Beijing Boyce

UPDATE: And we have a winner. As I spent the afternoon working at Grinders, I asked co-owner Trevor Metz to oversee the draw and pick the winner. After much scrambling of the entries, he took a deep breath, drew one entry and read the winner’s name: The Chairman. He gets 10 pizzas and two cases of Vedett. Thanks to all those who entered and to Gung Ho and Duvel Moortgat for providing the prizes.

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Lack the expat package, nouveau riche lifestyle, sympathetic boss or simply the time to escape the heat, humidity and haze of August in Beijing? Then how about getting lots of free beer and pizza for a house party?

I have ten pizzas courtesy of Gung Ho and two cases of Belgian beer Vedett White courtesy of Duvel Moortgat to give away. That should be enough pizza and beer for one reader and a dozen of his / her friends.

Contest details:

• Leave a comment and tell us who you would invite, if you could pick anyone in the world, to your beer and pizza party, and why.  (My pick: Mila Kunis given this recent story). Each reasonable comment will go into the draw. The draw will be done as usual with the assistance of neutral witnesses.
• The winner gets an assortment of ten pizzas from Gung Ho and 48 bottles of Vedett White from Duvel Moortgat to enjoy with his or her friends.
• The prize must be claimed within the first two weeks of August. If you live in the Gung Ho delivery area, you can either have your pizza and beer at the Gung Ho shop on Workers Stadium East or have it delivered to your apartment. If you live outside the delivery zone, you need to consume it at the shop. We need two days notice of when you and your friends want the beer and pizza.
• Feel free to enter the contest up to three times. Please put each entry as a separate comment as I will number the comments for the draw.
• The deadline is next Tuesday at 5 PM.

Whew, I think that is all, and it is a bit more detailed than usual, but I think this is a pretty good prize. Let the inviting begin…

Note: I receive no payment from Gung Ho or Duvel Moortgat for running this contest. I simply think it is fun. Also, there is still time to enter the draw for a signed Harlem Globetrotters basketball, courtesy of Union Bar & Grille. See here.

Gung Ho! Gourmet Pizza Factory is celebrating its first anniversary today with a buy one pizza, get one pizza voucher free deal a.k.a. as “buy one free with a rain check.” Hmmm. This might shape up to be a four-cheese pizza and Greek salad evening at Maison Boyce.

Also of note, it looks Gung Ho has nailed a second location. If all goes to plan, this will pretty much double the delivery area by the end of the year.

Given the impact that Jade Gray, John O’Loghlen, Rich Akers and their team have had on the pizza scene from their modest location beside Workers Stadium, it is hard to believe it was but a year ago that I blogged about the opening. I think it is safe to say we can expect much more to come.

Here are some of my key posts, in chronological order, about Gung Ho over the past year. (And anyone who claims it is unfair I write more about Gung Ho than other pizza joints, the reality is these guys share information, tackle criticisms and consider suggestions unlike any others.)

• Gung Ho Pizza: Gourmet pies to fly in Gongti next Thursday
• Gung Ho Pizza: Launch party done, Thursday opening to come
• Kro’s Nest vs Gung Ho: Kind of like comparing pepperonis and pineapples…
• Gung Ho Gourmet Pizza Factory: Ten points after ten pies
• George’s martinis and Gung Ho pizzas: Photos from last week’s tweet up
• Gung Ho 2.0: Bigger pizzas as of Sunday
• The formula for pie: Enter to win one of 10 Gung Ho pizza-salad combos
• Sips and bites: The wrap of Refresh, new Gung Ho pies, new Flamme deals
• Must tries: Jade Gray of Gung Ho Pizza
• Sips and bites: Gung Ho, Irish Volunteer, Nasca Cafe, Grinders
• The Cult of Gung Ho: From pizza flipping to brain washing?
• Pizza place names: It’s a ho down in Beijing
• Gung Ho: Two new pizzas plus three salads by Jun Trinh

Gung Ho has teamed up with Jun Trinh, host of Who Stole My Kitchen and formerly head of the kitchens at Vietnamese restaurants Banh Mi Now and Pho Pho, on a new summer menu available as of Thursday. The menu includes three salads created by Trinh: a Vietnamese chicken salad that includes pumpkin, sweet potato and “coconut lime vinaigrette”, a Thai beef salad with spinach, and a tropical salad that includes pineapple, smoked tofu, coconut and shredded walnut. Gung Ho is also adding a spicy grilled beef pizza and a spinach pesto chicken pizza to its menu.

Note: I wrote last month that Trinh was involved in revamping the menu at Bar Blu; he is no longer involved there. More on Bar Blu in a separate post.

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.

This is part fourteen in the Must Tries Series that asks people in the Beijing bar, restaurant, and wine business to give us their recommendations. This time up: Jade Gray of Gung Ho! Gourmet Pizza Factory.

Jady Gray (right) and partner John O'Loghlen

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What is the “must try” pizza at Gung Ho?

