CHENNAI: As we pass by the ongoing renovation works on the once bustling Khader Nawaz Khan Road, we come across a new diner, serving a cuisine that is scarcely available in Chennai. Za Pizza, started by Varun Sheth, Ritvik Varun, and AL Vijay, aims to bring a taste of New York to the city by serving authentic pizzas.
In the past couple of years, Chennaiites’ love for Neapolitan pizzas has witnessed a surge. However, New York-style ones have remained underexplored. To address this, the diner has also introduced the reheating concept. “For guests who opt for takeaway and delivery, we send a card explaining the procedure to safely reheat the pizza because people here are quite sceptical about reheating,” says Varun Sheth, one of the partners of Za Pizza, who completed his culinary course in Chicago.
Varun has been part of the food and beverage industry for more than a decade and owns a couple of diners in the city. “That’s how I felt a void in the culinary landscape of Chennai when it comes to authentic New York-style delicacies. Since there aren’t many flavour options in the original version, we are trying to push our boundaries and experiment with Korean and Indian flavour profiles,” he adds.
The spacious and vibrant eatery has ample parking space as well. “Once the renovation works are done on KNK Road, we expect more footfall as it will become a great spot for nightlife,” he shares.
Giving us the key differences between New York and Neopolitan-style pizzas, Varun notes that the dough in Neapolitan pizzas are fermented for a longer period, with puffy edges. It is so slender that one certainly needs the aid of cutleries to take a bite. However, New York-style pizzas have a comparatively firmer base.
In the well-lit, lively diner, we start on a healthy note with et tu brute salad, topped with pizza croutons and Caesar dressing. The first on our recommendation list is the butter garlic mushroom, which pairs well with the garlic parmesan pillows. The cheese dips enhance the overall flavours. The outer coating of peri peri chicken poppers is crispy and spicy. However, the meat is slightly tough.
The grilled chicken and hot honey-topped garlic breadsticks turn out to be a pleasant surprise for us, as the honey balances the strong garlic flavour. The uptown ragu, a pizza featuring rich and savoury meat-based sauce with lamb, is a must-try for anyone wanting to explore different taste profiles. For vegetarians, the umami mami pizza, with caramelised onions and confit garlic cream cheese with mushrooms, offers a subtle sweetness.
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Za Pizza also offers a few Indian-inspired pizzas like paneer makhani and Asian options, including teriyaki chicken.