In case you missed it: WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai
Video: The Great Panda Escape
Pencil This In: November 9-13
More sex in China: PDA police and condom confusion
Caption This: Poster for joining the female fighter pilot force
Shanghaiist was taking a look at some of 2dog's photos when we noticed a picture of a strange confection that's been nicknamed the "Chinese pizza". Some of you have probably already seen stores and street vendors selling these things for about 3 yuan apiece. Apparently it's caught on big in Beijing and other big cities. The provenance of this "pizza" is supposedly from one of China's ethnic minorities, known as the Tujia (土家族) minority, who mostly hail from Hubei province. According to this article, in May of the last year the first Tujia pizza (土家烧饼/掉渣饼) franchise opened up in Hubei's provincial capital, Wuhan. In the next eight months franchises spread all over China -- costs of franchising vary from 3,000 yuan to 50,000 yuan, though this article claimed that you could open one up in Shanghai for a 30,000 franchising fee. We won't tell you much about the taste -- we haven't had one yet -- but evidently it's popular with people looking for a quick kebab type meal on the go, which means it might also be good for the post-shitfaced munchies, if they're open that late. It costs a mere .62 yuan to make one of these, and yet they are sold to the unsuspecting public at a huge markup -- 3 yuan!
How many can you sell a day? Some folks that set up shop in Beijing said that working from 8 am to 8 pm, they could easily break a a thousand. In the first article (from Shanghai), an interviewee claimed they could sell 2,000 on a good day, and even 700 on a rainy day. According to that article, Wujiang Lu has some of the better pies around town, and that fits in quite nicely with the whole spirit of Wujiang Lu as one of the anti-corporate quasi-hipster foodie meccas of Shanghai. This random person's blog claims that they fell in love with these delicacies around People's Square, so there's another lead for you. That said, we think that if you stumble out of a bar at 3 in the morning with an empty wallet and some loose change jangling in your pockets, you will manage to find one of these places, if it's the last thing you do (that night).
Photo from 2Dogs' Flickr Site.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
post to facebook
They make em tasty near the south-side taxi queue at Xinzhuang station (line 1). The line (yes, line) is huge during most daylight hours and they sell for 2kuai!
Its only 2 kwai, and its very salty (image).
I don't buy into that "tradional fare" concept that this company is kickin ass.....I gotta say, these places are springing up every possible place. Just look in the sidewalks for their greasy signature paper bags. Always a sign you are close.
As for the grub, pretty decent, but these little pizza thingys do vary in taste, texture and greasiness - pending location.
All being said and done, I was completely sober during all tasings over the past few weeks!!!
When eating these things...AVOID the to greasy ones. You should also go for the ones straight from the oven.
Monkey King, nice research!
The make good ones on Xiangyang Lu, near the corner of nanchang Lu, right outside the market. Only 2 kuai. Also, it right next to a great Xinjiang rest. that has 3 and 5 kuai beef sandwiches and wrap. Great stuff. Enjoy.
Very good ones on that wonderful street behind East China Normal University. (There's a wide assortment of snacks represented on that street.) I kept them in a bag in the microwave (like a breadbox) and then used my electric toaster oven to re-heat the next day. MMmm. Good with hummus.
I agree it's salty, in fact too salty (and greasy) for my liking. Wonder why everyone's so into them ack.
I prefer the typical Xinjiang flatbreads ("nan"?). A little olive oil on the crust and some tomato paste on the deck, add cheese and toppings and you can bake a nice little pizza! I love my toaster oven - Keson - got it at Carrefour for 180 yuan and use it all the time. Haven't tried its rotisserie function yet.
If the Chinese invented pizza, do you serve Tujia with Chianti or Tsing Tao?
Yes! This solves my problem. Thank you, thank you very much! My classmates and I have been arguing about where pizza was invented. This article proves it all! My friend said Italy, I said China. I was right! I can't wait until I tell him tomorrow! Won't he be surprised!!
Sold on the streets of Yantai, Shandong Province - PRC. Delicious and at 3 Kuai each fantastic (I usually by 4)
me and my girlfriend were arguing about where pizza was invented and apparently I was right. YES. In her face.
how does this prove pizza is from china? the chinese want to think they get credit for everything.............how does a green onion pancake become pizza?
Looks like Uyghur bread with toppings. China only invented pollution and bad behavior.