Tis the season – no, not to be jolly. To be cursing the rain on wet days and heat on hot days, and for restaurants and bars to be announcing the summer menus.
Another one to join the burgeoning list of those showcasing their offerings was Ply – sister to Kosmonaut and home of the disco pizza oven. New drinks, new food, everything you could want to tempt you in through their doors.
We began with the Ply Spritz – a mix of homemade grapefruitcello, prosecco, soda – grapefruitcello is flows off the tongue less easily than it’s lemony cousin, but still has that fragrant citrus to it, with a slightly more floral edge.
While we sipped and awaited our fellow guests, the nibbles began to arrive. Beginning with a plate of fresh pickled vegetables – perfect for getting those tastebuds awake, and a platter of charcuterie to keep us picking.
Small plates seem to be growing in popularity in the city – instead of ordering a starter, main and dessert, you can surround yourself with smaller plates of nibbles, and, if you’re like me, over order and be thankful that your friends like food as much as you do and do their best to hoover it all up.
Other small plates began to make their way to the table too – somewhat unexpectedly sardines and octopus. I say unexpectedly, as I can’t recall anything similar being on the menu previously, but I’m pleased to see them. The sardines simply because they are a very underrated fish, and bloody delicious, especially served with oven fired pieces of pizza dough, and a lightly acidic lemon marinade which cuts through their oily flesh and the octopus, though not as good as Iberica’s was still very well cooked and delicious. Something I’d definitely order on my next visit.
As a host of regular faces appeared, so did what Ply do so well. Pizza. The Vulcano with tomato, mozzarella, pepperoni, nduja, honey and basil, the Quattro Formaggi with a divine gooey blend of mozzarella, scamorza, gorgonzola and fontina, tomato, mozzarella, The Nduja – nduja spiced sausage with red peppers and the lighter Roast Vegetables a tomato base with mozzarella, red pepper, courgette and aubergine.
For me, however it was the Colonatta – a naughtily topped bianca base with mozzarella, pork back, morajam pesto and rosemary that proves fat can be a very, very good thing. 
Others however, were swayed by the weekend brunch (available Saturdays and Sundays) with
tomato, mozzarella, mushroom, morcilla, pancetta and soft, runny egg.
And yet still there was more. Nuttella pizza anyone?
Being very glad I was wearing an elasticated skirt, this was not the only nod to dessert. Ply have created a range of dessert cocktails for sharing, or, well, not.
Most popular on our table was the Tiramiswooh! a blend of amaretto, chocolate orange, espresso and cream and a lady finger garnish.
For me the Polynesian Flip was a less sweet cocktail and probably suited me better, but I let my exuberance get the better of me and ordered a Pinball Wizard with vodka, bubblegum, ricotta, marshmallows and glitter.
Whilst divinely pretty, it really wasn’t for me – the ricotta giving it an odd texture that I think was meant to mimic the powdery nature of a traditional piece of bubblegum, but just ended up tasting rather odd.
Of everything dessert wise, it was actually their traditional tiramisu that suited me best – rich heavy and decadent, it’s the kind of dessert you want to share with someone you love after a lazy dinner – and gently argue with them over who gets the stick of chocolate.
Overall, I love the savoury menu, the pizza, the octopus and the sardines, but the sweets are a little over heavy for me.
However, everyone is different and I know that Mr GFB has a much sweeter tooth than I do, and he’d love the Tiramiswooh! and it’s less boozy namesake.
With thanks to Ply for the invitation to the menu launch, it was fabulous.