UNPOPULAR opinion warning: Pizza is incredibly overrated - but I may have found the one pizza that can convince me otherwise.

Too many times to count, the personal opinion of mine that pizza gets far too much attention than it deserves is often met with gasps from around the room. People live for pizza.

HOWEVER.... if there is any pizza that could change my mind it is - in my opinion - the star of the show in Carluccio's newly-launched pizza menu.

The well-established Italian restaurant, discreetly situated in a sweet spot across from Reading's Forbury Garden, has launched a new menu that takes diners on a 'culinary journey to Naples' - crafted by the pizzaiolo Eric Chauvet who was trained by Antonio Carluccio himself.

The Chronicle was invited along on the culinary journey through Naples to try out the new menu and one week on from an enjoyable evening meal at Reading's Carluccio's I am still raving about the doughy delight understatedly titled Goat's Cheese on the new pizza menu.

Reading Chronicle:

All the elements of a traditional pizza with the tomato base, mozzarella and spinach, but topped with goat's cheese, red onions and walnut, and finished with fig jam. Incredible.

It finally felt like a pizza that deserved the glory of being on that pedestal, the goat's cheese and walnut being a tried and tested perfect pairing but elevated further with a fruity fig jam to create what felt like a premium pizza.

The Goat's Cheese proved a crowd-pleaser around the table as everyone delved in - an always enjoyable aspect of pizza as an easily shareable dish to make the dining experience that much more social.

The very attentive and friendly waiters also suggested the new Prosciutto Di Parma as a popular choice among diners - Tomato sauce and Fior di latte mozzarella, finished with 24 month aged Parma ham, rocket and Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings.

Reading Chronicle:

I couldn't put the Prosciutto Di Parma up their with the Goat's Cheese triumph but you can't go wrong with an elevated cheese and ham pizza, a safe option but enjoyable nonetheless.

For more details on the new menu launch click here.

Another triumph of the evening was from the small plates and sharers menu which had a good variety of options for all tastes, from the Tomato Bruschetta, or Burrata with 24-month-aged Parma ham, aged balsamic vinegar and pane carasau, prawns Marinara, Tuna Tartare, Calamari and more!

For me, it was the Arancini that was the front runner for any sort of side plate or starter. Sicilian rice balls filled with spinach and smoked mozzarella, with a spicy tomato sauce on the side.

Reading Chronicle:

My only complaint - more please! I shouldn't complain as we opted for the small plate as a starter and we had pizza to come, but I enjoyed the little rice balls and their spicy kick so much I wanted more than the three arancini balls given. Greedy I know.

It really felt like there was something for everyone on the menu from your Italian classics covering pizza, pasta, risotto, plus your salad, fish, and grill options.

For dessert, our party proved more excited by the prospect of a creamy coffee to finish but the chocolate bread and butter pudding, or chocolate brownie with pistachio ice cream was very tempting.

The Nutella Cheesecake with sour cherry gel and toasted hazelnuts would have been up there also - but that leads us on to my second unpopular opinion on Nutella and why it's frustratingly the go-to chocolate spread for everything.... But that's for another day.

Carluccio's really is a little slice of Italy in Reading's town centre, perfectly placed in the heart of town but discreet enough to enjoy a quiet social evening out with friends or a delicious date night - as long as you don't mind the Goat's Cheese pizza being all you talk about afterwards rather than the date!