Mani pizza review: This slice of pizza has gone viral – is it worth the hype?

Mani

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Address: 42 Drury St, Dublin, D02 T210

Telephone: N/A

Cuisine: Italian

Website: https://www.instagram.com/mani.pizza.panini/

Cost: €€

What’s on offer?

Instagram has been ablaze with Ciaran McGonagle’s deep dive into the world of Roman pizza. The former restaurant manager and events guru had started selling “al taglio” pizza from his food truck post-pandemic, and after much research and a three-month stint at Ballymaloe Cookery School, he flung open the doors to a new slice shop on Drury Street, with Rory Shannon, formerly of Pala Pizza, as head chef. Al taglio pizza is closer to focaccia. Cooked on a large oblong tray, it is sold in rectangular slices with toppings, which get a final blast of heat from the Pizzamaster oven when they are ordered. This means that it has a particularly good crunch. Getting the dough right is crucial – flour, humidity and temperature all play a role. A combination of Italian flour and wholemeal Einkorn flour from Oak Forest Mills is used, with an 80 per cent hydration and a three-day ferment. Equal attention is given to the toppings, which are from Irish and Italian artisan producers.

What did we order?

We ordered the much-hyped carbonara slice, a salsiccia slice, a potato slice, porchetta panini and garlic mayo.

How was the service?

Very pleasant. We ordered at the counter and our buzzer went off when our food was ready.

Was the food nice?

The carbonara slice is a work of genius. Topped with crisp slices of pancetta, chunks of guanciale, Toons Bridge fior di latte, glistening with free-range egg yolk and micro-planed pecorino, it truly tastes like a carbonara. The pizza crust is top-tier with an open crumb and a great flavour; crunchy, yet there is still some chewiness. The salsiccia is packed with flavour with a house-made fennel sausage, onions and mozzarella on a tomato sauce. The potato slice, with thinly sliced potatoes dressed with cream di nocciola and cress is perhaps a little less exciting. The panini is large, enough for two people, filled with porchetta, pickled red cabbage, apple sauce and truffle cream cheese. You may want to hold the latter.