Pizza Bianca: A New Class of Restaurant in Tianjin

If all the economic predictions are true, and Tianjin’s development soon reaches the likes of Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing, then Pizza Bianca is likely the first wave of small but high end eateries to hit Tianjin. In the West, some of the most ambitious and revolutionary trends to define the culinary arts in the past few decades have come out of smaller eating “boutiques”, where the chef has the freedom to fully execute his vision without compromise. Though smaller in size and often sporting minimal menus, this breed of restaurants should not be mistaken for family affairs. At the helm of each such boutique-style restaurant stands a chef focused of bringing his creative and new point of view to fruition.

A Simple Elegance

Until this point, the majority of fine dining in Tianjin has been restricted to 5 star hotels. Pizza Bianca is a modern establishment bedecked in cool steel, blond wood and exposed brick. Patrons from the West will immediately feel at home in the familiar environment. As is the current trend, the menu is a single page with the drink list on the opposite side. Though relatively high-end for Tianjin, Pizza Bianca’s brand of class comes from the simple omission of unnecessary ingredients and decorations. As a result, the restaurant is able to remain relatively affordable for Western food in Tianjin. Together, the chef and owner of Bianca have lived in Shanghai, Sydney and Beijing. This international exposure has inspired the chef to create a California inspired brand of Italian food that has now become standard in the US and Britain.

The chef uses a limited number of ingredients per dish, to emphasise the individual beauty and quality of each ingredient. As a native of San Francisco I was extremely pleased with the simple and clean flavours exhibited in the salads and pizza. I began my meal with a glass of 2010 Bilyara Shiraz from Australia. The wine list is still under construction, but at 36 RMB per glass, the house red pleases the mouth and pocketbook.

On the Menu

The menu mostly focuses on light, modern Italian fare. The Arugula Salad (35 RMB) was perfectly flavoured with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and pine nuts. The natural spiciness of the arugula matches nicely with the sweet flavour of balsamic vinegar. The Caesar Salad (35 RMB) was too heavy on dressing for me, but the homemade croutons cut the sauce somewhat. The Homemade Meatballs (49 RMB) were a special favourite of my dining companion. A combination of beef, pruschetta and fennel, gave the meat a fragrant flavour without overwhelming the simple tomatoe sauce. We finished our meal with a customer favourite, the Bianca Smoked Turkey Pizza (59 RMB). This pizza uses a base of pesto (instead of tomato sauce) and a cured turkey meat. The saltiness of the pizza is tempered by the arugula on top, which elevates the whole flavour of the pizza.

I would highly recommend Pizza Bianca for foreigners and native Tianjiners alike. Though having just opened recently, the restaurant is already comfortably full. Pizza Bianca’s strength lies in its simplicity and high quality ingredients. It certainly presents an interesting challenge to the Tianjin dining field which desperately needs to be shaken up a bit.

The Verdict:

Service quality: very good

Food quality: excellent

Price per head (RMB): 100-200

Environment: excellent

This article is brought to you by Best Food in China (www.bestfoodinchina.net). Best Food in China is the first and leading English-medium website featuring reviews on food, cuisine and restaurants in China.
 

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