To me the pizza that best represents what Gung Ho Pizza is all about would be the Chicken/Camembert on Whole Wheat crust. Premium ingredients, innovative toppings, stellar taste. The kicker to this killer combination is the macerated black currents that we throw on top, giving it a savory/sour punch that totally works. Most people read it on the menu and are a little skeptical, but once I twist their arm to try it, they are sold for good and don’t want to try anything but. Definitely works best on the whole wheat crust, as do most of our flavors. We use an organic wholewheat flour sourced from Heilongjiang that brings something special to the palate. It’s no wonder our wholewheat outsells our white crust. (RMB65 for medium, RMB95 for large)

What is the “most try” non-pizza item at Gung Ho?

Difficult to say as we have a new menu coming out after Chinese New Year with a heap of fresh goodness. On the current menu I would have to say our Greek Salad. Obviously it’s a staple on any menu, but ask anyone who has tried it and they’ll swear it’s one of the best in Beijing. We don’t cut corners on any of our salad ingredients as illustrated by the liberal servings of imported kalamata olives and feta cheese that we source from Greece. The flat parsley that we use adds a whole new angle to this Mediterranean classic, and even though we are known for our gourmet pizza it’s the noise that we are making with our salads that has taken us by surprise. (RMB30 medium, RMB50 large)

What are three “must try” items at other venues in Beijing?

1. Switch! (798) Sichaun Cosmo… just be sure to ask the bartender to keep the spice down!

2. Any entrée at Sureno.

3. Lush’s Deluxe Burger: Totally hits the spot after a night on the town… but I guess owning the place makes me a little bias!

Jacket and tie needed for the martini deal at George's

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Attention Suit Up Day fans: George’s at Workers Stadium has two-for-one martinis for women every Wednesday. Men get the same deal–if they are wearing a tie and jacket. By the way, it’s good to see proprietor George Zhou has more time to spend behind the bar now that his place has settled in at Workers Stadium (try his Alfonso Special).

China View is turning into pizza central given the thin-crust pies from Gung Ho!, the wood-fired oven at Danger Doyle’s, and the superb value a few meters away at The Den (half-price from 5 PM to 10 PM daily), while Kro’s Nest Tube Station is nearby at the north gate of Workers Stadium. The delivery niche will heat up as Annie’s has thrown its chef’s hat into the ring and taken over the former Bella space beside Gung Ho! And don’t forget Buona at Workers Stadium West: they offer speedy deliver and good pepperoni pies.

Maxim’s in Solana has a lunch special from 11:30 AM to 2 PM, Monday to Friday, in its first-floor bistro. You get soup or salad, plus main course, dessert, and a soft drink or coffee for RMB88. I have only eaten at Maxim’s a few times but have enjoyed it. (Maxim’s will also have Christmas and New Year menus.)

Speaking of bistros, In Vito in Solana is closer to that niche and away from fine dining. The place is offering a more casual experience as well as good wine value given that all bottles under RMB1000 are two-for-one from 7 PM each night. This place also has a excellent Grappa selection, with 17 selections.

Paired with the longstanding Monday two-for-one burger deal at Blue Frog, the relatively new Tuesday two-for-one steak deal at Flamme gives Swire Sanlitun Village an early week one-two punch. Some good news: that steak deal will continue. And some bad news: the other Flamme deals will not. This includes the RMB50 all-you-can-drink Stella and Hoegaarden on Mondays, two-for-one lunch on Wednesdays, and RMB25 cocktails available only until the end of this month.

Back to good news: Flamme has replaced them with new deals, says manager Paul Mathew. Mondays now mean all-you-can drink draft and cocktails for RMB100 (and the drinks are above-average at this place) while Thursdays feature 250 grams of prime rib for RMB188. For other deals, see this flyer.

Finally, look for Flamme chef Jeffrey Powell to launch an extensive lunch menu. By extensive I mean more than two dozen items, including seven burger options: one of them, The Yeti, will pack a pound of Australian beef.

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Gung Ho! plans to offer seasonal pizzas to the dozen or so pies already on the menu. I attended a taste test on Wednesday night and tried some of the candidates, including ones topped with Beijing duck, with chuanr, and with potato, pumpkin, and spinach, as well as a special seasoning that will be given to customers. I’ll provide an update when I hear the final decisions on the pizzas. And for those wondering about that idea of testing some recipes suggested in this blog’s recent Formula for Pie contest, it’s still in the works.

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Saturday is the last day to take advantage of the RMB20 special at cafe Refresh! in the China View Building. That gets you a wrap, a sandwich, or a salad, plus a coffee or tea. I’ve tried about a dozen items so far and he is my, um, wrap.

Salads: The rocket in the organic salad was so fresh I skipped the dressing and ate my veggies naked. I wasn’t a fan of the dressing on the Caesar salad and don’t enjoy cold pasta so won’t be ordering the spiral pasta and pesto salad again, though the ingredients in both were good. The date salad, which includes feta cheese, pine nuts, and bacon, is a touch sweet and is an intriguing combination.

