When it comes to Italian eateries there seems to be one on every corner. How many of them are actually doing the cuisine justice though and serving it with the romance and abundance that it deserves? If you’re looking for this kind of experience, Burrata is the real deal. Their Italian-inspired menu is made with care and they serve up Neapolitan-style pizza that will make you weak at the knees.

Come On In

The restaurant is located at the Biscuit Mill and on a cold winter’s evening it’s where you want to be. Their beautiful pizza oven was built in Naples and shipped here and its inferno-like centre warms the restaurant and fills the air with the most enticing aroma.

It feels like you’ve stepped into a trendy industrial-style restaurant, with the familiarity of a local trattoria.

Styling Neapolitan

That specially-made pizza oven is what makes Burrata’s pizza some of the best in Cape Town, if not the best. Don’t go expecting crispy, thin-based pizza, that’s not what it is.

If you know pizza, then you know that the signature of Neapolitan-style is its bubbled up base that gets slightly charred but remains chewy. It’s honestly the way pizza is meant to be. It cooks at an extremely high heat and is only in the woodfired oven for under 90 seconds!

That charry puffed up dough, with its baked cheesy layer, is honestly delicious. It made me seriously question how I ever got into the habit of ordering thin-based pizza. We ordered the Delre, with mushrooms, truffle and prosciutto and polished off every last crumb.

Throw your expectations of pizza out of your head and enjoy this style for what it is – authentic and deeply satisfying.

Experience Burrata

Before you get to the pizza though, we highly recommend that you start with a dish from the restaurant’s namesake section. There are four Burrata dishes that celebrate this style of cheese; we chose the Burrata e Parma, which is served with minted pea purée, prosciutto and pangrattato crumble.

The signature of burrata cheese is its oozy stracciatella and cream filling, which is hugged by fresh mozzarella. The sweetness of the pea purée, the crunch from the pangrattato and the saltiness from the prosciutto make this dish the perfect sum of its parts.

From the antipasti section, we tried the zucchini fries with herb aioli, which were divine. It’s very tempting to want to fill up on these crispy golden fries, which oddly feel healthier than their potato counterparts (pretty sure they’re not!). We also tucked into an Italian classic – Arancini, which you can’t help but love.

Soul Satisfying

For mains, I opted for the Crispy Pulled Pork Risotto – who could possibly pass that up? This dish as really a star choice, perfectly al dente creamy risotto is topped with crispy fried shredded pork. The clincher though was a currant vinaigrette, which added a dimension of tanginess and sweetness to this dish that was a real surprise. I absolutely loved this dish and have been dreaming of it ever since.

My partner enjoyed a seafood pasta dish – rigatoni packed with crispy calamari and chorizo. The pasta is lovingly handmade on-site and is cooked to perfection.

Wine while you Dine

The wine list at Burrata is another highlight; owner/restauranteur Neil Grant is a sommelier and there is a great selection available. The knowledgeable service team will be able to help you make the selection based on what you like and what you’re eating.

During the meal we enjoyed a few glasses of a wine made especially for Burrata – In Cahoots 2015 Chardonnay. The wine is a collab between Neil Grant and winemaker Richard Kershaw and is seriously good. It’s only available at Burrata and is definitely a highlight worth ordering.

Dolce

It simply wouldn’t be an Italian evening out without ending with tiramisu. Burrata’s version is a step up from the one you will be used to.

A sophisticated slice of feather light tiramisu is served with a divine coffee ice cream, definitely the right way to end an Italian meal.

Don’t take our word for it, experience Burrata for yourself. In a sea of restaurants that come and go, this stalwart of Italian cuisine is a credit to its country of inspiration.

Current Specials Available at Burrata

• Buy any 2 Coppia Bianco pizzas and a bottle of In Cahoots Chardonnay for R350! Special is available weekdays.
• Purchase Cahoots Malbec wine for R170.
• Order either a Salsiccia for R130 or Vacca Sacra for R142 and receive a Stella Artois! (Friday’s and Saturday’s).

(subject to change)

Burrata The Old Biscuit Mill, 373-375 Albert Road, Woodstock | Tel: 021 447-6505
Open: Tuesday to Friday 12:00-22h00 (pizza sold all day from 12:00 to 22h00 while the main kitchen is open from 12:00 to 15h00 and 18h00 to 22h00 daily) Saturday 10h00 – 15h00 and 18h00 – 22h00. Mondays 18h00-10h00. Closed Sundays

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