A tip from a ‘clayton runner‘ ( A runner who is not a runner ??), once you’ve taken up running as a sport, NEVER TAKE AN EXTENDED BREAK ‘cos it’s darn hard to pick up from where you left.

So, what’s up?  With travelling, work and family matters over the last 3 months, I’ve stopped running – or any kind of exercises for that matter.  Moreover, my relocation to the fringe of the tropical jungles on Borneo means that despite my good intentions, I am at the mercy of the weather – blinding hot sun likening to life in the Sahara or a heavy downpour likening to T8 in The Philippines.   But before my guilt kills me for sitting on my arse too much, I made the resolution to get up before the crack of dawn each day when Mr Sun is still asleep to get acquainted with my Asics again.

As I ran, my mind harkens to the jumbo grissinis at Porcorosso, a Japanese-Italian pizza pasta joint in Sydney – and also it’s mascot, Porcorosso

(Tip #2: Thinking of food when one is seriously huffing and puffing is a good motivator to keep running – think of carbo-loading after!)  

Honestly, naming your restaurant after a figurine pig may seem daft, but befitting for the joint partnership of a Japanese and his four Italians mates.  Intriguingly, Porcorosso is named after the animated crimson pig (Porco Rosso in Italian) made famous in a popular animated film by Japanese anime master Hayao Miyazaki.  Porcorosso was an Italian WWI fighter ace pilot turned bounty hunter who was cursed and turned into a pig…

The restaurant is located on the unassuming ground floor of a residential block in the industrial area of Waterloo.  

(Tip #3:  Buy some nuts at The Nut Shop  opposite  for your trail mix).  

Not much money is spent on refurbishment –  concrete floor, exposed overhead pipings, sacks of flour on the floor, parma slicer on the counter  and the most the interesting part is that there is a window where once can eat and watch the baker making the fresh pizza and chef cooking pasta.

Carrying on the quirky theme of Italian- Japanese joint effort, the pizzas are named after Italian numbers, whereas the pastas are named after the Japanese numbers.

Antipasti of Jumbo Grissini and Parma Prosciutto

This is large platter for all to share.  The crusty chewy grissinis were freshly made and hot out the oven while the sweet smelling rosy coloured parma ham were sliced to order

Pasta

Very oriental-inspired.  A bit like my mom’s cooking at home.  Mushroom and broccoli with sun-dried tomatoes all stirred up and fried in a pan.  I like this pasta because it was not heavily drenched with sauces.  The pasta was also made at the restaurant and has a chewy springy texture

Calzone

This was the ‘Special’ on the board on that day.  A simple pizza with ham and cheese folded in half.

Much of the credit to the success of Porcorosso lies in its Neapolitan-style pizza crust, lightly crispy, slightly chewy,  little bit charred and fragrant

Pizza Uno

Laid with tomato sauce, parma prociutto, mozzarella, rocket and cherry tomatoes.

Pizza Due

Laid with tomato sauce, smoked ham, mozzarella, wild mushrooms, artichokes, olives

While you’re at it, chinwag with a glass of Rosso!!  Let’s all go all cheery and crimson like Porky!

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