Beijing Boyce

Gung Ho! Gourmet Pizza Factory near Workers Stadium has expanded its menu to include calzones, both veggie (rmb45) and meat (rmb55), new salads (including chili prawn and pineapple salad) and pastas (including mushroom and balsamic cream sauce), and a hot and spicy pizza. Other additions includes desserts like brownies and sides like cheese bread balls. Until now, the key factor for me ordering pizza from Gung Ho! is adding on that tasty Greek salad.

Still on pizza, The Irish Volunteer in Lido has been generating buzz with its pies. While this homey place became known in the early days for its “Big Breakfast“, not to mention its commitment to showing NHL games, co-owner George Smith says pizza now outsells all other menu items combined by more than three to one. He adds that space station astronaut Mark Polansky tried the pizza and described it as “out of this world.” I’m planning a taste test soon.

Still on pizza, a couple of readers in Central Park asked if the new Nasca Café in Sanlitun delivers their way. The answer: yes. The former Nasca branch in Central Park went through a Kro’s Nest-type controversy just over a year ago that saw it renamed Navena and one partner leave to run the branches on Maizidian and now in Sanlitun, the latter now serving people in Central Park. Kudos to the place for doing a decent deep dish pie, and with fresh quality ingredients to boot. One gripe: three levels of spiciness are available but even the hottest doesn’t leave near enough burn.

Grinders in Shuangjing may feel the wrath of Zhongnanhai–not the government office, but the cigarette company of choice for most expats–when it starts its Ashless Wednesdays next week.  That means no smoking inside during hump day, though patrons are free to puff to their lungs’ discontent just outside the door. At least one day a week, patrons will leave smelling more like meatballs than 0.8s.

Start practising those wrist curls...

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Beijing Hilton will hold its second annual pancake race on Shrove Tuesday, 6 PM to 8 PM, on March 8. According to a press release, the hotel’s lobby will be turned into an obstacle course that contestants need to move through while tossing a pancake. “The winner will be judged on speed, style, costume, number of complete tosses and as well of course… not to have dropped the pancake crash helmets provided.” The winner gets a trophy and bragging rights as best tosser. Spectators can enjoy pancakes at a discount as well as half-price drinks in Zeta during the after party. For more details or to enter the contest, email Simon Amos at Simon.Amos (at) hilton.com.