Woke Pizza - Classic with a sprinkle of woke

After the resounding success of Hello Panda and Park Street Rolls and Biryani, both launched amidst lockdown in 2020, Chef Vikramjit Roy is back with a dedicated pizza delivery brand, Woke Pizza. Anubhuti Krishna writes.

Back in 2020 when restaurants were shut and restaurateurs were worrying about their future, Chef Vikramjit Roy was busy putting his kitchen together. This was not his original plan, but given the situation and the uncertainty of the restaurant business, it was, he said, only prudent to start with what he had. And so was launched Hello Panda, a premium Asian delivery kitchen which had Delhi, Gurgaon, and NCR eating out of Vikramjit's hands. To bring a premium brand at the price point and at the time that he did was a big risk, but one that paid off in the end. In the following months, the team launched two more brands: Park Street Rolls and Biryani and Ginger Garlic, both of which, along with Hello Panda continue to floor its patrons.

And now, even as the second wave of COVID-19 had the industry pondering its future, the team has returned with a brand new product: Woke Pizza. Launched post months of intense research on ingredients and flavors, Woke Pizza promises old fashioned tasty food that is the trademark of the team behind it: pizzas, pastas, pies and sides with unusual flavors and combinations but made with the good old-fashioned way. Woke also brings artisanal, customizable variants made with locally sourced ingredients that not only are 'woke' but also delish. "Woke Pizza," says Roy, "is woke and local, in both its food and flavor philosophy. Made with handpicked locally and sustainably sourced, and, wherever possible, organic produce, the menu offered by Woke Pizza is delicious as well as conscious." What sets the pizza apart is the use of unbleached flour, especially made for the brand, without the use of any additives or stabilizers, and especially treated pH balanced water.

"Unbleached flour is healthier in the long term, and it gives you a graininess and texture that is imperative for a good crust," informs Roy. "The pizza made with this flour is not artificially smooth but has a bite and a great mouth feel." The use the right quality of grain and having the right protein percentage, ensures there is no need for additional yeast or starters and a balanced water ensure there are no internal reactions. "If the water is alkaline it will react with the flour and change the texture and composition of the dough," says Roy. All recipes in the menu are made in a way that they retain their form, texture and flavors and are at their optimum 30-40 minutes after the preparation. And so, from dough to the toppings to the packaging, everything is done in a manner that when the pizza reaches you, it is in its optimum form.

With a few twists to the traditional menu, dishes like Egg Mac and Cheese, Tangra Chilli Chicken Pizza, Keema Matar Pizza, and Risotto a la Bengal, push the envelope and bring excitement to those open to experimenting. The classics still remain, well, classic. Condiments like the signature bhut jhoalakia sauce, Cointreau Spicy Aioli, and Gin Wasabi Aioli add extra layers of deliciousness to the mains -- not that the food needs it in anyway. The pizza however remains the focus and comes in both thin and thick crust, with and without cheese and in both classic and crazy combinations.

Our Recommendation: Sourdough garlic Bread, Keema Matar Pizza, Mac and Cheese, Tomato Basil Soup and Three Mushroom Risotto. The menu is available through Swiggy and Zomato but it will be best if you order it through their delivery portal.

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