Pizzakaya, VivoCity: “Desperate bouts of novelty.”

I’m gazing at the facade of Sentosa, where glimpses of screaming folk on rollercoasters and five-star hotels reach out across deep waters and through Pizzakaya’s floor-to-ceiling glass. It paints quite a pretty picture of all things fun, exciting, and carefree. 

And then there are these plates of amusement and conviviality on my table. I’m intrigued, to say the least, and who wouldn’t be? When battered octopus balls arrive slung onto hand-stretched, tomato-sauce-laden dough, a visit is mandatory.

Pizzakaya Shopfront
Credit – Minor Food Singapore

Shopfronts rarely come as cavernous as this, nor are they as brightly lit. But a vibrant pop of colour and some playful punnery is enough to let anyone know that Pizzakaya is big on hilarious plates of mirth-inducing grub. You simply can’t miss it. It’s a concept that goes a little further than localised iterations of donburi bowls or deep-fried tonkatsu. Here, as fellow writer, Vera, so astutely notes, they treat pizza crusts as plates. And what delicious crusts they turned out to be.

Interior shot of restaurant
Credit – Minor Food Singapore

I’m talking about audacious pairings of grilled steak and onion rings, thrown onto ten-inch pizza dough for reasons I’m desperately hoping will extend beyond sheer novelty. It’s especially mind-boggling when a duo of seriously impressive brick pizza ovens sit in the open kitchen, where puffy, blistered crusts are churned out like clockwork. Pick a vibe, lady. Pick a vibe. 

What I tried

Takoyaki Pizza

Seeing is believing, and the Takoyaki (S$25.80) does leave me tickled with a tinge of disbelief. It is exactly what the idea puts forth. Granted, I’ll give points for honesty. 

You get over fifteen battered octopus balls huddled together like penguins on ice, all nestled on a pared-down pizza of tomato sauce, cheese, and crust.

Bright red scissors are placed beneath all the pies here. Yes, it’s a do-it-yourself affair that begs for some hands-on diner interaction. Cutting through the amalgamation of takoyaki and pizza is a challenge in itself, lest you don’t mind some damaged octopus balls along the way. 

Takoyaki on Pizza

Eating it is another challenge. This one’s heavily sloppy and void of structural integrity. My painfully carved slices of pizza can’t be picked up without a few spheres of takoyaki rolling off in avalanche fashion. 

Individually, the components of this playful combination are delicious. On one hand, you have plush takoyaki that’s all sorts of sweet and savoury. Then there’s hot pizza with a beautifully soft crust and bright notes of tomato. Yet, they just don’t work together. Soggy crusts and a cloying carb-on-carb pairing heavily burden this dish, proving that not all combinations are worth exploring. 

Tontoro Tonpei Pizza from Pizzakaya

Elsewhere, the Tontoro Tonpei (S$32.80) comes by way of yet another tongue-in-cheek comment directed at all pizza purists. This one’s a homage to okonomiyaki, boasting a mountain of omelette and cabbage in the centre. The folks at Pizzakaya aren’t done. Copious sprinklings of sliced tontoro pork adorn this bulging centrepiece. 

Again, digging into this pie is anything but neat. Spillings of shredded cabbage and strips of meat make for a seriously messy affair that doesn’t impress in taste. Continuous bouts of savoury from the pork and omelette render this heavily one-dimensional and a tad predictable. In this classroom of flavour, I’m struggling to stay awake.

It’s a pity, given that the crusts are praiseworthy. Perhaps, their classic iterations void of all this visual novelty may win me over, but this one doesn’t manage to justify its thirty-dollar price tag.

Baked Japanese Eggplant Miso from Pizzakaya

Moving away from the dough side of things, a serving of the Baked Japanese Eggplant Miso (S$6.80) fulfils the izakaya side of the restaurant’s moniker. This one’s a classic recipe, which proves ironically refreshing amidst all the adventure of the evening. 

It’s an excellent side dish that proves wonderfully sweet, salty, and smoky. A luscious glaze of blowtorched miso violently seduces the palate here, and I’m scratching my head as to why the previous plates aren’t this well-executed. Nevertheless, it does leave me a little more hopeful for Pizzakaya’s other offerings.

Final thoughts

We all need splashes of brazen humour in our day. What’s life without it? Pizzakaya’s embrace of humour in their playfully curated pizzas are commendable, but taste-wise, there’s much to work on. There’s a lot going for this newly-minted eatery in VivoCity, from a splendid view of the harbour to its inviting, well-furnished space. 

Interior shot of Pizzakaya
Credit – Minor Food Singapore

It’s let down only by its novel food offerings, which while undoubtedly contemporary and adventurous, also left me thoroughly confused at times. In a culinary quest for the new and exciting, this modern take on pizza falls short of expectations. My advice? Stick to the classics, and you might just enjoy yourself more than I did. After all, with fantastic crusts like this, a pizzeria can hardly go wrong.

Expected Damage: S$15 – S$30

Price: $

Our Rating: 2 / 5

Pizzakaya

1 HarbourFront Walk, VivoCity, #01-157, Singapore 098585

Price
Our Rating 2/5

Pizzakaya

1 HarbourFront Walk, VivoCity, #01-157, Singapore 098585

Telephone: +65 6224 9690
Operating Hours: 11am - 10pm (Daily)
Telephone: +65 6224 9690

Operating Hours: 11am - 10pm (Daily)
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