Chef-owner Shawn Cirkiel decided Austin needed authentic Neapolitan pizza and artisinal antipasti so he opened up Backspace right behind Parkside.
It’s a cozy little place with bar seating and a few tables.
The broccolini roasted with chili and garlic was good.
The beet salad with fennel, frisee, pecans and citrus was excellent.
The baked ricotta with poached tomatoes, lemon and olive oil was pretty good, but not quite my favorite. I thought it was too lemony and would have preferred basil on top instead of parsley. The dish was really pretty though.
Oh, yes. Now the pizza. My husband ordered the pepperoni, tomato, mozzarella and basil pizza. The crust was perfect. I don’t eat meat, but stole several bites of the nicely charred, crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside pizza crust. Perfection. I love it when sweet, tangy tomatoes lay delicately on the pie. Yum. I’ll be back to try my own margherita pizza with tomato, mozzarella and basil.
And this is the reason the pizza is so good. It’s cooked for just a few minutes in this fabulous pizza oven at 700 degrees and then it’s finished at 900 degrees. The imported 00 (zero, zero) flour keeps the crust light and airy.
They make a great pizza pie at Backspace and the wine list is impressive. If you want a casual evening with good Italian fare, go to Backspace.
amuse bouche . . . adventures in Austin eating 