The Doughboy, Potts Point, NSW

Since this post was written in 2011, the name of the place has changed to the Rocketboy Pizza.

Doughboy is a recent pizza chain that joins several others already on the typical Australian fast food scene. It currently has four outlets in metropolitan Sydney, including Bondi and Randwick. My first encounter with Doughboy was in Potts Point, along the more quiet Victoria Street, adjoining a Chinese dumpling bar and residential unit blocks and removed from the infamous Kings Cross strip. A client friendly Aussie youngster efficiently maintained the small joint, which nevertheless was frequented by take away walk-in customers.

What impresses me about Doughboy was its effort made in creating a lifestyle, with bright red colours, eye-catching names for its fare like the Chick and its ability to maximise utilisation of its limited retail space. The Potts Pott outlet had a kitchen downstairs but which was well hidden from view of the street side. I also appreciated its well done salad offering, tasty and looking more like dished up in a restaurant rather than in a franchised pizza eatery. We were there as part of an informal degustation, commencing with churruzos dipped in hot chocolate at a St Moritz cafe in Darling Harbour and landing up at the Gelato Messini in the Darlinghurst side of Victoria Road. So we chose only one pizza - the toppings with Morrocan lamb (image above) - and what a hit it was, with crispy crust and even more fascinating flavours once in the mouth!