Slice Of Life: Pizza

Spice, comfort and flavour.

I had been hearing a lot, and I mean a LOT, of buzz about Slice of Life Pizza, so I decided it was high time I paid it a visit. Opened in late 2015 by Kim Chanu, a native Korean who had been living in New York. The aim of the restaurant is to serve authentic, NY style pizza, paired with a craft beer menu. Being a big fan of pizza, and craft beer, I was looking forward to this one.

The first thing that struck me as I approached the shop front was how chic and cool the place looked. It’s situated in a fairly narrow, dark street and the place manages to blend in and stand out at the same time. Sleek, black metal and clean white tiles make it look welcoming and professional. I also think their logo is awesome, check it out in the pictures.

When I went inside I was greeted and given time to peruse the small menu by the door. SOL currently offers six types of pizza: New York cheese, pepperoni, the Bronx, spicy garlic, white pie and margherita. You can get your fix either by the slice, a half pie, or a whole 18 incher! When I visited they also had some seasonal specials on offer, including an Artichoke and Spinach Calzone.

As I was visiting alone I decided to opt for some slices, as I wanted to try as much of the menu as possible.

I believe that all pizzerias should be judged by their margherita, so I opted for this first. This is the classic slice, and should be simple, elegant and bursting with flavor due to the quality of the ingredients. This slice didn’t disappoint. The first thing that hit me was the crust. It was hot, crisp, and chewy, with a slight crunch on the outside. The tomato sauce and the mozzarella cheese were also excellent, one rich and creamy, one sharp and tangy, making for an amazing combination. Part of the joy of eating pizza is in the mechanics of it, and again here the slice excelled. I started at the front, all cheese-y and sauce-y, and then four bites in folded the crust and started munching the outside, getting crust and the fresh basil they sprinkle on there. Pure, pizza joy.

Second up I went for the white Pie. This has no tomato sauce, and ricotta cheese on there. Now this is pizza, done as comfort food. I ate a lot of white pie in Rome, and it really is defined by the quality of the cheese on the slice. This hit it, rich, warming and gooey, with the ricotta forming that wonderful crust it does on pizza, hiding it’s fluffy centre. The cheese was extra generous on this slice, making it a real filling classic. Visiting on a chilly Wednesday afternoon it was just what I needed.

I had to have just one more slice. I always like to give a place a chance to push their best, so I asked the staff for a recommendation. The spicy garlic was suggested. This has Italian sausage, garlic, and jalapenos. Boy, did it have a LOT of jalapenos! If you like your pizza spicy, then this ones for you. The savory, meaty sausage was offset by the sharp, lip tingling smack of the jalapenos, making this a firm favorite, the staff assured me. It was perhaps a little hot for my taste, with the spice slightly masking the wonderful flavor combination the sausage and cheese were providing. I’m sure many people would dig it though!

The slices I had were priced at 4,300 each. Which is a little steep, but considering the size and quality of the pie it’s hard to argue. To wash it all down I went for a glass of the Booth x Mikeller. It was delicious, and complimented the pizza perfectly. However it was served in a plastic glass, which I thought was a bit of a shame, especially at 6,300. Good beer just tastes so much better with the clink of glass against your mouth.

All-in-all its hard to fault what SOL are doing over in KSU. The pizza was some of the best I’ve had in Korea, and the décor and staff were excellent. I’m sure it’s going to be a big hit with the KSU faithful. I’ll be returning for a slice for sure!

Visit their Facebook page here.

Directions:

Slice of Life is located just out of the north gate of Kyungsung University. To get there come out of Gyeongsong station, then take your first left and follow it down until you can see the university campus. SOL is located in one of the small, narrow streets just out the north gate. If your driving your best bet would be to park in the university campus.

Address: 43-55 Daeyon-dong, nam-gu, Busan/ 남구대연동 43-55, 부산.