There’s a fine line between being quirky, and just a little bit too weird.
But Emirati-owned Moon Slice absolutely nails it.
Renowned as one of the few places in Dubai where you can find truly fantastic, fermented sourdough artisan pizzas, its out-of-the-box topping combinations are famed across the city.
Offering Short Rib with BBQ sauce, The Hearty Kick with Wagyu carpaccio and spicy meatballs, the signature The Ms Secret with fior di latte, truffle foam and grated truffle and much more, its pizza recipes are anything but ordinary to say the least.
Featuring beautifully light, 48-hour fermented sourdough bases, they also come in pepperoni, margherita and more much-loved classic varieties, while there’s a select yet carefully thought-out choice of tasty starters, salads, pastas and desserts, too.
Located in Dar Wasl Mall, the cosy and compact pizzeria has an edgy and minimalist feel. Fun triangular arches separate intimate dining areas, while the outdoor terrace is surrounded by lofty palms and the elegant architecture of the surrounding neighbourhood complex.
We start with a spread of tempting bites. Mixing traditional recipes with reimagined favourites, we sample exceptionally generous portions of lightly battered fritto misto, ultra creamy Caesar salad,
and jet black arancini balls that are literally oozing with stringy mozzarella cheese.
For our main course, we feel it would be remiss not to try one of the more adventurous pizzas. The Chic with smoked chicken, red onions and jalapeno strikes just the right level of interesting, while the spicy pomodoro pasta pairs wonderfully with its rich and cheesy base.
Rarely have we tried a better pizza dough in the UAE, and the serving is so big we’re delighted to have leftovers to take home for the following day as well.
The pasta isn’t quite as hefty, but the tomatoes are bursting with flavour. Cooked to just the right level of al dente, it’s clearly made with expert skill.
We’re somewhat surprised to find that it doesn’t serve hot drinks, but we respect that it likes to stick to what it knows best.
For dessert, there’s only three choices, but they cover the best Italian sweets in existence – tiramisu, profiteroles and apple tart.
We try the latter and, providing a nicely contrasting pairing of sweet and slightly tart apple with creamy vanilla ice cream, it’s the perfect conclusion to a completely gastronomic evening.
Dar Wasl Mall, Dubai and Aljada, Sharjah. Daily 12pm to 2am. Tel: 0506959733. Instagram: @moonslicepizza.
