Luga's Aims at Value with Its Neapolitan Pizzas
In the run-up to the Beijinger's 2015 Pizza Cup Launch Party October 17-18, we are profiling some of the best pies in Beijing so that you, our faithful readers, can try as many as possible before we ask you to make your choice for the best. Today we tell you about the pizzas at Luga's, one of the 20 vendors that will be selling their wares at our two-day pizza festival this weekend at Galaxy Soho. Location manager Jay Liu gives us the lowdown on Luga's pies.
How long have you plied the trade?
Five years.
What's your pizza philosophy?
We offer great quality pizza for a decent price, so that everyone can enjoy them. For us, quality is most important and we continuously push the boundaries to ensure a healthy and delicious experience when making our pizzas.
In a market crowded with over 100 different pizza shops, what do you do to stand out?
The price-quality ratio. We think that it is extremely important, so that everyone can enjoy great quality for a price that is affordable to them. Also, we offer a great variety of pizzas, and therefore have something for everyone and every taste.
What would you say your style is?
Neapolitan. It's an extremely famous type of cuisine. Neapolitan pizzas are handmade, thin in the center and thicker around the outer parts. Also, the ingredients need to be fresh and spread as fast as possible on each pizza as they are being cooked. After that, it's important that we rotate the pizzas a few times to makes sure that it is perfectly cooked on every side.
Thick vs. Thin: What's your take?
Definitely thin. Our pizzas are thin, crispy and packed with only the best ingredients.
What's the secret to your sauce?
We use only fresh tomatoes, and take our time to ensure the quality of the sauce is perfect. Combining fresh tomatoes with the best spices available, we are sure that our sauce is always fresh, delicious and full of flavor.
What kind(s) of cheese do you use and why?
We use imported mozzarella to ensure that we meet our quality standards.
Tell us about your standard pizza.
Name: Margherita
Thick or thin crust? Thin crust.
Type of sauce? Our very own handmade tomato sauce.
Type(s) of cheese? Imported mozzarella.
What other things make it special? We take a very classic approach to our margherita. Only the best and freshest ingredients are good enough – fresh tomato sauce, fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil for a perfect taste and a healthy pizza.
How many sizes does it come in? Only one size: 14 inches for only RMB 58.
Tell us about your most creative pizza.
Name: Bistecca
Thick or thin crust? Thin crust
Type of sauce: Our very own handmade tomato sauce.
Type(s) of cheese: Imported mozzarella
What other things make it special? It’s packed with onions, green and red pepper and – most importantly – imported beef steak. That makes it outstanding both for its taste as well as its price.
How many sizes does it come in? Only one size – 14 inches for RMB 88.
Come sample slices from Luga's and 20 other pizza makers at our two-day pizza festival October 17-18 at Galaxy Soho.
Images: Luga's