Tony Tomato – delivering to North Adelaide.

Tony Tomato – 155-157 O'Connell Street North Adelaide 

When I spotted that the team from Ruby Red had opened a pizza bar on O’Connell, I figured it would be worthy of a try. It just so happened that I was also tasked with finding a Friday night dinner location that week, so I booked us a table. 

Wanting to try a bit of everything we took direction from the staff, had a few different styles of pizza, along with a few of the ‘Plus’ dishes before the meal to keep our bellies from grumbling.

Pork and Veal Polpette

First of the Plus dishes were the Pork and Veal Polpette. Delicious balls of meat with a very home made tasting sauce, these were enjoyed by all of the table. Even the peas were finished by my son – they must have been good as anything green is usually pushed to the side.

Red radicchio arancini / Side salad

The other Plus plate we had was the red radicchio arancini. These were stuffed with cheese and red onion also. A tasty mix that had a nice creaminess from the cheese and a bite from the radicchio. By the time we were done with these, the Pizzas had started coming out.

Gamberetti

First up was the 72 hour classic base, and the topping selection was the Gamberetti. This included mozzarella, Australian prawns, speck and asparagus. A great combination on the thinner, lighter based pizza. The prawns were sweet and the speck gave the pizza a nice saltiness and chewy texture. The base had the right amount of chew and char, with a crunchy crust. I like this base a little more than Pizza e Mozzarella, it held up a little more under the weight of the sauce and toppings.

Miss Piggy

Next out was the Thick Tony Special base, with our topping selection being Miss Piggy. This came with crisp roast pork, caramalised shallot, tomato and mozzarella. This base was thick, fluffy and a had a lot more of a focaccia taste, with a thick crunchy crust base. It was a great match for the meaty crispy pork topping, with the greens and onions giving sweetness and some tart all at the same time. I really enjoyed the combination of flavours on this pizza.

Eat My Breast

Our last pizza was the Superlegerra base, with our topping selection being Eat My Breast. This included basil pesto, poached organic chicken breast, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, radicchio and a herb vinaigrette. A lot going on right? But surprisingly, it all worked well together. Not your conventional pizza, and not even the type that I usually enjoy. The base is a little thinner and crispier than the 72 hours, with the oats and wheatgerm giving it a nuttier taste. When combined with the salad topped construction, you felt like you were eating something a little healthier. The chicken was poached well, and the salad had a great zing to it. A definite surprise for me.

We didn't try any dessert, but they looked and smelt fantastic. Maybe another night. I was also surprised at the level of service we received. Initially, there was a little mix up with high chairs, but it was sorted out without too much fuss. By the time we left, the place was packed, there was a line out the door and people were waiting at the bar. North Adelaide was lacking a good, authentic wood oven Nepalese style pizza bar, and now it has one. If you are in the area, and can get a seat, give it a try. It’s up there with other favourites like Antica, Pizza e Mozzarella and Etica.

Nathan gives Tony Tomato 16/20 chops on The Chopping Board

Food: 8/10

Service: 4/5

Ambience: 4/5