Japanese pizza might not be your first thought when mulling over where to order your Margherita from, but it’s time for a change thanks to the Truffle Strata at Akiba Dori.
No, we’re not talking about okonomiyaki. Born in Dubai, Japanese street food restaurant Akiba Dori in D3 serves up a variety of inventive dishes, including this Japanese-style Neapolitan pizza.
”I love Japan, I love everything about the culture, the food, the music, and I wanted to create a concept that everyone can enjoy,” says founder Samer S. Hamadeh.
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Akiba Dori’s pizzas are all made with Japanese flour in a custom wood-fired oven, with each pizza taking just 60 seconds to cook thanks to temperatures of up to 500°c.
Hamadeh explains that after a 26-hour proofing process, the dough must be used within 12 hours. To keep waste down, the restaurant makes enough for just 100 pizzas on weekdays, and 150 on weekends – meaning its pizzas are typically sold out by 9pm most days. “We consider our pizza a reward for people who come early,” he says.
After a stint as a special, the Truffle Strata at Akiba Dori became so popular the team took it permanent, and it’s available at the new Abu Dhabi location. Here’s why the pizza rocks:
The crust
“Our pizza dough is prepared with a Japanese flour, water and salt, then proofed for 26 hours. It is so light – it’s like the half weight of the Italian or New Yorker pizza.”
The sauces
One pizza, two halves. The Truffle Strata at Akiba Dori has one side that is sauced with a red base made from San Marzano tomatoes, while the other features a white mascarpone cheese white base.
The toppings
This pizza comes with a continent-hopping assortment of adornments. Buffalo mozzarella, burrata, oregano and basil all nestle up against roasted shimeji mushrooms, truffle Stracciatella and olive oil.
The price
Higher than your average, but not inaccessibly so considering the luxe toppings. “Everything with truffle is more expensive, like double or even triple what other pizzas cost. We wanted to make truffle pizza for everybody to enjoy”.
Dhs73. Yas Bay Waterfront, Yas Island, akibadori.com (04 770 7949).
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