Vacanza Pizzeria, Waverley

It was one of those Saturday afternoons where the clock ticked over and read 4:30pm and I was already yawning. It was bitterly cold and I think my body was saying to me "just get us under the covers as soon as you can" and I turned to Mr NQN and said "I'm tired." "Me too" he answered. "I'd like to go to bed early tonight I think" I added for good measure. "Me too" he echoed.

My body was also telling me another thing. It was saying "Give me carbs and give me cheese or things will get ugly before you pass out asleep." So we decided to venture out early to try a pizza place nearby in Charing Cross or Waverly (there's also a branch in Surry Hills but we didn't fancy searching high and low for parking). Said to make great Southern Italian style pizzas I wanted somewhere quick and easy but with good carb loading food. We arrive at Vacanza Pizzeria and they ask us if we have a booking. Oops, it's early Saturday night and we haven't booked. Not a problem and they seat us downstairs where families are tending to their babies and couples sit splitting pizzas, pastas and salad. There's a wine list too but we are focused on food. I chuckle as I read the menu which says "Changes and modifications are politely declined unless it is a matter of life and death."

vacanza pizzeria-3 — Focaccia Con Aglio e Mozzarella $12

Service is very friendly and attentive and our waitress suggests a few things for us to order. In the interests of carbs, we order some salumi, cheese as well as a serve of foccacia bread with cheese on top to start off. The bread comes out all puffy edged and fresh, the Fior di latte cow's milk mozzarella cheese and garlic baked into the centre of it. It's warming and the perfect pairing for the salumi and cheese below.

_Salumi & Formaggi $22 _

When this came out we were pleasantly surprised at the generous portioning. Even Mr NQN who finds most plates on the small size appreciated how much we received. There is salami, bresaola, prosciutto crudo, mozzarella, fontina and gorgonzola on top of fresh rocket leaves and with garlic, chilli and basil marinated green Sicilian olives which are firm, meaty and moreish, particularly with the basil. And any spare pieces of the foccacia that were cheeseless and initially left behind were ideal to dip in the aromatic flavoured oil.

vacanza pizzeria-5 — Il Pizzaiolo Diavola $21.90

They use a Cinque Stagioni flour imported from Italy with a W rating of 320 indicating a high protein flour which suits their 48 hour dough. The slow rise allows the yeast to ferment and makes it easier to digest with less bloating. It is then cooked in their Amalfi oven at 400C. This pizza was chosen for chilli loving Mr NQN and they arrive as thin topped pizzas with the "less is more" adage.Still, it's a good ratio for the thin crusted Neapolitan style pizza. Pizzas here can be made was a San Marzano tomatopizza base or a Pizza Bianche without the tomatoes but the two we ordered had tomato. This one has the San Marzano tomatoes, Italian fior di latte, Borgo antica hot soppressa, fresh chilli & plenty of black olives. It's a good pizza indeed and Mr NQN likes the fact that it is cut into quarters whereas I prefer in eights for easy eating with hands.

The Il Capitano was the waitress's strong recommendation and as soon as it hits the table, the aroma of truffle oil hits our nose. It is topped with San Marzano tomatoes, Italian fior di latte, truffle oil, goats cheese, Swiss roasted mushroom & Italian pork & fennel sausage. It is a heady, flavoursome combination that I really enjoy.