The Rustic Crust – Pizza – Nottingham (Farnsfield)
Its been the quietest few months for Frusher on Food since I started way back in 2013. You may have thought a captive audience was the perfect opportunity to write but with limited dining options and not being in radius for any of the interesting takeaway and delivery services I have lay dormant. Clearly the ongoing events have impacted greatly on the hospitality industry but I am pleased to see the resilience and success of many of my favourite places. I have visited a handful since we were allowed back out and ha a great meal and my #1 Kushi-Ya particularly and enjoyable visits to Baresca, Yamas and Kayal too. With few new places opening, understandably, there has been little to really share with you.
A opportune moment arose this week though with the reopening of The Rustic Crust. My last meal before lockdown was at their newly opened restaurant in the rather delightful village of Farnsfield about 25 mins north of the city centre of Nottingham, it felt perverse to write about it when they cruel had to close so soon after opening but now the time has come. Their fans (pizza stalkers as they’re known) had been calling for a permanent site for them for a long term after a very successful career supporting public and private events with their pizza oven in the back of a land rover! The restaurant itself is a lovely, light space with the pizza oven a focal point in the middle of an open kitchen and dining area. The menu is small but perfectly formed, a handful of starters/sides and around 10 pizzas to chose from. I kept it simple with their caprese salad (£6.50) which surpassed my expectations. Italians might say the additional leaves and olives are not true to the classic tomato mozzarella and basil combination, but they couldn’t fail to enjoy it regardless. A generous portion of cheese too which is always welcome.
Pizza & Caprese – The Rustic Crust
Onto the pizza itself and I must have been feeling a veggie evening as I chose a combination of caramelised onions, spicy roquito peppes and sun-blushed tomato. I first tried their pizzas at Trent Bridge and momentarily wondered if the several beers and sunshine of those occasions made them such a joyous experience. On a cool evening in March and on my own as the UK was experiencing the first waves of Covid I was equally as impressed and uplifted. The dough and cooking combine to a fantastic flavour and texture that’s unrivalled in my experience. The bubbling and blackening of the crust is so aesthetically satisfying, I can’t explain why. The toppings are of excellent quality and their home made san marzarno tomato sauce for the base providing an excellent grounding of flavour throughout.
Their most expensive pizzas (with steak on!) come in at £11.50, my veggie affair was £9.50 with a margarita at a reasonable £8. For the craft that goes into these, perfected over the years and the quality of ingredients it seems a scant price to pay. They have been offering DIY pizza kits with dough and sauce for you to make it home, great value and fun…especially with kids. These are still available on their website and now at a pretty wide delivery radius. I will continue to let the experts make mine and, now I’ve secured my table for next week, I’m here to tell you that you really should give them a go too.
https://www.therusticcrust.co.uk/