Whenever I hear celebs describe their death row meal, I always wonder if I’m missing a trick.
The finest steak or juiciest prawn, I think my tastes are a little more basic.
If anyone is interested to know what my last meal on this earth would be, well.
I’d have to say pizza.
Judge me all you like, but hear me out first.
I’m not talking about a frozen cheese and tomato monstrosity from the supermarket aisle, although this delicacy played a starring role in my university days.
I’m talking proper pizza, fired in an oven and made with expert hands.
Pizza, but not as we all know it, has been having a moment recently, perhaps because we now demand that bit more of this doughy dish.
We want to know where the ingredients come from, how it’s made, and whether we can personalise toppings to our own taste.
If you request pineapple however, well lets just say you won’t be getting a Christmas card from me.
Having recently moved to Ellon in Aberdeenshire, I made it my business to hunt down our new local foodie gems.
We spent three years living in the city. And although I didn’t care for the noise or the traffic, we were spoilt for choice on a Friday night.
Thankfully Ellon is no different, you just have to be organised.
My neighbour informed me that The Gaff did excellent pizza, and I kept seeing fellow residents rave about in on social media.
Having spent weeks tripping over boxes and juggling work, we needed no excuse to order in one Friday night.
A quick look at the website set our stomachs rumbling.
There wasn’t an extensive menu, but it was clear that quality was the order of the day.
I started off with The Neapolitan 12 inch, where the dough has been fermented for 24 hours and comes out light and stretchy.
This creates a bike tyre shape, meaning the crust puffs up into a hollow void that travels all around the circumference of the pizza.
So far, so tasty.
You can opt for traditional, vegan or dairy free, with a base of San Marzano Tomato sauce, Fior Di Latte Mozzarella, Grana Padano and basil.
Next up was toppings. I would advise that you don’t order when your stomach is rumbling, or you may select every topping on the menu before your other half suggests that things are getting out of hand.
I eventually opted for mushroom, onion and fennel sausage, which consisted of Butchers select pork, plus herbs and spices all finished with a hint of extra virgin olive oil.
My other half went for The New York 12 inch, complete with Nduja Calabrese, which is spicy sausage, mushrooms and hot sweet peppers.
Ordering was pretty straight forward, and we were given a time slot for collection.
It’s worth noting that collection slots sell out fast however, so if you’re dedicated to an evening of delicious food, get in there early.”
Opening hours are Friday and Saturday nights, and once it’s gone, well you get the jist.
The Gaff has also recently introduced home delivery, but the five minute drive for collection wasn’t an issue for us.
Found on Bridge Street, I arrived at the allotted time and was mighty impressed with the set up.
The staff were clearly rushed off their feet, but also looked like they were having fun.
You could see impressive team work at play, with each pizza cooked in a Pavesi Forni wood fired oven.”
There’s stripped back decor going on, both unusual and effortlessly cool.
Staff informed me that they were running a little behind schedule, but would have my order with me as soon as possible.
I watched as our choices were whipped from the oven, sliced and boxed up.
I made a point of putting a seatbelt across my precious cargo on the passenger seat, and headed home eager to tuck in.”
Oh my goodness, we were not disappointed.
The base, light and crispy. The cheese to sauce ratio, perfect.
And the overall flavour? Outstanding.
I say this as a person who has eaten many pizzas, The Gaff offers a superior slice.
Not too greasy, not overly cooked. And there was the added bonus of knowing that I’d played my part in the creation.
The Gaff prides itself on pizza made “modo tuo” which translates as your way.
We didn’t order dessert, but having spied some new creations that are on offer one time only, we’re already gearing up to get booked in again.
Dessert pizza might not be for everyone, but it looks beyond tasty in my eyes.
We weren’t left feeling uncomfortably full, but very much satisfied.
At £27, it didn’t come cheap.
I would definitely advise taking advantage of the offers on the website, where deals include a night in for two at the more reasonable cost of £19.
There’s also a pizza party deal, which would be perfect for having friends round.
Overall we were really impressed, and have already made several orders since.
Once you’ve enjoyed a slice from The Gaff, there’s no going back.
Venue: The Gaff, 29b Bridge Street, Ellon.
Cost: £27
Contact: thegaffellon.co.uk
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