What’s your ultimate comfort food? I get asked this a lot, and though I have my super favorites (like kare-kare, for instance), I find that whenever I feel down or not in the mood for anything, I usually crave for pizza. Yes, a good pie I can munch on anywhere—while walking, while watching Netflix, while working, with a bottle of beer—or sit down to, savor, and appreciate. That’s why when I found myself in the south several weeks back, I was really excited to try Firehouse Pizza at the Crimson Filinvest City in Alabang.
Walking into the bright and spacious restaurant feels like stepping into a classy American pizza joint. I love the floor-to-ceiling windows that bathe the space with natural light, as well as the stylish pendant lamps that hang from the ceiling. The layout translates into a convivial dining venue: there’s a long high table that can be occupied by a big group or be shared with others; bar seating allows guests to see how the pizzas are made, from the time they are assembled up to the moment they leave the wood-fire oven.
I recommend starting off with some salad while you wait for your pizza. The Mini Calzone Salad has meat-stuffed calzone on a bed of baby spinach, dried tomatoes, and onions, then topped with pesto sauce and shaved parmesan. I love the slightly crisp and charred exteriors of the calzone, which give way to a luscious meaty filling. There’s texture, a little bitterness from the spinach, acidity, sweetness, saltiness, and herby and nutty flavors from the pesto—I love this salad.
For the pizzas, you can choose between the classic styles (like margherita) or the restaurant’s signature New York style pies. I was extremely curious with the Firehouse (named after the place itself) when I saw its ingredients, so I went for it even though I was considering getting the Garish Gravlax—which had vodka-cured beetroot salmon and capers (I am drooling just thinking about it)! My brother was unable to come with me, but if he did, we would’ve gotten a pie each, LOL.
The Firehouse did not disappoint though. Its promise of delivering Italian and American flavors with a dash of spice definitely came through. The pizza is loaded with prosciutto, salami, chorizo, and meatballs, as well as arugula, jalapeno, and chili oil. I love how it had lots of meat but still with some freshness from the arugula—and of course, with each bite punctuated with a little heat. The dough, made of Italian flour, yeast, and sourdough, is nice and chewy, with some crisp.
You can further upgrade your pizzas and add an extra cheese topping. I highly recommend the burrata, which added a little more bite and further livened the pizza. You can actually choose from 5 different mozzarella toppings (burrata, scamorza, buffalo mozzarella, bocconcini, and fior de latte), which made the cheese lover in me super happy. I think the Firehouse would taste great with the smoky scamorza as well!
They only offer gelato for dessert—don’t skip it. There are only two flavors (vanilla and chocolate), but you can actually have both in one cup. There’s a drizzle of chocolate syrup as well as a chocolate wafer stick—it’s simple, enjoyable, and comforting.
Firehouse Pizza’s drink menu is pretty extensive and features a variety of juices, shakes, coffees, sodas, spirits, wines, beers, and cocktails. Off to one side of the restaurant is a bar where the libations are made—I made sure to sit right beside it, LOL. I love their Mojito which comes in a tiki glass and packs quite a punch—it’s not the mojito you can have five glasses of while people-watching on the beach, but the type that you would want to have when you’re looking for a nightcap. The Firehouse Margarita, on the other hand, is laced with dried chili—giving each sip a fiery finish. I absolutely like it.
I hate it when restaurants have really long menus, and I’m happy to report that Firehouse Pizza is quite the opposite. They focused on their pies, threw in a few dishes that complement them, and added an interesting list of drinks to enjoy every slice with. Let’s just say that when I find myself in the south and I’m craving for pizza—or really, just something comforting, which is … pizza, haha—I am definitely pulling up a chair at Firehouse.
~*~
Firehouse Pizza
G/F, Entrata Urban Complex, 2609 Civic Dr., Alabang, Muntinlupa
+632.8282.5699
11:00AM - 10:00PM
Budget: PhP500 up
Do you love pizza? What's your favorite? Have you tried Firehouse Pizza in Alabang?
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