Top In Asia | Alta Pizza, Bangsar

Alta Pizza in Bangsar has been on my to-try list and I finally checked this off recently, when I visited with Jien. Unlike its name, Alta Pizza serves more than just the Italian pie. They also offer a focused snack menu and pastas, plus a handful of daily specials.

Casual ambiance

Stuffed chicken wings

One of the daily specials we tried at Alta Pizza is the chicken wing, stuffed with saffron Japanese rice and shitake powder, and finished off with black winter truffle shavings. Flavours are simple but done with a twist.

Fried chicken

AP Negroni and house white wine

Alta Pizza’s fried chicken (RM24) features chicken thigh with sage and polenta crust – served with herbed ranch and giardiniera. A good sharing snack, especially if you’re drinking.

Honeycomb tripe

I’m generally not a fan of tripe but the honeycomb tripe (RM34) changed my mind. This was my favourite among the starters we tried – the tripe is well seasoned and tender, with plenty of flavour from the garlic chive. The addition of breadcrumbs on top gives the tripe a nice contrast.

Ox tongue skewer

We also tried the ox tongue skewer (RM38), served with mint caper sauce and grape. Not your usual flavour combination but the sweetness of the grapes worked well with the ox tongue. Pretty good, but if I had to choose, I’d still go with the tripe.

Tagliatelle with crab meat and tomato butter

I didn’t go for the pastas from the main menu. Instead, I went with a staff recommendation – a seasonal (made in-house) tagliatelle, cooked with crab meat and prawns in fresh tomato butter. I was expecting this to be creamy and heavy but it was surprisingly light with a good acidity from the tomatoes.

Stracciatella pizza

Stracciatella pizza (RM48) is Alta Pizza’s take on a classic Margherita. Cheeses are made in-house and the pizza is finished off in a woodfire oven so the crust is crisp and light and the dough is chewy. My favourite pizza among what we tried that night as it’s simple yet hits the spot.

Italian sausage pizza

Jien likes the Italian sausage (RM52) as it’s a hearty combination of salami, fior di latte and tomato base. This is savoury and meaty – ideal for those looking for a heavier slice. Fior di latte’s texture is on point; creamy, rich and soft. Especially delicious on the Stracciatella.

Mushroom pizza

Mushroom pizza (RM48) is topped off with a whirl of hot sauce and it delivers a bold finish. Flavours are fresh and the truffle-laced fontina cream gives the pizza a deep and rich note. Order this if you want some prazz on your mushroom pizza.

Tiramisu with orange liquor

Good texture, but I didn’t care much for the orange liquor

I’m not used to having orange liquor in my tiramisu (RM24) though I get what the folks at Alta Pizza are trying to bring to the table – fresh and light flavours. I prefer the buffalo milk gelato (RM24) as it’s creamy and smooth with a caramel and savoury finish.

Buffalo Milk Gelato

AP Rosso (RM32) & Basil Highball (RM38)

Cocktails are solid (read: potent), especially the AP Negroni (RM38) which I really enjoyed. All in, I enjoyed Alta Pizza. I read reviews that service can be a hit or miss depending on luck; I guess I was lucky that night. Note that the team is pretty lean so expect to wait a little for your food if the place is crowded.

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