The self-dubbed “inauthentic pizzas” at are about as authentic to the Aussie migrant story as you can get.
“The inspiration essentially came from our shared love of pizza,” explains owner Joseph Abboud. “We really loved the high quality Italian-style pizza that is so prevalent in Melbourne, however we also loved the classic manoushe that we grew up with as kids. One day, the idea hit us to combine the Italian style with the Middle Eastern flavours we were so familiar with. Hence Moor's Head was born."
The Thornbury favourite has landed in Carlton, where it’s rubbing shoulders with some stiff Italian competition. Quick to quell future outrage from the local community, Aboud decided to beat them to the punch by labelling the pizzas as “inauthentic”.
“In all seriousness, though, they really are inauthentic,” he assures. “Although the flavour profile is distinctly Middle Eastern and there is the Turkish element with the pide shape, the method is essentially Italian in the way the dough is made and proved and we even use the Moretti Forni oven to cook them in.
“Incorporating a little of everything makes them perfectly inauthentic.”
One thing’s for certain: the pizza flavours are anything but contentious. Fried haloumi and grilled sucuk (Turkish sausage) has probably proven the most popular so far, largely for hitting all the salty, squeaky high notes. Spiced roasted pumpkin, tahini yoghurt and hazelnut dukkah is a close second. Their take on the classic pizza margherita is a medley of tomato, ashawan cheese (aged mozzarella), haloumi and black chilli.
“We have had to get a bit inventive with our toppings; for example, we let the haloumi soak in water for a little while so that it gets a nice creamy texture, which cooks beautifully on the pizza.”
Aboud’s team also works with a smallgoods provider to custom-make their sucuk and smoked beef to give their pizzas more “Middle Eastern zing”. They’ve spent more on the kitchen in Carlton than in Thornbury, allowing them to expand their offering with more snacks (haloumi "fries" come with a side of red pepper and pomegranate sauce), plus a bigger bar and drinks list.
Fried haloumi strands arrive with pepper and pomegranate dipping sauce. Source: Moor's Head
Come dessert, there's sweet pizzas (fatayer), and the Turkamisu: the Italian stallwart is given a Levantine makeover with cardamom coffee, walnut liqueur and crushed pistachios.
“The added quirk with Carlton is that you have to go through the front wine bar to the door out the back to enter the funky warehouse space,” Aboud says. “Coupled with the back entrance via a funky bluestone alley and you have a pretty cool Melbourne experience.”
350-352 Drummond Street, Carlton VIC
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