Flout Pizza

Flout Pizza is a relatively new pizza place setup in East Belfast at Portview Trading Centre, an established centre of food innovation home to Boundary Brewery and Root & Branch Coffee. Started by Peter Thompson in December 2021 in the current premises, Flout Pizza will soon be a queue around the corner sort of place, a get-there-before-opening adventure, particularly in the coming summer months. It currently opens 12-2PM from Wednesday to Saturday, but all being well that’s extended soon to allow more to experience this wonder of Belfast and in my case now to give me more time to get my next fix.

Evincing American inspiration specifically Detroit and Chicago styles, it similarly pays its respects to Sicilian or southern Italian pizza al taglio - which is proven in Thompson’s affinity for and sweatshirt of sfincione. Pizza al taglio is a typical street pizza picked up for a bite of lunch found from Rome to Palermo. Pan pizza using plenty of oil leads to a beautifully, basically fried crust which in Flout’s case is in the form of a Detroit-style cheese crisp. Walking into Flout Pizza brings about fond memories of Italy allowing one’s eyes to wander over and browse the pizza maestro’s wares, only to settle in this case on wanting it all.

Due to its crispiness, Thompson recommended the corner piece not just to myself but the customers before and after me lending a friendliness that only makes the whole experience that more charming. At first the crust deterred me - I will admit - with its charred appearance. But had I not bitten into the wonderfully crunchy outer edge I believe I would have been filled with regret. The corner recommendation was answered in this case. I have been missing out on something my whole life. So get the corner piece.

On my visit I picked up three slices for takeaway which were promptly heated up for me: vodka sausage, spicy king (Flout’s take on the classic pepperoni), and pimped cheese (with wild garlic foraged fresh that day). The vodka sauce was homemade, and many of the other toppings hand picked by Peter himself which I was happily told.

Aesthetically the pizza slices got full score, colours and flavours could be seen through simply laying eyes on them. As I mentioned the burnt cheese crust had me wary at first but looking at in any future visit will have my mouth watering.

#nofilter

The base is satisfying with a good resistance in bite complementing the cheese crust. It being a sourdough base is clear in this resistance but also its lattice structure of gluten webs and darker colour. The organic flour used is clearly lending the base much more of a punch of flavour unlike many chains and other restaurants who may use mass-produced, bleached flour, if not in some cases frozen dough (we will not name names).

The tomato is wonderfully fresh and of a great quality (Mutti I believe to be exact on brand as suggested by the empty cans stacked in the corner of the establishment). It is reminiscent of Italian pizza, with the tomato having a borderline raw quality with balanced seasoning reducing acidity bringing out the wonderful sweetness of the tomato. This cuts through the fatty and salty toppings of the likes of mozzarella, pepperoni and Italian sausage, allowing you to taste and decipher everything at once. Though this raw quality may not be to everyone’s liking, not all slices in this case had quite as much as the pepperoni did in this visit.

The vodka sausage slice was left to last and thankfully so. Top to bottom although a great deal was going on, the flavours filtered through my taste buds with each bite. I need the recipe and/or supplier of the Italian sausage, right amounts fennel and heat, the meat not lending any filth that sometimes the likes of pork shoulder can invoke in taste. The best tasting Italian sausage in Northern Ireland I have tasted and quite possibly will taste.

Global in creation capturing Chicago-like deep dish base bite and fresh thick tomato, cheese crisp crust of Detroit style pan, and the basis of both, southern Italian airy pizza al taglio, throwing a sprinkle of Irish influence through local cheese or foragings, Flout Pizza is a must in taste experience for any amateur to avid pizza fan. I will be back very soon to try the New York pies, that is certain.