Shantou Pizza Hut
Before I came to China, I was a Pizza Hut virgin. Between lactose intolerance and a fast food aversion, I gave the Hut a pass. But life in the Middle Kingdom can do funny things to girl. Several times I’ve sneaked off to McDonald’s, another place I’d avoided in America. So when a Friday night at the Shantou Pizza Hut was proposed, I couldn’t say no.
Two waitresses dressed in Halloween witch hats and matching capes greeted us at the door. The restaurant was packed. Unlike other restaurants in Shantou which focus on food, not décor, this place was destination dining. Comfy booths, mirrored walls, and a big salad bar were complimented by shining wood floors. Little kids sawed away at slices of pizza. Parents loaded their salad plates with scoops of corn and runny coleslaw.
The food tasted fine to my rusty American palate. We ate pan pizza with salmon, wasabi and crab with a “k,” pasta with asparagus and salmon, garlic bread and fried calamari. The chocolate cake was dry, but China is not a dessert-loving nation.
In a place that insists on food so fresh it wiggles, it’s ironic that Pizza Hut’s factory-cooked, frozen, and reheated dishes are so popular. But who am I to argue with success! I’m already planning my next visit. I think I’ll try the edge-crust pizza this time.