The Pasta & Tortizza: A hawker stall reimagining pizza with tortilla-based tortizza

Ever heard of a tortizza? I hadn’t, until I stumbled upon The Pasta & Tortizza, a humble hawker stall in Hougang serving up pizzas. The catch? It’s made with a tortilla base, instead of traditional dough.

The result: A thin, crispy creation that’s light enough to enjoy on your own, or share between two, without feeling uncomfortably full. 

Made with tortilla flour and baked in a ceramic pizza oven, the tortizza has a satisfying crunch and a light texture. 

Opened in April 2025, The Pasta & Tortizza appears to be the only hawker stall in Singapore specialising in this unique pizza twist. Customers can choose from several tortizza flavours — Hawaiian (S$8.90), pork pepperoni (S$9.90), and truffle mushroom (S$10.90).

Beyond its signature tortizzas, the stall also offers a full line-up of Western comfort food, such as carbonara (S$7.90), spicy shrimp aglio olio (S$7.90), goma smoked duck pasta (S$8.90), chargrilled chicken chop (S$7.90), and fish & chips (S$7.90). Every dish is cooked to order and made with sauces prepared from scratch, a reflection of the owners’ fine-dining roots.

How it all started

Behind The Pasta & Tortizza are husband-and-wife duo Steven Loo, 42 and Goh Li Xuan, 37, both trained chefs who have spent their entire careers in the F&B industry.

Li Xuan graduated from Shatec in 2008 with a diploma in pastry and baking, and soon joined the National University of Singapore Society (NUSS) in 2009. She worked her way from pastry chef to the cold kitchen at the various guild houses, learning the ropes of dessert and salad prep.

Steven, meanwhile, began his culinary journey at age 20, working in various restaurants and hotels around Singapore to master both western and local cuisines. One of his most formative stints was at NUSS Bukit Timah Guild House, where he trained under chef Alan Koh and chef Daniel Ho — both known for their modern European, semi-fine dining style.

The couple met in 2009, while working at NUSS. Their shared love for food and creativity in the kitchen eventually became a partnership, both in life and in business.

When Li Xuan decided to leave NUSS after more than 15 years, and Steven found himself between jobs, they saw a chance to take the leap and build something of their own.

“After so many years in the kitchen at NUSS, I wanted to venture out ,” says Li Xuan. “With encouragement from other chefs working there, I decided to give this business a go.”

Their search for a stall brought them back to their roots in Hougang — the neighbourhood where Li Xuan grew up. 

“We kept coming down to this very coffee shop — Food Hub @ 631 Hougang — for breakfast, and saw the empty stall one day,” Li Xuan says. “We’ve been eating around this area for many years, so it felt right to start here.”

Creating the tortizza and menu

The idea for tortizza came about naturally. Li Xuan first encountered the concept years ago while working at NUSS Mandalay Guild House, where a similar tortilla-based pizza was served on the menu there. The dish has since been removed. 

“Most places use pizza dough or sourdough, which makes pizza heavy,” she explains. “So we decided on tortilla flour instead. It creates a very thin and crispy crust after baking, which is satisfying, without being too filling.”

The couple spent weeks experimenting with temperatures, timings, and toppings until they perfected the recipe. 

Their secret? Instead of a combi oven, they use a pizza oven with a ceramic stone plate. This ensures the tortilla bakes evenly to a golden, paper-thin crisp. 

Each tortizza spends about six minutes in the oven — four minutes on a net tray, then another two directly on the stone plate for that extra crunch.

One bestseller is the Hawaiian tortizza, topped with luncheon meat and pineapple. For this item, Li Xuan and Steven swapped out the usual ham for thick slices of pork luncheon meat — a choice born from both flavour and texture. The thicker cut holds its bite against the crisp tortilla base, while its savoury notes complement the sweetness of pineapple.

The truffle mushroom tortizza is another favorite, made from wild mushrooms sauteed and seasoned in-house. Truffle paste and truffle oil is then added to mayonnaise to create truffle mayo, which is drizzled on the tortizza after baking.

For all tortizza flavours, a tangy tomato base is used, with the exception of the chicken satay tortizza, which adopts a peanut-sauce base.

The menu is rounded out with Steven’s western signatures. Among the pastas, some of the couple’s personal favourites are the goma smoked duck pasta, made with Japanese sesame dressing, grilled duck slices, garlic, and mushrooms. 

