The pie may be hot, but the service is served cold at Wyndham Street’s Kytaly
When it comes to food, we often leave authenticity out of it. In a town where the idea of the perfect pizza is stretched into a lengthy debate between thin or thick crust and Italian- or American-style, let’s not forget the strong opinions people hold on what toppings are considered appropriate, gourmet or, well, pineapple. When Kytaly opened its doors earlier this autumn, serving Franco Pepe’s world top-ranking pizzas, we couldn’t wonder how his pies would fare on this side of the world.
The no-reservations restaurant takes up the space where Japanese izakaya Koko used to be, accessed via an ancient lift of an old commercial building on Wyndham Street. The brightly lit signage on the narrow hallway leads guests into an elongated corridor. It wouldn’t be appropriate to call it a room, as booths lining the indoor area will seat four max, while the other tables are snug and spill onto the terrace. Lighting was dim but adequate. At dinner time the small restaurant comes alive where crowds share the restaurant’s signature pizzas over cool cocktails, prepared at the bar hidden on the side of the space. The best table, we found, was on the far end next to the kitchen, offering a full view of pizzas being prepared and benefiting from swift delivery. The high table comfortably seats six, and is often shared among smaller parties.
Kytaly’s menu is a short read. The antipasti section offers a humble selection of salads. We opted for the Capri, where buffalo mozzarella tops cherry tomatoes and dressed with dollops of basil cream and olive oil. The mozzarella yields softly, as its creamy texture contrasts with the meaty tomatoes, while the basil adds a nice, herbaceous touch to the refreshing first course, which with its small size should suffice for a dinner for two.