Review: La Favorita (takeaway)

Now, as much as I love to cook, sometimes it's nice not to have to make an effort whilst enjoying the comfort of your own home. It was a cold, dark Saturday night in Edinburgh, and, after a day of necessary shopping, I decided to be lazy and order a pizza. Not just any ordinary pizza, however, from one of the two major chains you tend to find in cities up and down the UK - no no, this was a pizza from Edinburgh's own La Favorita. 

The Cinque Formaggi Pizza

 After scouring the menu online, I found a pizza that suited me down to the ground. The 'Cinque Formaggi' or 'five cheese' - a wood-fired base ladened with Mozzarella, Taleggio, Gorgonzola, Pecorino (not sure what kind) and Emmental cheese. I also ordered the Arancini, just to see whether they were multi-talented in their culinary delivery. Within the hour (it felt like a few, time always passes so slowly when waiting on food..), a friendly wee man jumping out a trademark yellow mini handed over the order as well as a free pizza cutter - which came in very handy. The smell as I opened the box was spectacular - the pizza was hot and fresh, ready for eating. 

I thought I'd give the risotto balls a go before tucking into my main course, and they were excellent. A good crisp on the outside protects a soft, gooey concoction of rice, cheese and mince that was flavourful and well seasoned. It came with a tomato and chilli dip which cut through the dairy aspect of the dish perfectly. I often find that Arancini can be too dry, but that was certainly not a problem here - these were top Italian restaurant quality, and they certainly made me excited for what was to follow. After using the handy pizza cutter, I flew (almost literally) into the pizza. Let's go through this description in stages - firstly - the base. Now this dough, from what I've read, is made freshly on the premise and left to naturally malt for 48 hours before being used. The result is a chewy, flavourful bread that quite possibly creates the perfect base for a pizza. I understand that a lot of people prefer a thin and crispy base - but I think one bite out of a Favorita pizza may convert you. The wood-fired oven that it's cooked in adds an extra depth to the flavour and texture - creating crispy, black blisters along the crust. If you're that person that leaves the crust, I'd recommend ordering a side of their tomato and chilli sauce to dip it in. Secondly - the toppings. The tomato sauce, unsurprisingly, was lovely. Just the perfect amount was added to give a good flavour but not create a soggy bottom. A similar aspect can be taken with the cheese - you would expect a five cheese to be packed full, however a small quantity of each cheese was used, creating a surprisingly light taste sensation. Each bite was different, the usual flavour of Mozzarella was encapsulated by the salty-sweet Taleggio or the tangy Gorgonzola. It was simply excellent, and miles ahead of its worldwide competitors. This is a pizza you'd expect to find in a wee pizzeria in Florence, not on Leith Walk - but I'm certainly not complaining. 

So if you fancy a pizza and you're unsatisfied with the quality of what's normally on offer, give La Favorita a go. You will not be disappointed.