Given school had a half day as it broke up for the summer holiday, The Nanjinger chose to celebrate with a lunch at the recently-opened Focaccia Pizza Bar.
Americans call it a semi. Us an articulated truck. Whether real or not, it does make for a unique place in which to put a restaurant or two. Or to be more precise, a take-out stand or two. And Focaccia Pizza Bar finds itself in the back of the truck.
Before arriving, we had a read a little online as to the establishment’s credentials; it being opened by a charming Italian lady, with a little help from her husband, a former chef with Fairmont Nanjing, and a helper or two.
The Nanjinger wasted no time in ordering up two focaccia pizza “baskets”; salami-tomato, of course, and herbs-sausage-tomato-mozzarella (both ¥24), plus a grilled chicken sandwich (¥42), a Thai soda water (¥12) and a large mojito (¥36), for which they grow their own mint in flower boxes outside.
Also available, wine by the bottle (including Prosecco; we’re in Italy, after all), gin & tonic and Heineken. Back with the solids, there are also salad, pasta of the day and various snacks (cheese fries, chicken nuggets, etc.) from which to choose.
With everything we ordered, the heritage behind the tastes coming out of this little take-out stand shone through in a way that transported us out of China. Read on for more on that.
We also sampled a burger from “Hey Burger”, right behind the cab of the semi. The least said about that the better, other than it took 40 minutes to arrive. No more, thanks, guys.
Focaccia Pizza Bar is found at the end of the 800-metre long Yinxingli Cultural Street on the western side of Nanjing’s Olympic Centre, off Leshan Lu. Comprising restaurants, cafés, bars (the whisky bar in Tribeca being the most beautiful this correspondent has ever seen) and various pop-up attractions, such as a mini skate park, many might have dinner here before attending a big show in the adjacent Jiangsu Grand Theatre, while others plump for a post-performance cocktail or two.
As we open-air dined, an Italian family arrived, and it was quickly apparent they were frequent patrons to Focaccia Pizza Bar. Soon the sun-kissed air was filled with that stereotypical Italian banter. And for a few minutes, but just a few, we were in Italy. And it was all so very, very perfect.
Focaccia Pizza Bar is a 10-minute walk from exit 6 of Olympic Stadium station on Metro Line 10.
