Situated along a winding row of shophouses on Circular Road, Wild Child is the pizzeria that doesn’t quite blend in because of how minimalist the design is, but exudes a cosy ambience that beckons those who pass by. Slide open the doors to reveal black terrazzo flooring grounds against pale wood furniture and a semi-open kitchen with a wood-fired oven burning brightly all day long.
The visual identity for Wild Child pays homage to Keith Haring, an American pop art icon. The owners behind Wild Child (yes, the same people behind the Cichetti Group!) commissioned local art collective, Ripple Root, to come up with this distinctive design.
Wild Child is not just about the aesthetics but is a place you can count on for full flavour, quality food. As its name suggests, Wild Child centres its food menu around Neapolitan style pizzette. Without further ado, the food.
This simple roasted cauliflower dish ($14.50) is a beautiful starter to our carb-heavy meal. Evenly charred cauliflower is served with coriander, mint and a fistful of chopped pistachios on a bed of creamy labneh and blistered cherry tomatoes. A must-order if you’re there with friends. We also paired this with a Melati Spritz – a non-alcoholic aperitif made with 26 healing fruits, spices and botanicals from Southeast Asia; a refreshing way to start! The meat lovers will love the Bikini ($18.50). The bread used is the same as that used for Wild Child’s other slow-fermented pizza dough for that extra tang and texture. Filled with slow-braised grass-fed beef check marmalade and layers of taleggio and provolone that will melt when heated, you are guaranteed for some sexy time in your mouth. We do wish that there can be a teeny bit more meat between the dough though!
Kurobuta ($17 for 200g, $31 for 400g) is Wild Child’s take on siew yoke (i.e., roasted pork). Prized for its clean, fatty meat, Kurobuta pork is used and its skin rubbed with a secret blend of spices. The vegetables served on the side are fermented in-house and are acidic to cut through the richness of the meat. You must ask for the Crack Oil (a not-so-secret item on the menu) for extra spice and flavour.
The star pizza – Crispy Fried Margherita ($21) is a crowd favourite, and for good reason too. A playful but elevated take on the traditional Margherita pizza, pizza dough is dunk into the deep fryer for a crispy crust before topping it with creamy clouds of stracciatella, sweet bursts of semi-dreid San Marzana tomatoes, fresh basil and thick shavings of aged parmigiana. Wash down the greasiness with a pint of ice-cold beer, or for those looking for something alcohol-free, the Heaps Normal XPA.
My personal favourite has to be the Cavolo Nero ($18.50) because of the deep and earthy flavours from the Tuscan kale coupled with bright bursts of lemon and picked onions. In combination, they offer a wonderful contrast to the sharper flavours of bagna cauda and garlic confit. A wonderful pairing to this pizza is the Motoshibori, Akishika Shuzo sake – which has citrus, sweet and umami notes. An alternative non-alcoholic option is the Kimino Sparkling Yuzu. The fizzy sparkling yuzu juice is perfect to cut through all that cheese.
Cheese lovers, this pizza is for you. Trio Formaggio ($19) is a three-cheese pizza that swaps out gorgonzola for taleggio with added caramelised onions for a slightly sweet flavour.
The last pizza we tried was the Spiniata Calabrese ($19). A feisty number named after a spicy salami from Calabria, this pizza is topped with fennel seeds on a bed of fior di latte. The salami is also blasted in the wood-fired oven till crisped at the edges and finished off with a drizzle of Sichuan chilli honey. We love the choice of non-alcoholic drink, Jus De Raisin – unfermented grape juice with Cabernet Franc from Domaine de la Chevalerie’s winery, iced and topped with soda. Sweet but perfect to cut through the heat and made us feel like kids drinking Ribena all over again.
We ended our meal with this pecan tart ($13). Freshly baked every morning, brown sugar-bourbon pecan filling is firmly encased into a flaky and buttery shortcrust pastry shell and sliced to order. Topped with boozy whisky gelato and drizzles of caramel and bourbon sauce. A good option for dessert before you roll out of this pizzeria.
I do see myself back there (often!) and do recommend that you pay a visit before this place gets busy, when the office crowd returns in full swing.
Budget: $20 – $40 per person