Wraps: I liked the Mexican wrap for its blend of salsa, chicken, and guacamole. I found the satay peanut sauce in the Thai and Indo wraps too strong, though I know other people who enjoyed them.

Sandwiches: I liked club (with chicken and bacon) and “mozzacado” (bacon, avocado, tomato, and mozzarella), found the Cajun chicken okay, and the Iberic a bit dry. The mango, prawn, red pepper, and pesto offers an interesting combination and texture.

Refresh offers booth and table seating, decent wireless, and friendly employees though they are loud at times and punching in orders seems to take a gazillion steps. You have the option of buying your food prepackaged or having it made on the spot–the latter can take much longer and such service ends at 8 PM.

The recipes for The Formula for Pie contest rank among the most creative submissions of any contest I have organized. Before I get to the draw winners, a heads up that the guys at Gung Ho want to organize a pizza-making party to try some of the more intriguing recipes. We’ll narrow the field to a handful of candidates, contact them by email, and–for those who are interested–organize an afternoon of pizza-making. I’ll report back here on the results.

Here are the ten winners in the draw for medium pizza-small salad combos from Gung Ho:

• Mark
• Mike
• darnoc
• JK
• earth2jo
• Barbara
• Angel
• Iain
• Colin
• DJ Owally

I’ll be emailing the winners with details on how to get their prizes.

Add cho doufu and serve.

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A true tale from the chronicles of Canadian cookery….

A guy walks into a pizza shop.

“Give me a large pizza,” he says. “Half pepperoni.”

The cook dots half the pie with meat, leaves half the pie plain, and the guy freaks out.

“Hey! I said half-pepperoni!”

Turns out the guy wanted each slice of pepperoni cut in half and spread over the pizza.

Maybe not everyone is that picky about their toppings but lots of people do have their peculiarities. So I’m running a contest with Gung Ho to see what people think would work on a pie, especially on a “Beijing” one. (I’m thinking a twist on the Hawaiian pizza, the ham replaced by a meaty combo of chicken, beef, pork, and lamb chuanr.)

Leave a comment with your recommended pizza toppings and you will be entered into a draw for one of ten combos of a medium pizza–that chicken, Camembert, and blackcurrant mix is interesting–and a small salad of your choice. The deadline is 2 PM on Monday. If you want your prize brought to you, you need to be in the Gung Ho delivery zone. Otherwise, you can pick up / eat it at the shop on Workers Stadium East.

Plan: To have a few drinks and finally watch the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. Reality: Had a lot of drinks and missed most of the ceremony again. Such is life and I did have some fun during last weekend’s Olympic Flashback that ended up involving Paddy O’Shea’s, China Doll, Fubar, George’s, and Gung Ho Gourmet Pizza Factory, and raised ~RMB4000 for the charity CAI. (A modest sum but OK given I organized the bulk of the event in 36 hours. If only I had come up with this idea a week earlier, it might have raised RMB4100.) I already posted about the Futathlon and here are five more photos from the weekend.

We started on Saturday night with mixed drinks at Paddy O’Shea’s, which sold the most beverages, under the watchful life of Major Tom.

We then moved to China Doll, which made a special banner for us. The rain meant we couldn’t use the sky deck but also meant more people in the lounge and on the dance floor.

On Sunday night, we started at at Fubar, which held the Futathlon and made Fu Wa cocktails.

Then headed over the George’s, which raised the most money as we sold the donated Gung Ho pizzas here, too, to drink martinis, watch the opening ceremonies, and eat some…

pie!

Thanks to Paddy O’Shea’s, China Doll, Fubar, George’s, and Gung Ho Gourmet Pizza Factory, the team at CAI (especially Will “The Wallet” Hsu), and the contestants in the Futathlon (Gordon, Maggie, Shane, Will, and Kirby). As for the opening ceremonies, I’m going to have to borrow a DVD player, plug in my TV, get a couple of beers, order a large pepperoni pizza, and watch it at home. Don’t tell me how it ends…

Soon with more hand-spiced pepperoni...

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While that superb two-for-one pizza deal at Gung Ho ends this Saturday, there is good news for those who have become fans of these pies but think they will be too expensive at regular prices: As of Sunday, Gung Ho will increase its pizza sizes, but keep the same regular prices.

The large will go from 12 inches to 14 inches, making it slightly more than a third bigger, says Gung Ho’s Rich Akers. And the medium will go from 9 inches to 11 inches, which by my calculations makes it about 50 percent bigger. These guys couldn’t have planned it better.

I’ve ordered a dozen pizzas since Gung Ho opened three weeks ago and this added value means more four-cheese pies will be coming my way. For the menu, see here.

(Because my brain is on slow today, I asked two wordsmiths sitting nearby–Andy B and K Square–to help with the title of this post. Their ideas included, “An extra two inches do matter”, “the Ho just got bigger”, and “Forget 7-ELEVEN, it’s nine to eleven”. It’s nice to have friends.)