The Rug’s Guilt-Free Light Pizzas Power it Into the Pizza Cup Sweet 16
To get you in the mood for the ongoing voting in the 2014 Pizza Cup (pick your choice in the Sweet 16 here), we've sent our minions out to patrol the streets for pizza. Here's a selection of what they've found:
Who says pizza has to be a guilty pleasure? While plenty of Beijing eateries slice up hearty, greasy pies, The Rug provides a uniquely light alternative.
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The Santliun restaurant, known for its eclectic menu and its adherence to organic sourcing, serves pizzas that rank right up there. Their fragrant Shrimp Scampi pizza hits your like nostrils like a wave of ocean spray from the moment it is placed on the table. Its gooey but thin layering of cheese seems minimalist compared to that of other Beijing pizzas, but that restraint works surprisingly well on this pie, accentuating the shrimp’s tastiness.
One can’t help but wonder if some added spices could have made these subdued seafood elements pop a bit more, and the pie’s lack of sauce may also irk traditionalists. But again, spreading a layer of crushed tomatoes might have drowned the shrimp’s flavour. The crust is crisp and slender, complimenting the other light elements of this pie.
Those looking for heartier fare may want to instead dig into The Rug’s spicy special Rome (RMB 108) or its Xinjiang-style Cumin Lamb (RMB 138) pies. But even these options are lighter than what’s being tossed at most Beijing pizzerias, making the The Rug stand out as a special source for fresh, healthy, uniquely topped pies.
Speaking of complimentary components, a perfectly apt beverage for this fresh seafood topped pizza is The Rug’s Sea Salt Coffee (RMB 40). Its caffeine content is likely through the roof, but this uniquely mouth-watering coffee features organic beans and is somehow simultaneously rich and tart.
That exact same offbeat flavor combination can be found in The Rug’s home-made creamy Cream Cheese Seasonal Wild Berries Dessert Pizza (costing a pretty reasonable RMB 62, considering its four slices are enough for 2-3 diners). Its crust is flaky and coated in a sweet mascarpone cream with zest, along with heaps of homemade berry sauce and chunks of seasonal berries (the strawberries being the best).
Like The Rug’s main course pizzas, this pie also has a thin, crunchy crust, but this particular crust is flakier than the others, making the desert pizza seem like an open faced pastry.
The shrimp pie’s fairly steep RMB 148 price, and its nearly 20 minute wait time, will likely put off those looking for a quick casual bite to eat. But those looking for a classy night out will be more than satisfied.
These elegant yet subtle menu items juxtapose well with the restaurant’s chic decor, which features glowing dimmed lighting and plenty of nooks and crannies for couples to nestle into.
The Rug
Daily 10.30am-10.30pm. Courtyard 4 (next to Kro’s Nest), 4 Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District (800m west of Line 10's Tuanjiehu station) (6507 2342)
朝阳区4工体北路4号院
Photos: Kyle Mullin
