Anyone who knows me is well aware that I am an Italian food snob. I refuse to eat at most Italian food restaurants in the US because they just don't compare to the real thing in Italy.Since my recent excursion to Italy, I always go through a post trip depression where I miss my real, authentic, delicious cuisine. Gelato I can squeak by with as I learned how to make my own. While it doesn't compare to Italy's perfection of the delectable treat, it's still much better than the store bought stuff I find locally.
But I miss the pasta, the gnocchi, and the pizza (as well as everything in between). I bought by own pasta machine so I can now make my own pasta. I do that quite often, and it's amazing.
Pizza is something, however, that I just can't come close to as I don't have the special oven. Because of this, I've recently gone on a few hunts around Austin that claim to have the authentic, Napolitano style pizza. I'm game for taste testing, yet I did go into it skeptical. It's just not going to be the real thing.
First stop was a place called Buffalina Due.
The pizza was very good, fairly authentic, and priced at about would you would expect for a fancy pizza joint. It wasn't anything like a Dominos or Pizza Hut style pizza (don't get me wrong. They make good pizza. But they don't make authentic Italian pizza. Totally different beast).
All in all I was pleasantly surprised and left with a very full stomach. The restaurant was a very trendy, hipster style design which I'm not really a fan of. But it's Austin. Austin is full of hipsters. Just roll your eyes and go with it.
A couple weeks later I tested out a second restaurant that claimed to be authentic. It was called DeSano Pizzeria Napolitano. I had high expectations. While the price was about double what I expected it to be, this is probably the closest authentic pizza I will find in Austin. It was soooo good. And I was so painfully full.
They even had a lovely drinks case with all the European drinks. Of course I got my favorite limonata treat to go with my sausage pizza. The mozzarella was fresh, the dough was fresh, and that's about all I can ask for.
I plan to go back as often as I can. But it's definitely a place I will need to save up for. At least I have found a place for when my Italian longing needs to satisfied.
I'm such a nerd with Italian food. And I'm ok with that.
