A Pleasant Surprise: Charlie's Italian Café in Shuangjing
At first glance, Charlie's could be dismissed as yet another dingy dive posing as a "Western restaurant" – which was precisely why I avoided trying out this new spot out for weeks after its opening, even though this place is just up the street from my house in Shuangjing.
Maybe it was the typo-laden flier (proclaiming its offerings as "Italano E Cafee") and mawkish sign. Or it could have been my less-than-stellar impression of other nearby "Western" joints like the puzzling POP Deli (with its random Snapple selection and distinctly disgusting "apple pies") or the pizzeria pretensions of Our Generation in Pingod. Perhaps it was simply that I could easily satisfy my pizza and pasta cravings with Annie's or Gung Ho delivery. Surely this was just another shanzhai attempt to cash in on the success of its perennially popular neighbors Lily's, Grinders and The Brick?
But there is more to this diminutive-looking dive than meets the eye. Despite my misgivings, I noticed that business, though a bit slow, was steady. And each time I caught sight of one of their pies – served to diners on their only sidewalk table – the toppings and portions actually looked enticing (better, in fact, than the stock photos on their flier).
I finally got around to trying Charlie's for myself on a quiet Saturday afternoon over the holiday. The results were a pleasant surprise. Charlie's pizza margherita (small RMB 30, large RMB 40) is not the best in town, but it is entirely decent. The thin crust was well-baked, the tomato sauce not-too-sweet and the mozzarella melted in that just-right consistency.
The mixed house salad (RMB 20) came in a generously sized bowl and was a simple but pleasant mix of fresh seasonal greens, olive oil and red wine vinegar that nicely drizzled over (as opposed to drenching) the leaves.
My companion had a Salutare panini (eggplants, zucchini, mushrooms, mozzarella and oregano, RMB 26), which was a bit of a miss; the ciabatta came out adequately crispy but the fillings were too oily, as if they'd been stir-fried in a wok first.
I polished things off with a cappuccino (served the Spanish way with cold whipped cream). It was nothing notable but not too watery either – always a plus in this town.
In addition to the 18 varieties of pizza, Charlie’s also serves a decent range of other staples – ranging from prosciutto crudo e melone (RMB 35) and calamari fritti (RMB 30) to minestrone (RMB 18), lasagna alla bolognese (RMB 48) and the usual pasta dishes (RMB 28-38). Judging from my first meal, I'll be back to try out more of their offerings.
Charlie's Italian Café 查理意大利餐馆
Daily 10am-11pm. 4-404 Tianzhijiaozi Complex (on the east side), Shuangjing, Chaoyang District (6776 8787, 136 7112 4197) 朝阳区双井天之骄子底商4-04
Photos: Jerry Chan
