Proof Pizzeria
100 Burgundy Street, Heidelberg
03 9459 8265
Italian, Pizza
$$
Food
- Mini Meatballs
- Shrooms Pizza
- Il Postino Pizza
- Rocket Salad
- Tiramisu
- Nutella Pizza
The Good
It was a pleasant start to our dinner with the Mini Meatballs. Cooked in a rich Napoli sauce, the tomato flavour was unapologetically bold and forward. With just the right amount of acidity balancing the sweetness, we found an abundance of soft, juicy meatballs whose coarse ground ensured plenty of texture. Lightly topped with grated Parmesan that offered up an unexpected creaminess, this dish was perfectly served with a slightly savoury pizza dough, which aptly soaked up the saucy goodness.
The Il Postino Pizza did nothing but impress. The thick, puffy crust encircled an exceptionally thin base that was topped with a rich and fragrant tomato sauce. On top sat an abundance of cheese, in particular the aptly pungent and incredibly flavoursome Gorgonzola. This was well matched with the thin, tender slides of quality prosciutto liberally draped on top that offered up plenty of meaty flavour. Combined with fresh, juicy slices of mushrooms and leaves of basil, this pizza offered up all the qualities you’d ever want in an authentic Italian pizza, and an amazing one at that.
We also enjoyed the Shrooms Pizza. The same fragrant dough formed the once again excellent base, which on this occasion was generously topped with sliced mushrooms and pecorino. With puffy edges that perfectly soaked up the beautiful truffle oil that was drizzled liberally on top, the pizza was highly fragrant with plenty of mushroom aroma.This was well matched with a basalmic reduction that was artfully swirled across, offering up a hint of acidity and sweetness.
We ended our meal with the Homemade Tiramisu and the Nutella Pizza. The highlight though was undoubtedly the Nutella Pizza, which was distinctly different from any other such pizza we’ve seen. With Nutella and vanilla ice cream smeared with the two thin layers of pizza base, the sinfully sweet and thick, gooey mixture was perfectly juxtaposed by the crisp crunch of the outer.
The Tiramisu in contrast was a soft and pillow indulgence. The creamy outer was dusted with cocoa powder. Within hides a soft and moist, spongy inner that’s soaked with a beautiful coffee aroma. With just the right balance of sweet and bitter, this rich and pillowy dessert was the perfect indulgent end to our evening.
The Mediocre
We felt that the Rocket Salad was pleasant, though the chef was probably a tad too heavy-handed with the balsamic vinegar. This made for a more oily and tangy experience than the average salad, though, when it comes to salad, we definitely prefer the less-dressed variety.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
With a plethora of Italian eateries popping up left and right all across Melbourne, Proof Pizzeria has done remarkably to differentiate itself in its own right.
Advertised as a Neapolitan style pizzeria, their original Italian staples were most definitely authentic, and hold true to their Italian heritage. The emphasis on quality ingredients that are executed in traditional methods of cooking undoubtedly produced some spectacular results, and the pizzas we sampled tonight tasted just like in the hometown of Neapolitan, Naples.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Most definitely. We definitely can’t say no to authentic and delicious Italian pizzas with beautiful desserts to match!
Penguineats would like to thank owners Frank and Anthony for their generous hospitality, and Eat Marketing Concepts for inviting us.