Hidden away within the Crawford Lane neighbourhood, Italian Osteria X is a hole-in-the-wall pizzeria which does primarily takeaway orders. Pretty impressed by the one-man show situation here; the same guy who takes your orders and gives your recommendations at the table is also the very same person who would man the counter, make your pizzas, clear your tables and also serving other customers — a very humble, small-scale operation that showcases the passion and effort behind his craft.

The Parma "Garden" features elements such as Parma Ham, Arugula and Mozzarella; the dough being made freshly in-house and it shows — the pizza crust is light and fluffy, giving a firm bite but not overly dense nor stodgy, carrying a slight char without being that burnt bitterness. Smothering a tomato-based sauce over the pizza crust, the sauce provides a refreshing, tangy base for the cured meat and melted mozzarella; the latter being all gooey and stretchy — a pretty balanced flavour profile which gives contrast to the savoury pizza. Attempting to cut through the savoury notes of the pizza as well would be the arugula; the bitter undertones of the leaves help to further balance those flavours, providing even more contrast to the pizza. At $19.90 for a 12-inch pizza (also the only size available for all the pizzas offered here), this is certainly a steal; no doubt the crust seemed to have some difficulty holding up the weight of the toppings with the toppings closer to the centre sliding off the pizza, but it is in no way soggy or too wet. A hidden gem in a quaint, sleepy estate, we wish the folks behind Italian Osteria X all the best in serving quality, affordable pizzas at the foot of a HDB block.