Alicia’s Micro Bakehouse
FRIDAY NIGHT PIZZA… WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?
It’s mayhem at home… the builders are in. It’s been four weeks of brick dust on the scale of a Biblical plague but it’s the two weeks into not having a kitchen that’s gnawing away at the usual rhythms of family life.
With just a camping gas stove to cook on, we’re making do. Surprisingly so… but we’re missing the oven. In reality this actually means we’re missing pizza … Friday night pizza.
OK, I’ll come clean. Poli in Kings Heath - the new kid on the pizza block - was top of our list but being fully booked (again), we were more than happy to finally make a long overdue visit to Alicia’s Micro Bakehouse.
As one of the catalysts for Stirchley’s current artisan food and craft beer boom, Alicia’s has been seemingly satisfying the south Birmingham pizza loving masses for over 18 months. And a glance at their menu ticks all the right boxes with most pizzas strutting their Italian names with a swagger of authenticity. And great they could fit us in at 7pm on a Friday with less than 24 hours notice.
But enough of the positives.
Having been promptly shown to our table we were then forgotten about for 15 minutes or so – some feat when you’re sat in a room of about 20 covers, just about half full. Unfortunately due to the dreadful acoustics from what seems to be a single desktop speaker sat between the two rooms – the ‘music’ just boomed rather uncomfortably, cranking my tinnitus up a notch and hindering easy conversation across the table. And it gave me little else to do than take everything in.
It feels a bit churlish being negative about the décor when pizza is involved … after all it’s little more than cheese on toast with some fancy toppings. But premium prices bring customer expectations, which extends beyond the quality of the food to the service, ambience and environment. At Alicia’s the front room is the shop window all bathed in light and feeling very much like the … erm… show window; whilst the back room is drab, gloomy and completely unloved.
When the waiter did come to take our order we were then forgotten again for another 15 minutes. FFS! It’s Friday evening. People need drinks.
Fortunately another waiter clocked my desperation and our drinks eventually arrived, marginally ahead of the pizzas, so at least avoiding that cardinal sin.
On the table, laid out in front of us… was the Spicy Finnocchietto - fennel salami, gorgonzola, parmesan & mozzarella, La Pecora Sarda - pancetta, caramelised onions, gorgonzola, parmesan, percorino sardo & mozzarella with extra rocket and the Noci - walnuts, gorgonzola, caramelised onions, parmesan & mozzarella. And credit where credit’s due, the pizzas look the part … big puffy crusts, slightly burnt on the biggest crust bubbles. Perfetto.
But whilst they all looked pretty much perfect they all shared the same soggy pancake like middle. Totally crepe. On closer investigation mine had an overly wet tomato base, which did little to convince me was it much more than barely strained, chopped, tinned tomatoes.
My Finnocchietto wasn’t overly spicy for the ‘spicy on request’ version, not that that’s a complaint in itself but it absolutely was screaming out for more gorgonzola – as indeed they all were. Nothing improves the swagger of a pizza quite like gorgonzola, but when I said I can’t actually taste the gorgonzola on mine there returned a chorus of “nor can you on mine.”
As is now a family tradition I shared a Tiramisù with my daughter – that she thought too boozy – never a complaint you’ll hear from me – but I did think it was too wet and not sweet enough.
As it was a Friday night and all is forgiven with a glass of wine I’d love to wax lyrical about my Cabernet Sauvignon 250ml but I found it too creamy vanilla oaky for my taste. A Gavi 125ml and Diet Coke pushed the bill up to £50.50
Despite the slowness of the service, all the waiting staff were friendly enough, so as I was paying by card, I asked if they got the tip. I received a sad shake of the head… well that at least saved me a fiver.
Whilst I’d have hoped to strutted out there into Friday night, it all ended rather limply, much like the pizzas.
JAN 2020 UPDATE
Fairness where fairness is due, I was in Stirchley this weekend and it appears Alicia’s has had a much needed makeover… I may even be back soon to try the pizzas.
Alicia’s Jan 2020
