Casa Bella vesta : Wood fired Pizza, This was the time to relish, it was happening first time for me

Last day of the trip, slowly moving towards the end , but i was enjoying every bit of it. La Plaze visit was over and i had moved back to my next and last destination.

Casa Belle Vesta

Was lucky enough that La plaze auto rikshaw has dropped us to club house. Casa Belle Vesta was 10 min away from there. It was going to be a special place for me i knew this, i had visited this place the day before also but that time Green Forest Cafe had robbed the opportunity but i had kept Casa Belle Vesta for the next day and it was the time.



 

First view the way they had clamped the board was impressive.



Built like an Ethnic hilly region mansion, this building had appealed my senses. This place is known for its wood fired Pizza and as said by their staff they consider themselves as the best in India. I was ready to challenge them. Dilemma was to choose the place where i wanted to sit, as both indoor and outdoor sitting area were attracting me to the most. But going with the wind and feeling the winds of Manali for last time i decided to sit outside only.



 

For a second it seemed like artificial from far but on knocking them i came to know they were the real heavy Deodar wood placed as a table top, giving this place a contemporary look. Whole design has been the idea of the couple who owns this place though i was not able to meet them as they had gone out some reason and peeping much into detail was unnecessary as Pizza wont be cooked by them.

Next thing for me was to decide the Pizza. It was bit confusing for me, as they had so much of options to serve. I went for a simple one, Margherita with toppings of Onion,Capsicum and olives.



I was damn excited, as pizza was going to be cooked in front of me only. Yes i am right with my words, here they have this open air kitchen in which they prepare their Pizza and anybody who has ordered can see his dish being prepared. This was the time to relish, it was happening first time for me.



This cook was working there from the start of the Casa Bella Vesta. I was loving his style of work, they way his hands were sprinkling cheese and vegetables and in the beginning the way he tossed the pizza base in air to increase it size. It took him just 2-3 minute to be ready to give a suggestion " Sir if you are going to click pictures then switch on your camera as your dish is going in oven ". He said thousands of clicks i have gone through, anybody who visits here for first time it is a must that he would be standing here with me.



My Pizza was in the wood fired chimney, but dont get confused fire was not underneath the floor, Pizza was placed just a feet away from the fire. It was going to take 8 minutes to be served directly in the plate. It was my mistake i should have recorded a video instead of taking pictures, as i witnessed how the pizza changed its look, though most off must have seen this in microwave oven even i had also but this was something unique.



Temperature inside the chimney was near to 370 degree celcius, hope this explained my situation why i dint clicked the wood being burnt inside as i was getting too cautious about my camera lens. It was too hot there but thanks to cool breeze of Manali i was able to cope up with the situation. 8 minutes were over and without any delay even of a second Pizza was out directly into the plate and was ready to be sprinkled with little bit of Oregano, but i luv oregano so i demanded bit extra of it.



Pizza was served to my table with a fresh pineapple juice which i added later on. Now was the time to take the first bite. Though i am trying to explain but the taste was something , which i would say was felt in my mouth even writing this blog. i can still remember its softness though being a thin crust pizza which is generally crispy in mouth. I have always been fan of Pizza hut but this time it had taken a back seat and i would say every time i would be comparing Pizza hut's pizza with this Pizza in future and expect them to surprise me bringing a better Pizza than this one. Just a simple Cheese Margherita with very simplest of add on would turn out to be so good, i had never expected. How could i forget the fresh Pineapple juice. Most of the times tinned juices are served by the name of fresh juices even in 5 star hotels but at Casa Bella Vesta it was direct from the juicer freshly churned out.

This much of pleasure, such a nice place to sit and eating best of Pizza in India, yes till now i had accepted this that i had lost the challenge and they were right with every word of them, this pizza was the best in India atleast what i have eaten till now. This much of thing costed me only some Rs 250 which if i compare with any other restaurant or big chains of Pizza available in Delhi would be only a fraction of their amount they would have charged me.

It took an effort for me and my wife to finish this Pizza as it was too heavy also. Still we had some time to leave for the bus stand so we kept on sitting there. As usual time to click some more pictures.



Casa Bella Vesta is also a Lodge. One can find a very posh rooms or cottages there though being bit costly but every penny spent is worth the place. This building was almost a look alike of the main building in front, though the front one was only the Cafe and included a small store also showcasing designer clothes.





what to say of Lounge, the best of style, all wooden sitting area, once again all deodar wood heavy just raw table tops.Always has been a fan of ethnic look whether in clothes or jewellery or like this which i saw here in Casa Bella Vesta. Sitting here had its own plus point, here you will have the view of river flowing just road cross of the Casa Bella Vesta which was not in the scene when i sat outside, this thing i realised later but i would say that was much more fun and soothing for me.

Now the time was over, it was the time to say good bye to Manali and proceed for Delhi. We moved from there as we had to pick our luggage also from the Hotel.

Again it was going to be a 15 hr journey, not afraid of hours but its going to be again Volvo and i had to sit in a Air conditioned jail again. But no option.

Bye Manali... we will meet again.