Pig Ear, Hot Pot and Durian: Zany Pizza Combos at Dongzhimen's WhaleWell

To get you in the mood for the ongoing voting in the 2014 Pizza Cup, (see our roundup of pizza meal deals here) we've sent our minions out to patrol the streets for pizza. Here's a selection of what they've found:

Fancy a Pig Ear pizza? How about Hot Pot Pizza? WhaleWell, a new pizzeria hidden in the Seasons Park apartment complex in Dongzhimen, has got you covered.

East and West collide on your crust at WhaleWell, whose pizzas features ingredients that wouldn't be out of place at a Chinese restaurant: Pig Ear, Xinjiang Lamb, and even Cantonese Sausage.

While they do have the classics such as Margarita and Hawaiian on their menu, its their oddities that make this place worth checking out, if only for the novelty. Try a Spinach and Egg or Kidney Bean pizza, or the more adventurous might want to scare the neighboring diners away by ordering up a super-stinky Durian Pizza or go for broke with Whale Well's deep indigo-colored Blueberry-and-Purple Potato combo.

Cofounder Zheng Jialiang a fresh-faced 23-year-old, co-founded the restaurant four months ago immediately after finishing his law degree. "I didn't want to work at a practice – I wanted to start my own business."

Now that he's passed the bar, is his pizzeria up to par? The jury's still out. Exhibit A: The Urumqi Grilled Lamb Pizza fares well – its chunks of spicy chuan'r top a crust made to mimic the chewy crunch of Xinjiang naan bread makes for a great combo. Not so much on Exhibit B: the Spinach and Egg pie skimps on the cheese (at least for those of us who prefer overflowing heaps of gooey goodness), but may find an audience among Chinese consumers a little afraid of too much nailao.

Overall, health-conscious customers may be pleased by The WhaleWell's overall lean crusts and moderate amounts of cheese, although those of us looking for an artery-clogging pleasure may leave craving a bit more.

Zheng's pies are reasonably priced (most 9-inch pizzas cost between RMB 39 and 60, while 12-inch mostly pizzas fall into the range of RMB 49-78). They're very amenable to splitting pies into two-way or four-way combos, which means its low risk for you if you want to try four different unusual flavors on one pie.

Some customers may gripe about the WheelWell's hard-to-find location (unless of course you live at Seasons Park). But being off-the-beaten path suits Zheng's offbeat approach – from the Chinese ingredients, to the zany beverages (like the fiery Brown Sugar and Ginger tea), to the Middle Kingdom decor (complete with plush purple seats, red lantern lighting and a scenic wall painting that wouldn't be out of place at the Silk Market).

This is not your mama and papa's pizzeria, nor is it an oasis for homesick foreigners looking for authentic slices of stuff they'd find back home. And sure, some of the ingredients may be a bit tough for some laowai to swallow (the Boned Pork Ribs pizza being a literal example), but adventurous foodies looking for a wholly unique experience will delight in the menu's creative Chinese influence. It's the most innovative mix of Sino and Italian fare since Marco Polo embarked across the Middle Kingdom.

As luck would have it, Whale Well is currently offering a special discount via Dianping.com (Chinese language only) – for RMB 198 you get a set dinner for four, which includes one 12-inch pizza, two pasta selections, two salads, three sides (such as chicken wings, egg tarts or garlic bread) and two pitchers of juice. Not a bad deal, saves you 44 percent off regular menu prices, and runs through November 23.

Oh and a final note: Zheng let us know that he's soon to change the name of his establishment from WhaleWell to King's Pizza, which we really hope doesn't happen, as it's offbeat name and logo much better fits the establishment's style than the generic and stereotypical King.

The WhaleWell Pizza (小鲸的匹萨)
Daily 10am-10pm. Seasons Park Clubhouse, First Floor (8453 2600, 8405 9342)
东直门外大街春秀路海晟名苑会所首层 (近北京市第一幼儿园，五十五中学)

Photos: Kyle Mullin; Dianping.com; and Courtesy of WhaleWell