A pizza paradox, the taste triumphs but the base falters...

Navigating the culinary landscape of Vara de Rey, I’ve had the pleasure of dining at various locales, from the sophistication of Montessol to the trendy vibes of The Standard, and the comfortable familiarity of Ebusus. So, it was with some confidence that I suggested it to my lunchtime companion, who had a craving for pizza ...

Its unassuming exterior on the normally bustling Vara de Rey belies the warmth and coziness within. Nonetheless, we elected for the exterior covered terrace.

My dining companion and I delved into the menu — the “Four Seasons” for him and a slightly customized “Chef” for me, with salami replacing parmesan. We daringly upsized to medium (each individual pizza intended for 2 people), much to our waiter’s silent but quite charming amusement.

Talking of, the service, though infrequent, was spot-on: efficient, friendly, and impressively multi-lingual.

The pizzas boasted fresh, generous toppings, but were let down by a base that struggled to support the weight — a dampener on an otherwise flavorful experience. I should add however that the chilli oil was outstanding - a slow punch and a graceful fade. Very good!

The encounter with another Google Reviewer, enjoying her custom creation - see my photos - added a layer of intrigue to our dining experience. Her order showed an insight that far surpassed our "off the menu" choice. A beautiful creation!

With a final bill of just shy of €95,

• 2 medium pizzas
• 2 glasses, house red wine
• 2 bottles (medium) sparkling water,
• 2 coffees

(€50 per head), La Bufalina sits on the higher end of the price spectrum for Vara de Rey. One can argue that Vara de Rey is an expensive location but being familiar with almost every other eatery on the Plaza - I eat at one venue or another there, every fortnight, year round - I still can't quite reconcile myself to the bill - which, had the pizza base not been the disappointment it was, might just have scraped by as easier to swallow...

But if you’re not deterred by the cost and the prospect of a tasty, albeit soggy-based, pizza appeals to you, then La Bufalina is an option, albeit not one I or my American guest and his considerable cohort of colleagues will be rushing to explore further.