Pijja: Where East meets West on a pizza crust

Pijja in Indiranagar dishes out their take on fun, fusion pizzas

I am pretty sure most of us have heard our friends from the North say, Chal pijja khayyenge (C’mon let’s get some pizza) in an accent that does not quite get the Z. Well, that is exactly what the founders had in mind when they opened Pijja in Indiranagar this year.

“We envisioned a diner-like space where people could hang out with friends at any time of day, enjoying good food,” says Dipanita Loy, spokesperson for the space, adding that their menu features eats one can enjoy at any time of day.

Well, Pijja is definitely one of those places to try with a sporty crowd as it takes the term ‘fusion food’ to a whole new level.

We begin with the cheese balls. Bite into one and once you get past the crunchy cheesy goodness, a familiar and yet unfamiliar taste spreads across your palate. That would be chitrana, hitherto seen only at home or in a darshini or on a banana leaf, definitely not in a continental setting. Called the chitr-arancini poppers, they make for great conversations starters too, especially as it takes a few bites to get to its underlying nuance.

Next up were the onion rings, dipped in dosa batter, fried and then dusted with a generous helping of podi (chutney powder). The name is straightforward enough, but the taste so-so. Somehow, they lack the same oomph as the poppers even though the podi packs a zesty punch and saves the day.

Pizzas are a must try at a place called Pijja, right? When you see the name Andhra chilli margherita do not envision your favourite gravy smeared on a pizza base — there is a subtlety to the serving. The masters behind this dish have taken the best of both cuisines to fashion something that is a little bit of both. That way, you get bright green chillies and chunks of chicken served up on a 100% Italian, 48-hour fermented sourdough crust pizza base with dollops of Italian mozzarella and buratta.

One can understand how the lamb ullarth fior de latte pizza redolent of Kerala’s cuisine could find takers. Bianco sauce and mozzarella cheese harmonise with fried curry leaf and coconut slivers, giving you an inkling of the spicy goodness an original ularthiyathu (or roast) boasts.