Just in Time Pizza Serves Stranded Pizza Lovers in Fengtai
In the lead up to our September 16-17 Pizza Fest in Wangjing Soho, The Deep Dish will be previewing a few of the restaurants that you can expect to see slinging their thick, gooey, and tomatoey slabs of doughy goodness. Now that you're hot and dribbling, let's go!
In a faraway land, not long ago, I visited a pizza place.
That land may not be far away for all, but for the vast majority of Beijingers looking for a quick pizza fix in Beijing, Just in Time Pizza, out near Jiaomen East in the south of the city, certainly will be.
Just in Time (Jushi) Pizza in Fengtai District
While far from the epicenter of pizza-slingers in the foreigner-favored eastern side of the city, Just in Time's two Fengtai District locations provide a haven for those looking for a locally owned option (i.e. not Pizza Hut) in the deep south of Beijing. Although Just in Time is locally owned, we wouldn’t go as far to call it a mom-and-pop shop – owner Mu Xiliang says that upon opening the restaurant, his own mom and pop literally did not know what pizza was.
Yes, it seems an intensely Chinese locale, and Mu says the customers are primarily locals and that most of his business is delivery and takeaway. (They also have a Chaoyang location at Pingleyuan, east of Jinsong on Line 10.) Despite this, stepping into the dining room, I felt transported back to the small-town pizzerias of the United States, probably at least in part due to one wall being covered in a collage of Harley Davidson logos and photographs (“Because I like Harley Davidson,” Mu says with a shrug), and tables stocked with parmesan cheese, bottles of Tabasco (major points for that), and canisters of wet wipes (double major points).
Owner Mu Xiliang
In keeping with that “average” theme, we forewent the durian pizza (probably Just in Time’s most novel variation), and instead opted for a classic pesto (RMB 57). It, too, reminded me of home: fresh pesto, sliced cherry tomatoes, and a sprinkling of pine nuts gave an elevated freshness to the otherwise heavy and thick crust dusted with cheese.
The pesto pizza
The menu has 20 pizzas with varying combinations of toppings ranging from RMB 39 to RMB 147, including a couple of those oh-so-Chinese fruit pizzas, which Mu assures us are quite popular with the ladies. There are also 18 snacks and appetizers, most of them deep-fried, including wings, fries, sausages, and "durian cheese baked potato mud," from RMB 9 to RMB 42. Dessert offerings include cookies, cakes, and puddings (RMB 9 to RMB 21), and for the health-conscious consumer, there are salads (RMB 17) and fresh juices and drinks (RMB 5-16), but to be fair, this really probably isn't your scene.
The durian pudding is the most tolerable iteration of the fruit I've ever tasted
Although we skipped the pizza rendition, we would recommend the durian pudding (which will reportedly be available at the fast-approaching Pizza Fest), which features a consistency closer to that of custard or flan, and comes topped with a pureed layer of the divisive and pungent fruit. Mu makes the dessert himself in-house, and serves them in cute little glass jars. It’s sweet and light despite its rich and creamy texture – the perfect pairing for the satisfyingly hearty, yet not overbearing pesto pie.
Without any wild gimmicks or experimental toppings, Just in Time Pizza seems to live up to its name in that it serves as a savior in desperate times for anyone living beyond otherwise waimai-able range of other, more higher renowned, establishments.
Don't bash it till you try it; Look out for Just in Time and their durian treats at our Pizza Fest on September 16-17 at Wangjing Soho.
Photos courtesy of Just in Time Pizza
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