Two Seven Two

The bakery at 272 Ludlow Avenue is the “pizzeria” I frequent most, although I go there for much more than just pizza.

However, I am a fan of their focaccia (as well as that at its sister bakery Brown Bear Bakery). In my humble opinion, focaccia has to strike a difficult balance: enough olive oil to produce a deeply browned, almost fried exterior, while keeping the interior light, airy, and flavorful. You don’t want it to be dense, too heavy, too saturated, or greasy. @two.seven.two gets that balance right. The underside was exceptionally crisp, while the interior remained soft and pleasantly chewy.

I believe the dough is made with 60% whole-wheat flour, which gives the bread more flavor and character than the typical white-flour focaccia without sacrificing its lightness.

The slices is topped by a rotating selection of seasonal items. In this case: bell pepper, onion, garlic confit, zucchini, mozzarella, Parmesan, lemon zest, and parsley. That may sound like a lot (and perhaps a bit much for a purist like me), but the combination was thoughtfully composed. The roasted vegetables and garlic brought sweetness, while the lemon zest and parsley added enough brightness to keep everything balanced. It tasted deliverate, not like a refrigerator clean out.

Most importantly, this remained fundamentally a piece of excellent bread - flavorful enough to be thoroughly enjoyed on its own & elevated by the toppings. Highly recommended.