I’m not here to praise the pies at Pizza Twist. The butter chicken pizza I tried doesn’t hold a candle to the one at Pizza 360 in Ashburn. So why is the new desi pizzeria in Herndon my latest obsession? They’re serving a pasta dish that I didn’t even know I was dreaming of. And that’s probably not the end of my exploration of the local franchise’s long and varied menu.
Tandoori or curry wings? They’ve got them. Butter chicken tacos? They have those, too. There’s even masala mac and cheese. Imagine an Indian version of a pizzeria favorite, and chances are, it’s on the menu at Pizza Twist.
Which brings me to one of my new favorite dishes: palak paneer pasta. Indian food lovers will know what I’m talking about. Palak paneer consists of bouncy cubes of paneer cheese in a spicy spinach sauce. Pour it on pasta, and it’s not so different from a spinach pesto.
OK, not exactly. Even at medium heat, the sauce at Pizza Twist is spiky with spice. There are visible jalapeños chopped into the green sauce. Basically, it’s one of my favorite Indian dishes made with al dente (and pleasantly crisp edged) penne. Fusion rarely works so seamlessly.
But that’s what Pizza Twist is all about. The dry, less than flavorful pie might not have won my raves, but there’s plenty to bring me back for more Italian-Indian synthesis. // 13049 Worldgate Dr., Herndon
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