Ever since I heard that Pizza Express was serving Halal chicken I have been itching to visit one.

This month, I decided to visit my local Pizza Express in Preston on a quiet Sunday. And I have to admit I think it is refreshing to actually taste a ‘real pizza’.

Let us be completely honest. Pizzas made in many of our takeaways are not ‘real pizzas’. Some put on a decent show but a ‘real pizza’ is one where you can actually tell what is on it!

We Asians have gotten used to ordering what is essentially some meat, tomato paste and frozen dough – all moulded together.

‘Real pizzas’ are made from fresh dough with fresh ingredients. More importantly, making a pizza is an art and not any old Tom, Dick and Abdul can do it.

So, regardless of how much you think you know your pizza you don’t, unless you have been to a real pizza maker.

Here, the pizzas were cooked right in front of you and you can see and taste the difference.

The fresh and succulent ingredients allow you to savour the pizza. The spicy chicken version I went for was very filling.

The choice in pastas and pizza was a lot more than I thought and there was a good variety of side orders.

On top of that, I think the service at the Preston branch was also of a high quality. Staff seemed to be very helpful and friendly. The kids menu wasn’t overpriced either and portions were just enough to feed the little ones.

Next time I am given a choice as to whether to queue up for a Nando’s’ at the Trafford Centre or go to a Pizza Express, I will be going to the latter. No competition.