PETALING JAYA: While Malaysians are still revelling in roti canai being ranked No. 1 in the 100 Best Rated Breads in the World by TasteAtlas, Italy’s pizza retains its stranglehold on taste buds around the globe.
Now, acclaimed British celebrity chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsay has launched his Street Pizza brand at Sunway Pyramid in Selangor. This is the first foray of the franchise into Southeast Asia, having been established in London, Doha, and Seoul previously.
So, what can diners expect for RM58 (excluding taxes and whatnot)? Bottomless sourdough pizzas, for starters!
There are five types of pizzas on a daily basis, with Ham & Pineapple the newest item on the menu, featuring a mozzarella base with smoked (beef) ham, pineapple, and pecorino.
Those who crave a no-frills pizza will love the Classic Margherita, which has a generous slathering of tomato sauce for its base, accompanied by mozzarella cheese and basil.
The Corn & Chorizo pizza, meanwhile, proves a rare find. It features an enticing mix of sweetcorn puree, chorizo, pulled chicken, mozzarella cheese, and a sprinkling of coriander and spring onions.
Another crowd favourite is the Pepperoni pizza, with spicy salami as the main feature, accompanied by chilli flakes, tomato, and mozzarella cheese.
The final regular pizza is certainly an interesting proposition – Tandoori Paneer. While you will not get a whole piece of tandoori chicken, you do end up with paneer cheese, tomato, mozzarella, spring onions, coriander, pomegranate, and buttermilk dressing, making it a wholesome option for vegetarians.
The sixth pizza on the menu is a daily special. Floor manager Malek, who hails from Czechoslovakia, explained to FMT Lifestyle that there are seven different daily specials, one for each day, on a rotation basis.
Of these, their most popular is the Charred Aubergine pizza, touting a tomato-sauce base with liberally sprinkled charred eggplants on top, dollops of garlic pesto, and toasted pine nuts for that added crunch. Delicious!
If you have a sensitive tummy and are averse to spicy foods, do be careful when selecting the Pepperoni or Ham & Pineapple pizzas as these have a slight zing to them.
Pizzas here are served by the slice, which is a great idea since it reduces wastage. Freshly baked from the oven, it will be brought to your table on a serving platter.
Once you have wolfed down your slice, you can signal the server for your next serving. Diners have no control over the type of pizza served, as it all depends on what is ready at any given moment.
With the establishment seating 113 diners at maximum capacity, the section closest to the oven is always a hive of activity; and the oven itself never rests, as kitchen staff work diligently to feed a constant stream of hungry diners.
No reservations are accepted, so you will have to be prepared to queue. As of press time there is no time limit imposed, so the line can get quite long during peak hours.
Here’s a seating tip for future diners: if possible, pick a table close to the oven area. This way, you will have first dibs on whatever pizza rolls out.
While the bar area is more Instagrammable, you could end up with slim pickings by the time the server arrives.
Do take note that the only condiments provided are chilli flakes and chilli oil (upon request). Do not expect to have Tabasco or other sauces for more flavour. After all, this is a Ramsay establishment, so one would expect the goods to be optimally seasoned, no?
If you’d like something else to go with your pizza, there are the JFC Dirty Fries, Hotter Than Hell Dirty Fries, or plain fries.
The Mac & Cheese is a hearty side dish, or you may also opt for a bowl of Chopped Salad (with capitals) to keep your doctor off your back.
Those with a sweet tooth can choose from bottomless ice cream and fountain soda. Only vanilla ice cream is available at the moment; asked about the brand, “local ice cream” was the reply. OK then.
So, what’s the verdict? Ultimately, it all boils down to quantity over quality here. Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza is worth experiencing at least once if you’d like the privilege of boasting on social media that you’ve dined at a Ramsay establishment.
This, however, is where the buck stops: you can have far more yummy for your tummy at other pizza joints for the same price or cheaper. Still, this writer managed to scarf down 15 slices, reducing the average cost per slice to RM4.
Finally, here’s a caveat: Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza and students could be a perfect match, since young people with ravenous appetites would surely make the RM58 entry point well worth every sen.
For more information on Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza, click here.
Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza
LG1.46A, Lower Ground 1,
Sunway Pyramid, Bandar Sunway,
47500 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Business hours: 11am-10pm daily
Edwin Kee dreamt of being a pro-gamer only to have circumstances mould him into a programmer in a past life. He has since moved on to write about consumer electronics and other topics.