Fancy having cone-shaped pizza?

By YIP YOKE TENG
Photos by SIA HONG KIAU

Italian ConePizza Café,
Lot GSW1A, Ground Floor, Selayang Mall,
Jalan SU9, Taman Selayang Utama, Batu Caves.
Tel: 03-6120 1975
Business hours from 10am to 10.30pm and
No: 35, Jalan 46B/26, Taman Sri Rampai, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-4143 9823
Business hours 10am to 11pm.  

IF you thought Italian ConePizza Cafe specialised in ice-cream when you first stepped foot into the outlet, you are not alone.  

Novel idea: Pizzas in cone keep ingredients warm and juicy till the last bite. They are available in 15 flavours.

According to ConePizza marketing director Eric Hong, there are more than 4,000 outlets in Italy selling cone pizzas. By 2009, the delicacy has already conquered the hearts of foodies in South Korea, Germany, Holland and the United States. 

Hong flew to Italy to buy the technology after discovering how interesting the cone pizza was through a friend. Food and beverage consultant Nicholas Teoh, who had vast culinary knowledge, worked with him to develop their own own version of cone pizzas for Malaysians.  

Savoury offerings: Bruschetta and Garlicky Foccacia are creamy treats.

“Personally, I loved the cone pizza at first bite. The crust is crispy on the outside but fluffy and slightly chewy on the inside. Its unique cone shape holds the cheese and ingredients together, so it is juicy and tender,” he added.  

The cone pizzas are available in 15 flavours, using four main sauces namely tomato, barbeque, aioli and sambal for those looking for a local touch.  

All the flavours have their steady following but Chicken Aioli is said to be the most popular of all. It lures with the rich mayonnaise-based sauce that has a peppery kick, which spices up the ingredients consisting of chicken ham, sausage and pineapple.  

“The crust offers a pleasant texture, too, thanks to the flour mixture. Another plus point about the cone crust is that the pizza remains warm till the very late bite. This is a feedback we get from many of our customers,” said Teoh.  

Tantalising: Spaghetti Alla Bolognese and Chicken Alfredo (background) are all time favourites.

The restaurant’s decor takes on a modern and vibrant approach, with enlarged photographs of food and happy moments splashed across the walls while its floor-to-ceiling glass panels are ever inviting. Currently, the outlets are located at Selayang Mall and Sri Rampai while the third outlet will be opening in Kota Damansara in November.  

Pastas also share the limelight at the outlets and they boast of an interesting twist, too. Baked pastas are fast gaining popularity, available in three flavours namely House Special (beef and chicken pepperoni), Chicken Frenzy and Seafood Mania.  

The baked pasta will be a real treat for cheese lovers, as each of them is covered with a generous layer of cheese that provides a pleasant chewy texture to the pasta.  

Of course, the traditional pastas have not lost out. Spaghetti Ala Bolognese, Fettuccini Carbonara, Italian Prawn Pizza, Aglio E Olio, Chicken Alfredo and Arrabiata have proven to be perennial favourites.  

Garlicky Foccacia and Bruschetta are among the side dishes that have done the owners proud. The former tempts with streaks of homemade garlic and butter sauce whose aroma lingers in the palate, while the latter offers a mouthful of pleasantly blended flavours thanks to the generous amount of ingredients used.  

For dessert, tiramisu is selling like hot cakes, so some luck is needed to be able to savour them. Made according to Teoh’s secret recipe, the cake is loved for its light and smooth texture.  

One should not leave ConePizza without sipping a cuppa as the outlet serves the caffeine-reduced Illy coffee that is famous for its aroma and lingering aftertaste. Here, you can indulge in the drink at a much affordable price.