Hutong Favorite Mao Mao Chong Makes Pizzas Fit for Strong Cocktails

In this Pizza Profile we talk to Eric Liu, manager of Mao Mao Chong, a longtime favorite among Dongcheng dwellers looking for a strong, well-crafted cocktail.

How long have you plied the trade?
Our bar has sold pizzas since 2009. Our former owner, Stephanie Rocard, started serving them but she’s back in Melbourne now. However, we continue to make them the same way.

What's your style/pizza philosophy?
The pizza is Italian style, very crispy. Our pizzas are 11 inches, and we also have a eight-inch desert pizza called the Sneaky Pizza. It has rum and raisin ice-cream on top and some fresh fruit, and it goes particularly well with cocktails. 

In a market crowded with over 100 different pizza shops, what do you do to stand out?
Pizza Express is good, even though it is a chain. I think they make a fantastic Milano with mushroom and cream sauce. In my bar, we make spicy pizzas but not using jalapeños as they are sour. We use dry chili powder, making the powder ourselves with a machine that breaks down the chilies. Nowadays most chili power is mixed with other products and chemicals, so our way is natural and superior. It makes our pizzas spicy but also refreshing.  

Thick vs. Thin: What's your take?
Thin. There are so many American style pizza restaurants in Beijing – we have a lot of Papa John’s [laughs]. I’m not saying American style is no good, but the crust is much thicker. In my cocktail bar, pizza serves as a snack, so we don’t want it to be too heavy. 

We’re also sure to make it thin, but not hard. Many pizza places think the thinner the better, and then are left with a hard base. We want the base to be crispy but still chewy, so we use fantastic flour from Hong Kong to help with that. It costs twice the amount compared to typical flour in Beijing. 

What's the secret to your sauce?
We use basil sauce on some pizzas, and original tomato sauce on others. We also make a pizza called Guys and Dolls that has garlic sauce, no cheese or tomato sauce, ad is topped with bacon, chili powder, and garlic.

What kind(s) of cheese do you use and why?
We use mozzarella on most of our pizzas. But our Pizza for Friends pie also has feta cheese – it’s really more of a Mediterranean style.

Will you have any pizza discounts?  
No, but on Tuesdays all of our pizzas are only RMB 40.

Tell us about your standard pizza.
Name: Margherita.
Thick or thin crust? Thin. 
Type of sauce? Tomato. 
Type(s) of cheese? Mozzarella. 
What other things make it special? It also has fresh basil leaves. 
What sizes does it come in? RMB 50 for an 11-inch, priced RMB 40 on Tuesdays. 

Tell us about your most unique pizza
Name: Pizza for Friends vegetarian pizza.
Thick or thin crust? Thin.
Type of sauce? No sauce, the pumpkin and olive oil make the base. 
Type(s) of cheese? Feta and mozzarella cheese.
Additional toppings? Pumpkin, and pine seeds. The pine seeds are very healthy and give the pizza an elegant flavor.
What sizes does it come in? RMB 70 for an 11-inch, priced RMB 40 on Tuesdays. 

Tell us about your most unique pizza
Name: Tai Ji.
Thick or thin crust? Thin.
Type of sauce? Tomato sauce. 
Type(s) of cheese? Mozzarella. 
Additional toppings? Roast chicken and pepperoni.
What sizes does it come in? RMB 70 for an 11-inch, priced RMB 40 on Tuesdays.

Hungry for more? Compare and contrast some of Beijing's best pizzas in our Pizza Profiles series.

Photos: Kyle Mullin