Really! It's like... well, how do I describe it. Take a solid, fairly thick-crusted pizza, and top with some seriously tasty Indian ingredients, from mutton to paneer to cilantro.
Apparently, this is a bit of a thing in the Bay Area, so we sent the boys out to pick up a sample at Pizza and Curry in Fremont, just down the road from my aunt's house. Auntie says her neighborhood is very heavily Indian, so perhaps this is why you can get such an odd fusion there?
It would be an interesting phenomenon to research, is all I'm saying. It makes sense, when you think about it... some naan and uttapams have enough toppings to almost pass as Indian pizzas. So why not add some cheese and just go for it?
The guys came home with all sorts of goodness. Luckily Pizza and Curry lets you get half and half pizzas (except for the mango chaat) so we were able to try a LOT.
Here we have, on the left, a half tandoori chicken pizza "tandoori chicken, red onions, tomatoes, fresh cilantro, and mozzarella cheese with our own creamy garlic sauce" and half mutton masala "spicy curry sauce, spiced lamb, green peppers, red onions, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and fresh cilantro". I have to admit I didn't try the chicken pizza the night of, because it sounded the least interesting, but I can vouch it made great leftovers. It was also the least spicy of the bunch. The mutton pizza had a wonderful variety of textures, between the chewy meat and the crunchy peppers and onions, and their spicy curry sauce tasted less stereotypically "curry" and more balanced between a nice mix of Indian spices.
My favorite combination was the half masala eggplant "spicy red sauce, masala eggplant & EVOO, cauliflower, mozzarella cheese and topped with fresh cilantro" and half malai paneer "our own original curry sauce, spiced paneer, green peppers, red onions, diced tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and topped with fresh cilantro." I love vegetables on my pizza - eggplant is one of my favorite toppings - so both of these were made for me. Both were spicy hot, but not overwhelming. I loved how the tenderness of the eggplant played off the slight crunch of the cauliflower. And paneer should be on every pizza from now on, I'm just saying. As should cilantro; sorry, crazy cilantro-haters.
But now we come to the piece de resistance, the pizza that cannot be ordered as a halfsie with any other, the MANGO CHAAT PIZZA. (I could really use some trumpets blaring right about now.) What you see before you is a pizza topped with mozzarella, spiced mangoes, onions and bell peppers on "our own extra spicy Curry Sauce". I notice the menu neglects to mention the crazy spicy peppers strewn all over the pizza, nestled between the cubes of mango. Mango. On pizza.
I wanted to love it, but this version was just too hot for me! It was easy to tell that these completely disparate flavors did, somehow, come together in a stupid delicious fashion, but I could only manage a few bites before my head blew off. I have a lot of work to do before we get to spicy climates on our trip, that's for sure.
Hanging out next to the mango chaat pizza (that still blows my mind) is Desi bread, or cheese bread spread liberally with mint chutney and served with marinara. Very good and very addictive.
Now how the hell am I supposed to go back to regular old pizza and cheesy bread? I think I'm going to have to put in a request to our local pizza houses to start branching out in this direction. Mmmm.
Pizza and Curry is at 42136 Blacow Road in Fremont, CA. (510) 687-0000, and they also take orders by phone.
Awesome find, Boots! I hope to try this place the next time I'm in The Bay.
Posted by: GastronomyBlog | Friday, 11 March 2011 at 17:43
Thanks! It was just too cool to pass up... but now I want it here!
Posted by: Boots in the Oven | Friday, 11 March 2011 at 23:49