GinFizz

Afraid so. As the title of the Duke Ellington track says, "Don't get around much anymore"

I can't actually say that I miss Nanjie -but it does hold some interesting memories ...

jiejie

The original Hidden Tree on Nanjie had food and ambience that later reincarnations just can't match up with. I find the pizza at the current Tree not so good, but the beer selection is mightly fine.

moondog

For real? While there are arguably a few better pizzas in Beijing, their pizza is pretty solid by most counts, to the extent that it never fails to impress friends from abroad. And, when you place it in the context of the local market, it is downright amazing (IMO).

trueblu

OK, I've gotta get me some of this pizza action! We've had two pizza outings -- the first -- pizza hut, was an unmitigated disaster. We only went because we thought our daughter might like it as a change from chinese all day every day, but even she refused to partake. The second, we were dragged to papa johns, being told it's pretty good: perhaps by california standards! It was actually edible, if not amazing, but I felt it was fairly pricey.

Ginfizz mentions "Red House" in wudaokou. Google maps places it near the Ucentre mall, but I've never noticed it. Must check out these trees next time we're in sanlitun. Also, on the pizza front: anyone been to "Ciro's"? I used to go when I lived in London moons ago, and thought it was good, but expensive. The prices of the BJ branch look more reasonable, but only if the pizza is any good.

tb

jiejie

It's horses for courses. I don't like the Tree's pizza, maybe because everytime I've been there, it's too soggy and served too cold. As to what trublu said, Pizza Hut is not stellar and in Beijing, seems to depend on the branch (yeah I know, a chain is supposed to be uniform quality, yada, yada). Papa Johns is somewhat better here (I also prefer Papa to PH in the US, if I have to deal with a chain). Haven't been to Kro's Nest since he left Workers Stadium after the partner kerfuffle and moved to Xiaoyun Lu, but a few years ago that was pretty decent--heard maybe new place is not so good now. I have heard mostly poor reviews of everything at Ciro's in Sanlitun...but I think they've just got a new manager in so maybe things will change. I'd like a great crispy thin crust wood-fired pizza from time to time but it's hard to find this animal in Beijing. Tried LMPlus pizza in Central Park since it's Italian-owned and it was quite meh.

And yes, pizza is expensive. Anything western is getting ruinously expensive in Beijing restaurants. And with the expense of key ingredient cheese, isn't likely to be bargain priced. Go for lunch specials and maybe a better bargain.

moondog

Of course. Ciro actually comes to town fairly often and is quite a character. While I've never felt the food has justified the relatively high prices in the past, they have a new manager who assures me that it is better now.

Re Pizza in general, see this. Personally, I think Peter Pan should have been invited to the competition. When they break out the expensive ingredients, their pizzas are very good.

trueblu

Who knew there was so much pizza in BJ (well probably everyone who lives on the east side!). Just fyi, peter pan was in the competion, and lost in the first round. I'm not a huge fan of these 'restaurant war' things: a marketing ploy from the publication, but it was useful to me to see the number of non-chain pizzerias.

Re: ciro's, taste aside, the prices seem to be on a par with "the tree": no idea about portion size, however.

tb

moondog

1. I guess I overlooked that. But, seriously, if you can convince the owner to use the buffalo mozzarella and some of the nicer meets, it's a wonderful pizza.

2. I didn't mean to suggest that Ciro's is expensive in the absolute sense, just expensive for what you get. In all fairness, I'm basing this assessment on the products of a chef who no longer works there. I will give it another shot some day soon; it's just that there are so many tried and true options in the area.

Insofar as the Beijinger contests/awards are concerned, I kind of like them. What's more, I'm pretty confident that the Beijinger itself is unbiased. I attribute odd results in the restaurant awards to: 1) clueless voters; and 2) restaurants themselves rigging things.

fimo

I appreciate them too. Having read the Burger Wars version it helps in winnowing down places to go, though I have to confess I haven't had a chance to try any yet (and NOT FOR LACK OF TRYING).

Anyway, if anyone needs a pizza or burger buddy let me know! ISO non-chinese food eating buddies...

jiejie

Who's in? (we may need to migrate this over to the BJ meet-up thread or one of it's own). I am so over Thanksgiving and turkey right now.

We can fight over pizza location, keeping in mind at least one criteria should be availability of decent beer to accompany.

Jiatong

Ok, if decent 'draft' beer is there, i am in for a double cheese pizza !.

GinFizz

In that case the Red House may even be better than the Tree (new version) ... The place isn't so large so you get the pizza straight from the oven.

I had what I would vote as the best pizza in Beijing last month at the Red House - though only because I went there with a tub of quartered fresh figs marinated in fresh rosemary and balsamic vinegar and then got them to add these to the standard prosciutto and olive pizza.

I'm definitely on for sharing some pizza - though I am afraid it may not be possible as I only have a couple of free evenings in Beijing this month (leaving Dec. 11 for three weeks).

trublu: the Red House is not directly opposite the U-centre. You need to take the road that runs north from the U-centre (Wangzhuanglu). It is then on the second floor (US/China numbering) on the first row of shops on your right-hand side (on Google maps it is just to the left of the Dongsheng Police Station).

trueblu

I'm up for some good quality pizza. However, I have several work-related trips in December, so happy for others to decide date and place and we'll come if we can.

GinFizz, thanks for the map directions: it appears that I had located 'redhousefashion' instead. Looks like a pretty convenient location for our end of town.

tb

trueblu

The reason that I don't like these mass vote competitions is that it ends up with mob rule winning. As a hypothetical example (not been to any of the venues, so not actually judging quality), with the current pizza war, Red House (haidian) lost to Alio Olio (chaoyang park). Is it because the former is really worse, or that most ex-pat readers of the beijinger live in chaoyang?

Sadly, chowhound is not really active BJ-wise. And although we've had a few food-related threads on this forum, most have been geared (perhaps appropriately?) to the visiting tourist rather than us few locals.

tb

moondog

I haven't read the article yet, but I assumed that the voters had actually tried both pizzas... the whole point of the elimination tournament format.

The restaurant awards are more subject to the popularity contest bit for the reasons you intimate, but there they have "expert" picks (I put the term in quotes because I was on the panel one year in spite of my lack of appreciation for Chinese food) in addition to reader picks.

While the system is far from perfect, it does help point us in the right direction.