My Top 10 Irish Dishes of 2019 #8
The “Spicy Devil” pizza at Fallon & Byrnes, Rathmines, Dublin
Hot chile fans will find the “Spicy Devil” pizza at Fallon & Byrnes in Rathmines only mildly picante. Nevertheless, the Toscano salami and peppery Calabrian ‘Nduja sausage are a delicious combination with the creamy fior di latte (fresh cow’s milk mozzarella).
There were a dozen options on the F & B pizza menu the day we stopped by (counting the garlic bread). We also sampled the excellent Mediterranea with anchovies, yellow cherry tomatoes and two kinds of Italian cheese. If you’re a fan of the salty little fish, you will love this one. There are also three vegetarian pizzas available including the classic Margherita.
The Neopolitan style pizza crust here is unlike the stiff, crunchy crust you get on the average pizza. It’s made with a light and yeasty dough that yields a velvety soft crust with an airy texture. The high tech pizza oven gives the finished pie a little char on the edges.
Fallon & Byrnes pizza is being lauded as the best in Ireland ever since their head pizzaiolo, Alessandro Capozzi, placed second in the world at this year’s Neopolitan-style pizza competition, the Campionato Nazionale in Italy. This year’s contest drew over 500 pizza chefs.
Alessandro, who comes from the Campania region of Italy, credits the fresh produce and huge array of cheese and cured meats available at Fallon & Byrnes food halls for the quality of his truly impressive pizzas.