Hazelnut pizza at Bonci Pizzarium

When in the land of pizzas, standing out requires a tremendous effort. To be called as the Michelangelo of Pizzas by The Vogue, takes more than a tremendous effort. Starting off with using three different types of dough for pizza and filtering the water many times. All of this to make a dough that is both crispy like the Roman version and chewy like the Naples' counterpart. And then making sauces worthy of a drool and toppings like painting. That, I guess, is the easy way to stand out in Rome.

A couple of centuries ago, pizzas were worth their weight in silver. Bonci keeps the tradition with pizzas being sold by weight, rather than by piece. You can go in with any amount of money and get pizza worth that cash! Rich or not so rich, there is something for everyone!

Hazelnuts and spices over cheese was the pizza that caught by attention and taste buds. It looked like art and when they took it out to weigh, the place was filled with its aroma. But only then I realised that the pizzas on display are half cooked. After you choose your pizzas, they get their finishing touches in the oven and when the hazelnut came out of the oven, I was starting to have orgasms. My friends got themselves mushrooms and broccoli, tortellini and cheese, and plain mushrooms. All of them had fabulous aromas, but I was faithful to my hazelnuts.

Walking out to eat our pizzas on the self service tables, each of us got a bite from the other. My pizza. Yes, my pizza I was pointing out proudly, as if I created and baked it, when everyone went gaga over the hazelnut pizza. For a guy who is Margherita boy, I sure did seem to fall in love all over again with this one. Biting into it, I realised why this was special. All the flour types and playing with the water to control whatever he was controlling, the chef has managed to create a true fusion between the Roman and the Napoli pizza with the crust and a whole new world on top of it.

Close to the Capri metro station, (just a few minutes walk down the road), Bonci now has a branch in Chicago, but I think it would be worth heading to Rome for this pizza! Pizzas are priced by the kilo and you can choose your pizzas which they will cut and weight it for you to pay. Enjoy!