In the Upper Crust

The menu is surprisingly elaborate for a pizzeria,with some interesting options. The restaurant’s wood fire oven commands a place of pride and majority of the dishes are prepared in it. Keeping this in mind,we decide to begin with Wood Fired Chicken marinated in pesto. Until the chicken makes its debut on our table,we are entertained by some gratis focaccia accompanied by green pepper salsa. We relish this warmed-up act of the toasty bread,which is nicely paired with the slightly sharp salsa. Once it’s played out,the chicken makes its appearance without undue delay. The basil used in the pesto is outstandingly fresh,as despite having been ‘wood fired’ it retains that characteristic garden-fresh spice of excellent quality basil. The chicken itself is well-cooked — crispy brown on the outside while tender and juicy,with the faintest blush of pink on the inside. The appetiser descends our gullets to significant mental applause.

Our dining companion,perhaps having read a Garfield strip in the morning,orders a Lamb Lasagna,while we settle on the Chorizo and Boursin Pizza. The pizza is awash with cheese,with mozzarella and boursin melting into the base,while provolone,a piccante variety,reposes in soft chunks all over the pizza. The combination of the creamy mozzarella and boursin,the pungent provolone and the spicy chorizo,all resplendently resting on a thin crisp Sicilian crust,makes for a particularly smashing pizza. The smells of the lasagna across the table momentarily distract us and we happily splash into its nicely roasted tomato sauce,which still retained a hint of tang,and toothsome lamb mince,which wantonly spills out of cheesy lasagna sheets.

Rossa doesn’t have a dessert section on their menu (at least not yet),and chalk in daily changing desserts

on a slate near the door. We cannot wait to return to trawl through the rest of the menu.

Meal for two: Rs 2,000 (with taxes,excluding alcohol)

Address: 26,Ground Floor,Hauz Khas Village Contact: 66487891,extension: 274