If someone told me I can eat pizza on a diet, and it will be less than 500 calories, I would wonder what they had taken and remove any sharp objects from view.

We’ve all been there. You get invited out for dinner, you REALLY want to gossip from your pals latest gobshite experience, but you just know for a fact you aint never opting for a salad when your mate (who eats like a homeless person and stays skinny) is going to have a full Margarita, dough balls and a dessert.

Pizza Express have swooped in and solved this problem for us. They have just absolutely nailed it. I don’t want to compare a Pizza chain to Jesus, but he was a bit of a problem solver as well wasn’t he?

Pizza Express have a new ‘Leggara’ range. I must admit our one have been over the Festival Leisure Park for 5 years, and although I live near I have never visited. Don’t get me wrong it looks lovely from the outside, but due to the tracker Nando’s injected into my arm the first time I ate there I’m drawn to it with magnetic force anytime I pass Pipps Hill Asda.

For a start the actual setting is lovely. Its VERY spacious, and not like when your in the Harvester and can eavesdrop on 8 conversations at a time while sneaking a chip off the people sitting at the next table. The atmosphere is nice, and the staff are mega friendly. (Our waiter was REALLY hot which was a nice added bonus).

The ‘Leggara’ range was explained to us by the manager, and although I wanted to try it my initial thought was ‘I’ve left my diet pills in my locker and a pizza with a hole in the middle salad is going to fill mecup for ten seconds’.

I opted for the ‘American Hot’ as I have a very laddish outlook that the more Jalapenos you can eat the harder you are. It was LOVELY. It didn’t give you that feeling you are so full you actually want to sleep at the table, but it did fill me up enough that I’m still pretty content now. At under 500 calories a pop, you would think flavour would be compromised, but this isn’t the case. My Mum opted for the normal margarita, which was amazing, but after trying a bite I really didn’t feel like I was missing out with my slim line pizza.

We also shared a small dough balls as I’ve heard everyone whose ever been to pizza express go on about these like they are the best thing since sliced bread. Well they are. They are round bread with garlic butter. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it sliced bread, you inferior substitute. I’m going to eat dough balls for lunch every day now!

My Mum, who I tend to use as my ‘sweet food’ expert (I do not eat cake, please do not feel sorry for me, it’s not because I’m fat I just don’t like the taste. I do alright in Doritos anyway) said the cheesecake was AMAZING. Her actual reaction when I asked how it was, was to say ‘oh’ and dribble slightly on the table (sorry about that one Pizza Express).

So if you are booking a meal out anytime soon, I would suggest a trip over. They even do gluten free bits and bobs, which is really handy. They even have gluten free beer. If you want to do a ‘Celiac people off their head’ Facebook page, this is the place for you.

All jokes aside, the range of food on the menu is incredible. Don’t be fooled by the ‘Pizza’ in pizza express. You can grab a Risotto, Salad or Calzone as well as pizza. Or why not just opt for dessert?