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From Shenzhen Daily: NYPD Pizza: Keeping up with the Papa John’s Pizza
Ranajit Dam
PIZZA lovers rejoice: After Papa John's stormed into Shenzhen in November 2005, raising the bar in a city that could barely see beyond Pizza Hut, and exposing the smaller operators for the the pretenders that they really are, another quality pizza maker has sprouted in city to intensify the competition even further.
The restaurant in question is NYPD Pizza, the letters standing for New York Pizza Delivery, according to owner Thompson Lee. The letters also stand for the far more famous New York City Police Department, and Lee says he chose the name for the instant recognition it provides: "Foreigners here know about the NYPD, and Chinese people watch the TV show 'NYPD Blue,' so they recognize the name as well."
And it's not just the name: NYPD Pizza has gone to some lengths to draw the connections to possibly the most famous municipal police force in the world, with the delivery boys dressed in policemen's blue, and the restaurant logo similar to the officers' badge. No handcuffs just yet, but Lee believes reasons NYPD's pizzas are poised to, er, "arrest" Shenzhen's palate.
One of the reasons why is the sheer size of the pizzas. In a country where big, bigger and biggest are celebrated -- the world's biggest shopping mall is in neighboring Dongguan, for example, at a mindboggling 892,000 square meters -- any restaurant that claims to provide the "biggest pizzas in China" is certainly worth a visit, or at least a telephone order. At NYPD, the largest pizzas measure 16 inches (108 yuan, US$14.25) in diameter, two more inches than the best Papa John's can do.
The San Francisco-born Lee, who has several years of experience running Papa John's outlets in Florida, has learnt much from his time there. In the U.S., Papa John's is known for its delivery and carry-out operations, with few seats, if any, at its outlets. NYPD Pizza's first and only outlet, located deep inside south Futian, is behind a nondescript building on Fuqiang Road and next to two car repair shops. The dining area is very spartan, and the pizza, if you choose to eat it there, is served on cardboard. Not the ideal place for a romantic evening out, but then, as Lee is quick to point out, eat-in is not NYPD Pizza's focus either.
The other reason why NYPD Pizza is located where it is, is the relative lack of competition in the area. The nearest pizza parlor is a Pizza Hut up north on Fumin Road, and given that the area is full of Hong Kong residents and foreign teachers, the location of NYPD Pizza makes pretty good business sense.
A taste comparison would put Papa John's ahead, but not by a great deal; in any case both are significantly better than what Pizza Hut provides. NYPD Pizza prides itself on its pizza sauce, which is made from fresh tomatoes shipped from Modesto California, and is certainly worth dipping into with the crust, as is its barbecue sauce. The pizza crust is crisp and fluffy, and stays that way, right till the end. The toppings, comprising thick cheese with generous amounts of meat, include the staples: Hawaiian and Margharita, and also interesting ones like Curry Chicken. Non-pizza items include pasta (22 yuan) and rice dishes (22 yuan).
For those not especially conversant in Chinese, Lee answers the phone personally in English, a tactic he says is great at building bonds between the pizza place and pizza lovers around Shenzhen. If he is to be believed, pizza aficionados from as far as Shekou are flocking to NYPD. With competition getting stiffer, Shenzhen's pizza scene can only go onward and upward, which is great news for all of us.
Peter
