MOZZARELLA Fella Pizzeria has built its name around generously topped pizzas, but its creamy, comforting pasta dishes deserve to be considered a benchmark in their own right.
When a place has Pizzeria in its name, there is a fairly obvious assumption about what you are supposed to order.
At Mozzarella Fella Pizzeria, the pizza certainly lives up to its billing, but after working through the menu, there is another section that deserves considerably more attention.
The pasta.
In fact, when it comes to the hearty, takeaway-style pasta category, Mozzarella Fella has set a pretty serious benchmark.
There is nothing overly complicated about what they are doing. This is pasta designed to be rich, filling and packed with flavour rather than presented with three strategically placed herbs and a drizzle of something you cannot pronounce.
And that is exactly its appeal.
The Fettuccine Chicken & Bacon is the standout on paper and delivers everything its name promises in chicken breast, bacon and garlic folded through a creamy sauce with black pepper and parmesan.
It is big, unapologetic comfort food.
Then there is the classic Fettuccine Carbonara, where bacon and garlic again do the heavy lifting through a creamy, peppery sauce. It is the sort of dish where restraint would almost defeat the purpose.
Vegetarians are not forgotten either, with the Fettuccine Fiorentina combining sautéed garlic, mushrooms and spinach through another creamy sauce.
For something away from the creamier end of proceedings, there is homemade Spaghetti Bolognaise, while the Spaghetti Pesto combines homemade pesto with parmesan and feta.
But you cannot visit Mozzarella Fella and pretend the pizza is merely the supporting act.
There is an enormous amount of choice.
The traditional range covers everything from Hot N Spicy with beef, chilli flakes, pepperoni and jalapeños to the gloriously Australian Spudtacular, loaded with scalloped potato, onion, bacon, black pepper and mozzarella.
The Cheese Lovers throws blue vein, parmesan, feta and mozzarella together, while the Carnivore predictably heads in the opposite direction with ham, beef, bacon and salami.
Things get even more interesting in the gourmet section.
The namesake Mozzarella Fella combines ham, salami, anchovies, feta, kalamata olives and garlic, while the True Blue BBQ piles beef sausage, kabana, chorizo, pepperoni, mushroom and onion over a hickory-smoked barbecue base.
Then there is the Mafia Surprise.
Its official description is essentially whatever ingredients or ideas happen to suit the chef’s mood.
Sometimes it is better not to ask questions.
Even the sides refuse to be boring. There are cheesy garlic pull-aparts, pesto, cheese and bacon pull-aparts, potato bake and cheese sticks, before dessert pizzas, churros and in-store gelato threaten whatever room remains.
The Baconella dessert pizza – bacon, Nutella and maple syrup – may also be one of those combinations you either immediately understand or spend the rest of the night trying to comprehend.
Mozzarella Fella is ultimately the sort of neighbourhood pizza shop that knows exactly what it wants to be.
The pizzas are generous, fun and loaded with combinations ranging from traditional favourites to outright indulgence.
The pizza may be in the name, but the pasta is good enough to be the benchmark.
If you’re keen to grab a slice or put Mozzarella Fella’s pasta to the test for yourself, you’ll find the pizzeria at 122 Glebe Rd, Booval.
Mozzarella Fella is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 4-9pm, Thursday from 12-9pm, and Friday and Saturday from 4-9pm.
