They say: “A pizza a day’

PHUKET: At a mere seven months old, the OSOT Apotheke Cafe and Pizzeria on Phuket Road in town has already begun to stand out as one of the best places to grab a coffee, all-day breakfast and, yes, even a pizza.

With fresh ingredients, homemade food and a very cool atmosphere, OSOT has locals and expats excited and full of great food. A local supplier provides the restaurant with organic breads, vegetables and desserts, and the rest is homemade by owner and cook extraordinaire Khun Tal.

Growing up, Khun Tal always had a passion for food, which was intensified while taking a culinary class for his hospitality degree. With a combined treasure find of his wife’s grandfather’s supply of old (we’re talking 1930s and older) medical supplies, the Apotheke Cafe and Pizzeria was born.

I had the privilege of holding old arsenic and chloroform bottles, and viewing old ampules and tablet packages, some producers of which don’t even exist anymore. All of these make up the intriguing decor of this cozy hidden gem and, if you are curious, just ask. Khun Tal is more than happy to explain the history and uses of these magical trophies.

When you are finished looking around and petting the cafe’s beagle mascot Milo, take a look at the extensive menu. It is full of wonderful finds and regular favorites, sometimes with a twist.

One such item is the tuna panino. By all accounts it is your traditional tuna melt, ingeniously made on a baguette and snuggled in a panini press until perfectly crispy. However, if you were not paying attention, you would be pleasantly surprised by the enormous amount of flavor coming from such a compressed sandwich.

This is because Khun Tal has added capers and artichoke hearts into the mix and topped it all with a lovely amount of melted cheddar.

If tuna is not your favorite choice, they also have mozzarella paninos, salami and cheddar, and even a Caesar panino.

In addition, they have your traditional sandwiches, such as ham and cheese, BLT, and a bacon and egg croissant.

The all-day breakfast includes organic yogurt with fresh fruit and muesli and even your go-to eggs, hashbrowns, bacon or sausage, toast and juice.

The salads are organic, plentiful and beautiful, and the appetizers include chicken wings with OSOT BBQ sauce, bruschetta and even baked spinach with cheese.

Pastas deliver the perfect amount of food and full of flavor, ranging from traditional carbonara, penne alla quattro foraggi (four cheese), to lasagne verdi alla bolognese (fresh spinach lasagna with pork ragu). Pair it with some of their fresh garlic bread and you will be one happy patron.

Now, let’s get to the pizza.

Cooked to perfection on homemade crust, topped with just the right amount of cheese and adorned with fresh ingredients, these pizzas could well be exactly what you have been looking for in town.

They have your favorites, such as the Hawaiian, margherita and pepperoni pizzas, and then they have your new, soon-to-be favorites such as BBQ chicken, quattro stagioni pizza (tomato, ham, mushroom, artichoke, black olive and oregano) and the menu’s jewel, the parma ham.

I have yet to enter OSOT without ordering this amazing pizza. Each slice is full of that salty, wonderful goodness that can only be known as parma ham. It melds perfectly with the fresh mozzarella and oregano. But what makes this already delightful pizza to die for is the bundle of fresh, organic rocket piled on top of it. The crisp, bright bite that it gives to the warm, flavorful base is nothing short of brilliant. It is certainly one to come back for time and time again.

So if you are in the neighborhood and crave fresh, organic ingredients, a fun atmosphere and some seriously excellent pizza, stop into OSOT Apotheke Cafe and Pizzeria, where there is an abundance of wonderful food, great people and that handsome beagle named Milo.

OSOT Apotheke Cafe and Pizzeria is open from 10am to 10pm, Thursday through Tuesday. It is located at the intersection of Phuket Road and Rassada Road just past the Promthep Clock Tower. For more information, please visit its Facebook page.

— Sylvia Joy