Cipro Pizza al Taglio

Okay, so my head is spinning. I think I've been staring at this pizza gif for too long. Hello! I'm writing about a little luncheon I had in Alexandria on the weekend. It was an unexpected dee-light. Yet another on the list, Alexandria seems to be gaining popularity of late; booming with cafés like Bread & Circus, Kitchen by Mike and the notorious Grounds of Alexandria - and 2x Bunnings (for all the DIY optimism that a weekend brings)! There's another kid in town, by the name of Cipro Pizza al Taglio. Opened by Khan Danis, Angel Fernandez and Catherine Adams, this trio are the kitchen alumni of some of Sydney's best including Rockpool and Flying Fish.

Oh yeah, pizza flashcards. I apologise for the crappy quality of this thing… Unfortunately I don't exactly have the technological prowess to come to grips with .gif creation! ;)

Cipro is housed in a rather large complex on Fountain St and is neighbours with Bread & Circus. In a light + lofty space, Ann Ronay from SFN Constructions has delivered the goods with a casual Australian spin on the Italian pizza joint. So perfect for all day dining - and now open for dinner (plug)! Greeted with cheery service and a long glass cabinet displaying their wares. Enter: pizza.

When in the area… grab a slice (or many) and run, or stay and soak this in. Photo credit: Broadsheet Sydney

If you want to buck the trend (or you're giving the Atkin's a crack) and order à la carte, there are a number of seasonal offerings including some mean salads as well as daily specials - like this one:

Fritto misto: fried seafood and vegetables with crispy polenta and aïoli. 

And now, back to the main event. Each pizza is pre-pared but baked to order. Here's the mini roll call:

Mushroom, artichoke, thyme, fontina and parmesan - I just had to show this one again. Xmas came early this year! My absolute favourite ingredients all on a hot slice. 

Whilst I'm re-living this, you should be living it. Capisce?

The rest (no slouch either):
Pork sausage, peppers and olives - peppery goodness. Heat tempered by the fontina from the previous. And ginger beer.

Pork ragù with ricotta salata finished with rocket - by all accounts this one was better than the pork sausage… check for yourself ;)

Pork and veal meatballs, eggplant, provolone and basil - pork again?! Yes. This one was pretty as a picture with the eggplant slice framing those meatballs.

DOLCE (unmissable, okay)

The ladies next to use ordered the Strawberry Mascarpone Tart, served up on a Wedgewood cake plate. I was swooning, and it looked incredible. However, I couldn't pass up the op to try Adams' flourless chocolate cake that every critic has raved to high heaven about. Challenge accepted (gleefully)!

Decidedly moussey, this choccie cake is ALL about texture and the dark chocolate pulls back the sweetness. It's hardly a cake at all, but something ethereal. The freshly whipped cream just seals the deal for me

Housemade gelato: vanilla, milk chocolate and passionfruit. Quite mellow in flavour the vanilla beat the others hands down. Not quite as good as Gelato Messina though ;)

You might be thinking, "No one wants to see that…" But may I just emphasise to you just how bloomin' amazing that cake was?

Despite a brilliant lunch at Cipro, I have a small axe to grind. Price hikes. Yes the food is good, in fact some bits were GREAT but is it justifiable to increase prices by 30% within months of opening? I know everyone is feeling the pinch at the moment, none more than the hospitality industry but I frown at the prospect of paying $12 per slice of pizza. That hurts. Winning best "Bang for Buck" in the 2013 Sydney Food Awards by Time Out Sydney was probably just very bad timing. Maybe a pizza happy hour could remedy this? ;) 

Signing off…!

With those misgivings, Cipro is still definitely a goer.  The crew have definitely got the formula down for excellent pizza and desserts for a rollicking good meal. Terry has awarded the place 14/20 in his Good Food piece which is a whole hearted thumbs up in his book. Better check in.

Thanks for reading!
xGourmand