Pizza My Mind: Shunyi Resident Pines for Loft Eatalicious, Annie's and Pie Squared

With voting in the first round of the 2015 Pizza Cup now underway (cast your ballot here), we continue to query Beijingers from all walks of life on their pizza preferences with our Pizza My Mind series. Today we talk to American Brent Young, a corporate strategist for Intel China who lives in Shunyi.

"I’m more of an enthusiast than an expert," says Brent, who estimates he orders pizzas four or five times a month. Here's his picks for some of his Beijing favorites:

For when you want a taste of home:
“Wood fired pizzas and great Italian food, enjoyed in tight small restaurants remind me of Little Italy in San Francisco. Loft Eatalicious has authentic Sicilian-style, thin crust, wood-fired personal sized pizzas. And a great pasta selection to match. I enjoy the za’s artisanal toppings selection (spinach/brie, mushroom/gorgonzola, sausage/spinach), open kitchen vibe, and small intimate feeling in the restaurant. The pizzas have that slightly smoky taste a wood oven imparts and super crispy dough which I really enjoy.”

When you feel like something different:
“Oddly enough, when I want something ‘different’ I tend to revert to an ole tried-and-true: BLT on thin, round crust from Pie Squared. My wife is a fantastic and exploratory chef, so we enjoy ‘different’ at home daily already. Interjecting that variety with the authentic BLT combo of crisp (lettuce), savory (bacon, mayo, crust), and tart (tomato) is a great match!”

For home delivery when you're too lazy to make dinner:
“When I’m home and hungry, but not feeling in the mood to cook or feeling like some comfort food, I order a calzone from Annie’s. While not a flat/traditional pizza per se, I got hooked on calzones in college where to some they were more popular than pizzas as they’re fun to dip in sauce, easy to eat (in a pocket), and with a more runny cheesy filling. Annie’s has a great calzone, and you can swap out ingredients to make your own. My favorite is to swap ham and salami for chicken, onions and broccoli.”

Hungry for more? Read more from the foodies of Beijing in our Pizza My Mind profiles here; and don't forget to mosey along over to our Pizza Profiles series to get a closer look at some of the best pies in town. Got some favorites of your own? Share them with us by filling out our Pizza My Mind questionnaire here.

Image courtesy of Brent Young