Pizza pizzaz

Shanghai

Among Shanghai's many pizza joints is one that stands out. Wang Hongyi tells you where to go.

Pizza lovers are spoiled for choice in this city. They have a cornucopia of styles, and recommendations by food bloggers to choose from.

But it's the real connoisseurs who know exactly what makes a good pizza - properly melted cheese, a flavorful sauce, fresh toppings, and of course, a quality crust.

They may have found it all at Pizza Marzano, operated by international franchise PizzaExpress.

Marzano's story goes right back to 1968 when the founder of Pizza Express, Peter Boizot, traveled to northern Italy and experienced his first authentic Italian pizza.

On his return to London, Boizot started searching for a pizza to match that standard - and failed. He had found his niche. Boizot invested in an oven from Italy, got an exclusive deal with London's only mozzarella maker, Margaret Zampi, and took over her ailing pizza shop.

When Londoners tasted his pizza, they started queuing for a taste and a second restaurant had to be opened to meet the demand.

The PizzaExpress chain now serves customers in more than 100 countries with 300 restaurants worldwide.

In China, Pizza Marzano started with one shop at Xintiandi. A second outlet at Shanghai Center followed, suitably embellished with imported furniture and exquisite artwork.

"Although the pizzeria is traditionally a casual dining experience, Pizza Marzano's stylish decor suits all occasions, from a quick business lunch to dinner with friends or a romantic evening date.

"We are also very popular with children, who love our freshly baked pizzas", says William Bray, its operations manager.

Pizza Marzano's full menu boasts 30 varieties of crisp, hand-tossed pizzas cooked to order, with a choice of Neopolitan (thick) or Roman (thin) crusts.

One of the most popular is the Peking Duck pizza - topped with crisp-skinned roast duck and sweet sauce.

At Marzano, the winner is definitely the tomato sauce made from San Marzano tomatoes from Italy and used exclusively at all Pizza Marzano restaurants.

The pizzeria also serves up home-made pasta, a selection of fresh salads and Italian desserts.

There is a large wine selection from over 30 international vineyards and Pizza Marzano has a unique wine philosophy.

All listed wines are sold with only 150 yuan ($22) added to the cost price.

That's so customers can happily enjoy good wines with their pizzas and pasta.

With such an enticing business practice, it is little wonder Pizza Marzano has ambitious plans to open five more restaurants in Shanghai over the next few years.

Expect to spend an average of 120-140 yuan per person.