First time I heard that Pizza Mia was opening up in Egypt was through the grapevine. A young couple — she Egyptian, he Italian — were supposed to open a small pizzeria in which they were planning on serving pizza, the real kind. The “real kind” of pizza is that whose dough is just right in texture as you bite; its tomato sauce is fresh with a hint of herbs and with the overall effect of absolute flavorful bliss. I've been hunting down pizzas all over Cairo in an attempt to discover pizza that is consistently prepared and served well. The best I discovered once was in an Italian restaurant in City Stars called Eatalian. There, they baked their pizza in a wood-burning oven — but sadly, the restaurant didn't fare too well and was later shut down. Still available is a flat dough Roman-style pizza at the Marriott Promenade Garden restaurant, and the toppings are as authentically Italian as they could get: mozzarella with rucola leaves topped with parmesan, grilled eggplants and cherry tomatoes. Pizza Mia, on the other hand, makes Napolitan-style pizza: the dough is very thick and soft with a reasonable amount of toppings, adhering to the idea of authentically Italian combination flavors as well, with a few surprises. They sell pizza by the slice, to be had earlier on in the afternoon when the pies come out fresh or ordered when their batch of the day has been sold out. Before sharing with you just how delicious my pizza and side order of grilled vegetables were, let me describe how intimate and cozy the small restaurant space is. On Taha Hussein Street in Zamalek, the small store has a clear glass panel window through which passersby stop to stare inside at the blackboard with the menu. The atmosphere is pseudo-Italian with warm colors and potted plants hanging off a fake windowsill. The limited number of bar stools and tables, of which there is only one that can take up to four people, remind me of tiny Roman pizzerias where customers literally rub elbows and join in on each others' conversations. Pizza Mia serves antipasti, salads, pasta dishes and side-order dishes as well as offering a range of sandwiches, breads, snacks and desserts to go to be selected from their display stand. Soon, they will also start delivering pizza, though to which neighborhoods we have not been told. I highly recommend a side order of grilled vegetables. I discovered at Pizza Mia that there is no such thing as boring grilled vegetables when served this way: delicately stacked were layers of grilled aubergine, yellow and green peppers, zucchini, onion and a tiny cherry tomato whose skin had burst. Dressed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and pesto, both the presentation and the taste of grilled smokiness were simply gorgeous. This beautifully prepared dish, which could compete with any plate of grilled vegetables at a Four Seasons, is priced at LE 11. I ordered a basic funghi pizza; a large pizza pie topped with cheese, fresh mushrooms and smoked turkey slices. The pizza tasted like it's been baked in a wood burning oven. Again, they added an element of smokiness to the taste, and the smoked turkey made the pizza probably the best I've ever sampled outside of Italy. Nicolo and Perry, the young couple, were standing taking orders and watching as clients filled in and out, curious and hungry, on the first day of Pizza Mia's opening. Well worth visiting, Pizza Mia is a great example of a mom-and-pop store that surely has a long life ahead of it. It must. Cairo doesn't have a lot of privately-owned establishments that are small in scale and great in what they offer. Considering the great value for money of a LE 29 pizza (cheaper than Thomas or even Pizza Hut) and with the care and attention the food is given, Pizza Mia can become one of Cairo's best eateries. Pizza Mia 2 Taha Hussein St., Corner of Taha Hussein and Ismail Mohamed St., Zamalek, Cairo Tel: 018 360 0045 www.pizzamiacairo.com
The funghi pizza is topped with cheese, fresh mushrooms and smoked turkey slices.
