24 Aug 1st-Aug 7th, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Spice Up Your Slice Indian pizza now on the menu in Tempe. BY CASSIE BRUCCI P hoenix’s reputation as a pizza town is well deserved. Top eateries, like Pizzeria Bianco and Cibo, continuously garner national accolades and attract hoards of hungry locals and visitors alike. Now, there’s a new form of pie hitting the Valley: Indian pizza. Sometimes referred to as “Desi pizza” or “curry pizza,” this fusion dish incorporates traditional Indian ingredients and spices into a classic pizza recipe. This trend isn’t exactly new to the American culinary landscape. In 2018, Eater published an article about the rise of Indian pizzas across the United States. Phoenix-area restaurants have been slower to jump on the bandwagon, but recently, multiple local spots have embraced this trend. In the past three months, two new Tempe eateries began selling Indian pizzas. In one instance, the inclusion of this dish came down to personal tastes. When creating the menu for Avasa, General Manager Akhil Yelle added Indian pizza to complement the lineup of Pan-Asian standards. “I like eating pizza,” Yelle says, “so I thought, ‘Why don’t I make Indian pizza with some of our sauces?’” Curry N Crust owner Sam Singh saw making Indian pizzas as a way to create something new for the Valley. After working in his family’s traditional Indian restaurants for almost two decades, he began craving something different and decided to open an Indian fusion restaurant. “My biggest goal was to be unique,” he says. Singh says the idea for Indian pizzas was partially inspired by family dinners at his uncle’s house. Using ingredients from Guru Palace, one of the many restaurants owned by Singh’s family, they’d make pizzas in an outdoor brick oven. When he decided to open his restau- rant, he figured pizza, a dish “everybody loves,” was a good place to start. Both Singh and Yelle mention they’re aware that Indian pizza has been around for a while now, but neither have tried it anywhere else, which allowed them to get creative. Singh began by looking at his family’s arsenal of recipes. He identified a classic tikka masala sauce as a good base. “It’s all tomato-based, so essentially, it’s already tomato sauce,” Singh says. After multiple trials, Singh created three Indian-inspired house specialties for the menu, all made with dough imported from Italy. Although guests have the option to build their own creations, Singh says that the specialty pizzas are the top sellers. According to Singh, the Chicken Tikka Deluxe is a customer favorite. Starting with Singh’s savory tikka masala sauce, the pizza is topped with chicken tikka, mozzarella cheese, red onions and bell peppers. Similarly, Yelle first looked at traditional Indian recipes featuring ingredients typi- cally found on pizza, and started with tomato-focused dishes. After creating his personal favorite, the Chicken Tikka pizza, Yelle looked to other Indian fusion dishes. The Chilli Paneer pizza was inspired by the popular Indio- Chinese appetizer of the same name. The pizza features a spiced sauce base and is topped with marinated paneer cubes, olives, peppers and onions. It even comes with a side of ketchup, an ingredient often used in a Chilli Paneer sauce. The Chicken Tikka pizzas at both restaurants emulated the dish’s traditional flavors, with marinated chicken and a savory tikka masala sauce. At Curry N Crust, the light, crispy dough makes for a standout pie and the ratio of toppings perfect each bite. There was just enough cheese to give that classic pizza flavor without overpowering the Indian spices. Yelle notes that customer reception has been favorable. Since Avasa’s grand opening back in May, he’s noticed a steady amount of customers trying at least one Indian pizza per visit. Singh shares a similar sentiment. Although Curry n’ Crust has been open less than three months, Singh says he’s received great feedback, adding that he sees customers from multiple age groups and ethnicities. He partially attributes the success to the novelty of combining Italian and Indian dishes. “I don’t think many people ever thought [Indian food] could be more than just going to a buffet or having tikka masala,” Singh explains. “This elevates the cuisine and shows people Indian food can be more than something served in a bowl.” Avasa 6430 S. McClintock Drive, Tempe Curry N Crust 555 N. Scottsdale Road, Tempe The Chicken Tikka Deluxe pizza is the top-selling item at Curry N Crust. It’s made with imported Italian dough and Singh’s signature Tikka Masala sauce. (Photo by Cassie Brucci) ▼ Food & Drink Food & Drink Prost! Tempe sets dates for 2024 Oktoberfest celebration. BY TIRION BOAN O ne of the biggest parties to hit Tempe Beach Park each year has announced the dates for its 2024 celebration. Four Peaks Brewing Co. will host the 51st annual Oktoberfest on Oct. 11 through 13, with a full weekend of festivities. The three-day Bavarian-themed festival will include two music stages, tents serving German food, games, carnival rides, dancing, and of course, plenty of beer. New brews from Four Peaks will include the Bad Birdie Juicy Golden Ale and Desert Daydream Imperial, Topical or Hazy IPA. Other events of note include a brat- wurst eating contest, comedy perfor- mances by Tempe Standup, a stein-holding competition and wiener dog races. The fun starts on Friday evening at 5 p.m. with a free 1-liter stein for the first 300 ticketholders through the gate. Then, the event will kick off at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. General admis- sion tickets cost $25 on the first two days, and Sunday is free. Discounted early-bird tickets are on sale now through Aug. 1 for $16. Those 20 and younger may enter for free. Food and drinks may be purchased separately. Tempe’s German festival is the longest-running Oktoberfest in the Valley. It started as the Way Out West Oktoberfest and was hosted at the old Veterans of Foreign Wars building on Apache Boulevard. The event was created by the co-founders of Tempe Sister Cities and drew 200 people in its first year. Now, the event requires 1,500 to 2,000 volunteers alone. Today, the massive festival still raises money for the internationally-connected nonprofit. Four Peaks Brewing Oktoberfest Oct. 11-13 / 80 W. Rio Salado Pkwy., Tempe Raise a glass at the 51st Four Peaks Oktoberfest, running Oct. 11-13. (Photo by Four Peaks Okyoberfest) Select pizzas at Avasa, like the Chilli Paneer, come with a side of ketchup. (Photo by Cassie Brucci)
