Around the world with Fire & Stone pizzas
I am a pizza addict (well, I have tried but you cannot live on chocolate and cupcakes alone). Let me to it and I probably would feed on those rwice a day. When Fabienne asked whether I wanted to come with her to the launch of Fire and Stone’s new address in Spitafields, I think my stomach answered first. A tasting event for food bloggers? Yes, yes, yes!
We had just stepped in and the staff welcomed us, friendly handshakes, have a seat, would you like a drink, but also sat with us for a chat about life, blogs, London. Yes, of course it’s their job to make us feel loved and comfy but still it’s only 10.00 on a Saturday morning and they are so enthusiastic and sincere…
The restaurant is not yet open to the public, everything is sparkling new, lovely bay windows for a maximum of natural light, counter overlooking the kitchen for you to spy on the pizzaiolis…
On a table are presented most of the ingredients they use. Fire and Stone prefers to limit the number of suppliers, and use the same for their 5 addresses (3 in London, 1 in Oxford and 1 in Portsmouth). quality comes first obviously but as importantly will be the same in each restaurant. The chorizo, especially is a gem - so tasty, a little peppery - and comes from Brinsida, my favourite tapas place (a deli is also open @ the Borough Market). First class!
This is also the first restaurant to propose a windowed workshop – you can watch the dough being prepared, brought into shape, a little semolina underneath to add some crunch, olive oil on top…
I can hear you think. Well, yeah, another good pizzeria, there’s plenty around. Ah, yes, my friend, but this one has a difference, you see. It got its inspiration from the 5 continents and it is a culinary travel. Take the Koh Samui: thai yellow coconut sauce, roast sweet potato, fried Thai shallots, mozzarella, red chilli, mange-tout, baby sweetcorn and basil, toasted sesame seeds. Amazing! The Melbourne even proposes sweet roasted butternut squash and brie. It just triggers curiosity.
To convince us further, we are invited to choose on ein the menu and prepare it ourselves. Apron, hat, go, go, go! Oh, what a collection of ingredients. Here it goes in the oven. You get it back on a warm plate and no matter how many wonderful meals you have cooked before, you cannot help but smile… The waitresses bring samples of the different home-made smoothies and we’ll even get to taste the wines - the white one is particularly nice, light and sweet, very refreshing. The kind of bottle you have finished in no time.
But that’s not it! Now come the deserts. Brownies, ice cream, lemon tart, a vanilla pannacota with a red berry sauce you are just bound to love… everything is fresh, melts in your mouth. Perfect from start to finish. There is no way we can consider another meal in the coming 24 hours…
But this is a launch party. Of course, everything would be impeccable, guests spoilt rotten, the service quick and easy. It just has to. What about real life? Would it be as perfect?
It wasn’t difficult to convince Mr Chocoralie to come and give it a try – I just had to mention their number 1 pizza, New-York: bacon, mozzarella, tomato and basil sauce (takes them five hours to cook every morning), garlic and rosemary roastes potatoes, caramelized onion jam (also home made as all their sauces and marinades), sour cream and paprika. Starving, it did not take much to drive him to the F&S in Westfield. Now, that is a busy place, especially on a Sunday, how will they fare? Perfectly. The staff was amazing, the dishes were on our table extra quick, my husband even went for one of their smoothies (we’re talking of a Coke fan here) which was proposed with or without yogurt, not a word was spoken as we were too busy enjoying our pizza, the pannacota was as lovely as the previous day. 20/20.
A fab address with friend or as a family!
Fire and Stone
Horner Square,
Old Spitalfields Market
London E1 6EW
For the opening, all pizzas are at £3 on Wednesday august the 04th, £4 on Thursday August the 05th and £5 on Friday August 06th. Enjoy!
Pssst: even better, children up to ten eat free until Sept 05, 2010…
11 Responses to “Around the world with Fire & Stone pizzas ”
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De tres belles photos et beaucoup beaucoup trop de details sur le menu (c’est cruel – ca donne faim !!)
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Chocoralie says:
Je confirme. J’en ai bave (au sens et au figure) en tapant ce post!
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C’était indispensable d’y retourner incognito! On est sûr maintenant que c’est une super adresse!
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Pas toujours facile d’avoir un service et une qualite equivalente sur toutes les adresses d’une chaine… Je choisis, par exemple mes Yo Sushi. Celui de St Paul m’a decue par deux fois et je boycotte!
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Hmmm, j’en mangerais bien une au petit déj…
Il y a une pizza française ? Ils ont mis quoi dessus ? -
Et non, pas de francaise… Ils auraient sans doute mis du garlic, beaucoup de garlic dessus!! Il y a une London, par contre avec du black pudding, argh.
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What? Man cannot live on chocolate and cupcakes alone??? What am I going to do??
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Oh, surely we can come up with a few cacao recipes, like the Mexican chocolate mole chicken? Or Max Brenner’s chocolate pizza?
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La pizza peut rapporter gros et c’est un empire en France. Le coût de revient est ce qui se fait de plus rentable mais à l’arrivée la qualité n’est pas toujours à la hauteur. On mange parait il plus de pizzas en France qu’en Italie !
Cette pizzerai fait dans le haut de gamme alors si tu me confirmes qu’ils font la pizza Napolitaine (c’est à dire la pizza frite), je saute dans le prochain vol… -
Ah, ils font un tooping napolitain mais je doute qu’ils la fasse frire… dommage!
[...] Since then, my tastebuds ahve tasted so much better. I have given up on Pizza Express (although that was definitely an improvement on my youth!). I still love small prices (who wouldn’t?) - Ecco‘s just perfect for this, no decoration but a fab sauce and fresh ingredients. Since then, I also travel around the world with Fire and Stone. [...]