A Place for Pizza Lovers (Pizza Express)

Member Name: shopaholicleo

Product:	Pizza Express
Date:	01/07/09 (35 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: nice pizzas, lots of offers

Disadvantages: not enough choice, some ingredients i wasn't sure about, slow service

I haven't been to Pizza Express since I was about 12 (I remember this as it was before I saw Titanic with my Uncle and Cousin), preferring to go for the the all-round Italian experience at Zizzi's or Bella Italia. However I recently received a Taste London card, which means I get 50% off at pretty much every Pizza Express in London, so I thought I may as well give it a try. I invited 3 friends to take advantage of this offer, and off we went to our local branch.

We were seated quickly, slightly near to the front to perhaps make the restaurant look busier. We decided to go for three courses, as we were making the saving, so I ordered the Mushroom Bruschetta, Etna Pizza and Tiramisu for dessert. It did take a while for someone to take out order, as there only seemed to be one waitress. However the starter came soon enough, and I can't fault the mushrooms in a creamy, rich sauce on nice crunch bread. The pizza choice was slightly difficult, as I can be a fussy eater at times. I'm not a fan of anchovies, capers or runny egg on pizza, and I found that most pizza's contained an ingredient I didn't like. There also isn't a lot of pasta choices, but what was I to expect with a name like 'Pizza Express.' I chose the Etna pizza as it promised a spicy mix of salami, peppers and ham. It was a good choice; a large, thin base with plenty of spicy flavour, slightly difficult to cut, but I got there in the end and my plate was clean when I finished. The Tiramusu was also a great choice for dessert; the portion was just enough, and the flavour wasn't overpowering in the slightest. The perfect end to the meal.

The price of these three dishes, plus a soft drink came to just over £10, which I think is pretty reasonable for a three course meal. Of course I had a 50% off card, but I believe there's lots of vouchers available to make their prices a lot more favourable. The service was slightly slow, perhaps due to staffing issues, so our meal took slightly longer than anticipated but the waitress was friendly and apologetic with it. Being a student, I probably wouldn't have paid full price for all of this, but it is a nice place to come for a treat or birthday meal. As a whole, I prefer a bit more choice on a menu, so would probably go elsewhere if I wanted the full Italian experience. Despite this, I'm sure I'll be visiting Pizza Express more often.

Summary: a nice place to eat