Capital Bites: Near-Perfect Pizza by LMPlus

We stopped by Pizza by LMPlus a few days back, expecting good things. We weren't disappointed. The Central Park venue, from the same people as acclaimed Italian restaurant LMPLus, has only been open two weeks but seems off to a flying start.

Of course, it's tiny, with space inside for only a handful of tables, and a few more outside, but there's also delivery demand from the Central Park apartments to satisfy. Unsurprisingly, their pizza is Italian-style thin-crust - and on first taste, it's right up there with Beijing's best. The base is crisp but not brittle, with just enough to chew on, and the sauce is simple - no grease, just fresh tomato flavors and herbs.

We tried the "Bianca" (RMB 72) with asparagus, crisp potatoes and rosemary, and the Prosciutto di Parma (RMB 98), with prosciutto, Parmesan and rocket. The Bianca was fine, but I like a pizza with stronger flavors, and the prosciutto delivered on that. After a stuttering start, when we had to stop three different staff to ask for a menu, the service picked up. The waiter was prompt in letting us know that, due to the unexpected high demand, they had run out of bases for the smaller "Pizza Tonda" individual pizzas, and offered us a "Pizza Plus" (RMB 148) - a 60x25cm pizza designed for sharing. These are RMB 148, and you can combine three different flavors on one oval base. Of course, this ended up saving us a bit of money, and the portion was about right, though if we were much hungrier we'd have wanted another of the smaller pizzas.

Deliveries are available, and business lunch runs from 11am to a generous 5pm (who has a business lunch at 4pm?), with RMB 40 and RMB 45 options. You can even add a Tsingtao for and extra RMB 5. On the drinks list, you've got Moretti at RMB 30, Tsingtao for RMB 20, and coffees starting with an espresso at RMB 15. Wine by the glass starts at RMB 55.

Pizzas aren't getting any cheaper in Beijing, and Pizza by LMPlus is at the higher end - a margherita is RMB 59, with the individual "LMPlus" at RMB 98. But it's up to you, and if you don't mind paying extra for extra quality, you'll find your money well spent here. It'll take a few more visits before I'm willing to stick my neck out as to just how good Pizza by LMPlus is, but I think this is one place you'll be hearing a lot more about.

Pizza by LMPlus. Daily 11am-11pm. Next to Pekotan, Bldg 12, Central Park, 6 Chaoyangmenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District (6597 0108) 朝阳区朝阳门外大街6号新城国际12号楼21-22号