WOP Pizzeria KL, Italian, Plaza Damas

WOP Pizzeria KL

Words: Monica Tindall
Photos: Rich Callahan

You can’t miss the façade of WOP Pizzeria in Plaza Damas. A brilliant red frontage shows bar stools and an opening looking straight onto the magnificent wood-fired Gianni Acunto Forni oven. Outside holds a few casual tables offering alfresco dining, and upstairs provides a small seating space too.

Restaurateurs Ikmal and Azara moved just two months ago from a small operation in Shah Alam, building a new home for their kitchen in Plaza Damas. Neapolitan-style pizzas are the name of the game here, and if the reviews on social media are anything to go by, they are real crowd-pleasers.

The Pizza Test

As you’ve seen me write many times recently, I think a Margherita (RM 34) is the standard test of any pizzeria’s worth, and the team at WOP Pizzeria KL have several tricks up their sleeve in the race for authenticity. One is the sourdough base fermented for 48 hours, along with a quick-cooking time (a mere 60-90 seconds at 450°C) in the wood-fired Gianni Acunto Forni oven. Secondly, their buffalo mozzarella is made by hand in-house on local milk. Last but certainly not least, is their chef! Pizzaiolo Ikmal has swirled over 200,000 pizzas in his career!

Our first slice is rich in San Marzano tomato sauce, handmade mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh basil. The combo is a classic for good reason. Simple, high-quality ingredients, each allowed to shine. They’re on a soft slice; you’ll need two hands or to fold it to get into your mouth without losing the toppings. It’s easy to see why it has been their number one forever.

Best-sellers

Over their five years of operation, and besides the Margherita, some clear favourites have risen to the best-sellers list on WOP Pizzeria KL’s menu. Smoked Beef and Rocket (RM 49) is one of them. The beef is smoked in house and accompanied by plentiful rocket and mozzarella.

WOP Pizzeria’s Secret Menu

Adding a little intrigue (and a fabulous strategy to encourage social media engagement), there’s a secret menu only found on WOP Pizzeria KL’s Instagram account. From the IG collection, we can’t resist Carbonara Pizza (RM 36). Thinking we’re nearly Malaysian, we find the perfectly runny-egg top irresistible. Underneath lies smoked brisket fat trimmings (from the famed Beard Brothers) sauteed with cream and Pecorino Romano, fior di latte (fresh cow’s milk mozzarella), beef bacon and egg. The whole thing is crowned with more pecorino Romano shavings; no chance of a low-calorie slice here.

Vegan Pizza!

Whether you’re on the bandwagon or not, there’s no denying that plant-based diets are on the rise. As the population becomes more aware of how their food choices impact the environment and future of the planet, there’s greater demand for meals with lower carbon, water and ecological footprints. The team at WOP Pizzeria KL is happy to encourage this lifestyle and can offer many of their recipes with vegan cheese. We turn the meat-free Crema di Zucca (RM 39) into a completely vegan choice with “cheese” made with cashew nuts and coconut oil. A warm layer of pumpkin paste adds a vibrant orange and also a familiar sweet taste to the base. Thin slices of red onion provide relief from the richness.

Appetizers

A trio of salad choices (with increasing levels of cheese) add some veg to our carbs. We pick the simplest of the lot with WOP’s Salad (RM 17) in an attempt to balance the dairy and the carbs. It’s a lightly dressed combo of Romaine lettuce, arugula and cherry tomatoes with a sprinkling of Parmesan.

Desserts

Also prepared with house-made cheese – mascarpone – WOP Pizzeria KL’s Tiramisu (RM 20) is the most popular pick of the sweets. The extra care given in making their own Italian soft cheese is evident in the elegance of the layers. Light and airy, the cream moistens the sponge and the powdered chocolate melts into the top with every bite.

Drinks

Being fans of fermentation at WOP Pizzeria KL, it comes as no surprise that kombucha and kefir are also something they proudly do themselves. I too am a fan and try both. Pu-er Tea Kombucha comes as either Natural (RM 6, 200ml) or Flavoured (RM 8, 200 ml), and the Water Kefir (RM 12) is also flavoured with a changing variety of seasonal fruits. Today we’ve got Passion Fruit and Cream Soda (brown sugar and vanilla beans) Kombucha, and Apple Assam Boi and Soursop Kefir. My top pick is the passion fruit, while Rich is most fond of the cream soda.

Reasons to visit WOP Pizzeria KL: Napoli-style pizza; vegan pizza options; friendly team; reasonably priced house-made kombucha.

WOP Pizzeria KL
Plaza Damas, H-0-8,
No 60, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1
Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
+6 03-6419 7530
+6 019-227 9324
www.facebook.com/wopklmy

WOP Pizzeria KL Opening Hours
Daily: 11 am – 10 pm

Find more Italian restaurants in KL here and stay up-to-date on the latest happenings in KL’s food and beverage scene here and here.