I love pizza. Therefore it is no mean feat when a restaurant receives my commendation for its pizza.
Recently I ate at Empire State. Not only has this restaurant earned my commendation, but I can proudly say that Empire State has the best pizza I have ever eaten.
I eat pizza where I can. I used to frequent California Pizza Kitchen at Forum before I tinkered with the concept of Skinny Pizza’s ‘new age’ pizza. I love Saprino’s Pizza. I abhor Pizza Hut.
But last week, I found the One Pizza to Rule Them All. Ladies and Gentlemen. I present to you Empire State’s Teriyaki Chicken Pizza.
This rectangular shaped pizza comes neatly pre-sliced. The medium crust is complemented nicely with mushrooms, shredded chicken, cheese and teriyaki sauce.
Initially, I was hesitant to order a ‘non-traditional’ pizza. But I’m glad I did. The ingredients are perfectly balanced and cooked to perfection. No element overpowers the other and all the ingredients complement each other perfectly.
Typically, I prefer thin-crust pizzas, but Empire State’s medium crust is excellent. It is nice and crisp on the outside with just enough body to contrast the toppings.
The sauce is only slightly sweet and a hint of salt. This isn’t your typical, overpoweringly sweet teriyaki sauce.
This remarkable pizza is affordably priced at $12.90.
We also tried the 3-way Bruschetta ($6.90) and the buffalo wings ($6.90)
Unforunately,I was disappointed by both appetisers.
The brushetta seemed to lack direction. It had a forgettable taste that did nothing to excite the palette.
The buffalo wings were served with tomato salsa and mayonese. The wings were standard fare; crisp but slightly dry. Even Hooter’s offers better buffalo wings.
The service staff is attentive and easy to hail. We visited Empire State at around 5pm on a Wednesday. The restaurant was empty when we arrived, but patrons slowly trickled in after our arrival.
We noticed a great deal of Philipino service staff and we found them to be friendly. They also possessed good initiative and refilled our cups with water without prompting.
Yi Hui enjoyed the ’round’ booth seats but I found them slightly akward. They weren’t uncomfortable to sit in, but I was impressed by them either.
Empire State’s Teriyaki Chicken Pizza is nothing short of astounding. It’s been a long time since I was so thoroughly satisfied by a pizza. I’ve been bugging Yi Hui to go there with me again and I honestly cannot wait for my next visit.
Empire State is located at #04-03 Iluma At Bugis (6238 7076). They are open daily from 11am – 11pm.
