceiling in an attempt to create the mood of an Italian piazza. The wood-fired pizza oven is the star in this cluttered feast for the eyes. I can't swear that there were red-and-white-checked tablecloths … though it seemed like there were … and I didn't spot any waxdrip-covered chianti bottles used as candle holders, but you get the idea. When Billy Joel sings Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, he's setting his tale in a place like this.
Local reputation packs the crowds in. On the Saturday night we dined there, every table was full and there was only enough space between them for waitresses and waiters to squeeze through with the food. The atmosphere is jovial, the soundtrack a merry cacophony and people obviously come to party. Waiters grab diners to dance in the aisles. Six different celebrants were treated to the birthday song while we were there, delivered by the staff accompanying themselves on comically-played horns, guitars and tambourines. (And this didn't include my nephew, who was in-birthday-cognito so he could eat his calzone in peace.)
The food doesn't quite live up to the festivity. Charlie proclaimed his calzone as magnificent as ever, but to my eyes it lacked the depth of stuffing that makes the Chicago version so memorable. My thin-crust pizza was excellent, but I can't honestly say it was any better than I've had at Pizza Express. A combination of starters that sounded appealing was in reality a platter of deep-fried balls, almost indistinguishable in flavour and without any dipping sauces to moisten the carb concentration. Perfectly pleasant to nibble on, but certainly not memorable. The balance on the arancini amongst them was all wrong, with far too much fried breading and not nearly enough rice. (Yes, I admit I'm picky; this is one of my specialities in my own kitchen.)
The pastas and main courses heading to others at the table looked unexceptional, and my husband confirmed that both his starter and main were fine, but average. The worst crime in my book, however, was billing themselves as a Sicilian restaurant and not having cannoli on the dessert menu. Exacerbated by a waitress who didn't understand what I was asking for. I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt, and assume she couldn't hear me properly in the din.
That said, I can see why Al Forno thrives as a local. If we had something similar nearby, I'd happily patronise it. Decent pizza, generous portions of pasta, good variety on the menu and a fabulous atmosphere. Reasonably priced. Most importantly, not a chain, with an owner who's active in the day-to-day operations. It's the kind of local Italian place common to most American cities, but rare here in the UK. So while I wouldn't go out of my way for it, I'd have no problem returning if in the area. Further menu exploration … and dining outside of the Saturday night madness … might yield better food.
1 comment:
calzones are literally everywhere.. even pizza express have them on their menu
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