Pizza My Mind: Aussie Journo Katrina Yu's Picks Mao Mao Chong, Bottega, and Annie's
With voting in the Final Four of the 2015 Pizza Cup closing Monday, Nov 16 (cast your ballot here) we continue to query Beijingers from all walks of life on their pizza preferences with our Pizza My Mind series.
In this edition, we hear from Australian travel and culture correspondent Katrina Yu, the former presenter of CCTV International's Travelogue program and a journalist who contributes to SBS World News Australia and Al Jazeera, among others. Here are her picks for some of the city's best pizza:
For a pint out with the gang:
Picture this: you’re out and about on a Saturday night in Gulou, waiting to to catch a 8pm show at Penghao theatre and you feel like fairly casual fare and some drinks beforehand. Oh and another thing, it happens to be halloween so you and your friends are all sporting fanciful animal onesies. Where to go to get your western dinner fix as well as reliably good cocktails in a non-judgmental atmosphere? Mao Mao Chong in Banchang hutong is just the place. The pizza is thin and crusty, just how I like it, and goes down easy with your choice of craft beer and creative cocktails, lovingly made by bartender extraordinaire Eric. Big fan of the goats cheese and butternut pizza as well as chilled atmosphere.
For home delivery when you're too lazy to make dinner:
It’s another rainy/smoggy/surprisingly snowy night in the capital. You and your partner have decided to get comfy on the couch and order in – except so has every other person in Beijing. This means most delivery companies in town want an extra hour or and your rumbling tummy and new movie download just can’t wait that long. So we dial Annie’s. Old faithful Annie’s. Thanks to their legions of branches we rest in the comfort of knowing our pizza won’t take so long and we might even get a free bowl out of it. The pepperoni or melanzane (eggplant) pizzas are simple and guaranteed to make for a tasty, greasy and altogether satisfying dinner for a lazy Friday night.
When you are introducing Chinese friends who have never tried pizza before
Sanlitun Bar street is better known for its tacky strip clubs, but it also hides some pretty tasteful restaurant options. When we’re in a big group and need to have a meal that’ll give us enough calories to last through a long memorable evening then Bottega is the place. I love the fluffy charred crusts and juicy centres. Can’t decide which to get? The four seasons, which offers a quartet of flavors, keeping the punters happy. Cool atmosphere also means heels and that tight outfit won’t be out of place.
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.
Photo courtesy of Katrina Yu
