some nights just call for pizza, that most uncomplicated of meals. there's a lot of unnecessary claptrap written about pizza, critiquing it's authenticity, the elasticity of the dough, the type of oven used, etc, etc. to me it's not a dish that merits much analysis. it's just pizza.
all over the world, even in italy, pizza generally falls into three categories: bad pizza, acceptable pizza and good pizza. i'd say 85% of the world's pizzas fall into the acceptable category. it's unremarkable, but perfectly fine pizza. 10% ranks as bad. which leaves just 5% laying claim to being a genuine cut above; a superior version of this simple street-food staple. and the superiority usually lies in the chef's understanding and acceptance of the dish's simplicity.
i'd say sydney has between 10-20 pizza joints which sit in that top tier, and rosso pomodoro is certainly one of them. improbably located in balmain's soulless stretch of modern apartment buildings near white bay, the restaurant brings a rare jolt of life to a district that otherwise lacks it. with its bright broadway "pizza" sign and a room full of red plastic chairs, rosso pomodoro signals from the get-go that you're not here for fine dining. in fact eating out couldn't get any less complex: you have a choice of pizzas, a small choice of salads, and an even smaller choice of antipasti. my tip is to plump straight for the pizzas. the margherita is a ripper and, if you're a buffalo mozzarella buff like me, then trade up to the margherita regina which comes topped with creamy shreds of bufala and juicy cherry tomatoes. they also do a good and proper diavola here with a seriously hot salami. it might just be better than the version at lucio's.
the atmosphere is boisterous, the service is terrific, and on top of that you can also byo. i wouldn't cross town for it, but if you're in this part of the world and you want to get back to basics, you could do a lot worse than pull up a red plastic chair at rosso pomodoro.