There’s also the spicy shrimp aglio olio, featuring shrimp sauteed in a blend of garlic and parsley, home-made chilli flakes and olive oil. 

Another popular order is the char-grilled chicken chop. 

“Our chicken chop is quite different from other western stalls,” Li Xuan notes. “We do our own marination, and we cut the chicken equally so every piece is the same size.” 

They use chicken thigh, marinated with Steven’s proprietary spice blend. The chicken is grilled over an open flame for a smoky char. 

The fish & chips, made from dory fish, is coated in batter, then breaded and deep-fried. It’s seasoned simply with flour, eggs, salt and pepper to let the freshness come through.

Each dish reflects their restaurant-trained discipline — simplicity, precision, and freshness over shortcuts. Li Xuan adds that every element — from the tomato base to the sauces — is made from scratch. 

“The sauces in our various dishes such as mushroom sauce, black pepper sauce and tartar sauce are all house-made,” says Li Xuan. “We don’t use powder mixes or bottled bases.”

Our review

We started with their Hawaiian tortizza, which arrived perfectly browned at the edges. The crust had an audible crunch, holding up well under the generous toppings. 

Replacing the ham was a nice twist, making the dish more hearty — especially given how light the crust is. The pineapple chunks lent bursts of sweetness that balanced the savoury base.

If we had a small critique, it would be that the tomato base, though freshly cooked from a pre-made sauce, tasted a little generic — pleasant, but lacking distinct depth. 

Next came the truffle mushroom tortizza, a vegetarian-friendly option that impressed with its aroma and richness. The mushrooms were sauteed till tender, the truffle notes subtle, yet distinct. We especially liked how the thin tortilla allowed the toppings to shine — no doughy heaviness, just pure flavour.

The goma smoked duck pasta turned out to be my favourite of the pastas. The Japanese sesame dressing gave the dish a nutty, creamy depth, without being overly rich. Each strand of pasta was coated evenly, with slices of fresh tender smoked duck adding a hint of sweetness. 

The char-grilled chicken chop — a generous serving of chicken thigh that was juicy and tender — was well-executed. Served with The Pasta & Tortizza’s house-made black pepper sauce, it’s the kind of dish you’d happily return for after a long day. 

Finally, the fish & chips featured dory fish fillet crisp outside and soft within — classic comfort food done right. The homemade tartar sauce added a fresh, tangy touch. Both the chicken chop and fish & chips also came up with coleslaw and delicious mantou buns. The crispy buns were a nice addition that paired well with the rest of the ingredients.

Overall, we would say the food here speaks of heart, skill, and pride in craftsmanship.

Running the stall 

Of course, running their hawker stall is hard work, but Steven and Li Xuan wouldn’t have it any other way. Their day starts at 9am with prep work — marinating meats, mixing sauces, and slicing ingredients. By lunchtime, the stall buzzes with regulars who drop by for their daily pasta or tortizza fix.

Steven helms the stove, managing the cooking of pastas and meats, while Li Xuan handles deep-frying, plating, and cashier duties.

 “If he’s too busy, I jump in to assemble the tortizzas,” she says. “We’re both very hands-on. We do everything ourselves, from butchering, to the sauces, soups and dressing.”

They close around 10pm, often staying later to clean up and prepare for the next day. “It’s tiring,” admits Li Xuan, “But having customers give us positive feedback is very encouraging for us.”

Consistency, they emphasise, is key. “We always believe in serving customers fresh and good quality food ,” says Steven. “That’s why we cook everything only upon order. It’s extra effort, but that’s how we ensure quality.”

For Steven and Li Xuan, The Pasta & Tortizza isn’t just a business — it’s their tribute to western hawker cuisine in Singapore.

They have modest ambitions for the future. Expansion is on the table, but only when they’re ready. For now, they’re content perfecting their craft, one crisp tortizza at a time.

Always keen to innovate, the duo also refine their menu based on customer feedback. “We gather customer opinion and garner inspiration from food we served in our previous jobs,” says Li Xuan. 

Recently, they’ve been testing new dishes, such as a seasonal meatball pasta that proved popular among nearby students. “We’re also considering squid ink and vongole pasta,” she adds. “We’ll experiment on them first, and hopefully you’ll see them on our permanent menu!”

For more ideas on what to eat, read about mee rebus in Singapore, or stock up on these unique snacks ahead of CNY!