Where to Get Your Pizza On, Chinese Style

The majority of Chinese still believe pizza was born when Marco Polo missed scallion pancakes so much he demanded local Itailan chefs remake this dish for him upon his return. While this is simply not true, there exists quite a few examples of round flat breads within the Chinese cuisine. Where you can find them in Los Angeles?

Cong Yo Bing (scallion pancakes):
This is one of the most prevalent and versatile flat breads found in Chinese restaurants catered to carb lovers. Mixed with plentiful green scallions, CYB should be lightly crisped and reveal multiple layers, like a good pastry, bite after bite. Earthen does a fantastic version that requires no dipping nor topping. 18303 Colima Rd, Rowland Heights

Pizza Bread, bread pizza:
“Big pie” (??) is the Chinese equivalent to the French baguette for Northerners. A slice of this thick pizza would be purchased fresh in the morning, and consumed as lunch. It is the simplest of flatbreads, and goes with everything. While it has fallen out of favor with LA’s more sophisticated palates, the scallion flavored “big pie” topped with sesame seeds remains China Islamic’s best selling bread. 7727 Garvey Ave, Rosemead

Stuffed pie:
Jing Dong Meat Pie (????) is a classic Beijing pasta snack that is sold along indescript sidewalk shacks. At Northern Chinese, the minced beef stuffed pizza is hearty, eaten with hands, and large enough to serve as a meal by itself. 8450 Valley Blvd Ste 108, Rosemead

Stuffed pie for really hungry people:
Omar's Xinjiang Halal's $13 monstrocity takes a while to exit the kitchen. It’s also large enough to be shared as appetizers for four. Here, the pizza edge is twisted like a fruit pie, and the interior is stuffed with cumin spiced ground lamb. While it may seem akin to Chicago deep-dish pizza, it tastes nothing alike. 1718 New Ave, San Gabriel

Fusiony pizza:
Baccali Cafe is known for its Chinese flavor rotisserie chicken, but like all good Hong Kong-style cafes, there is an extensive list of pasta dishes. Among the noodle items are a section of supposedly Italian pizzas. Want seafood pizza with bottomless Hong Kong milk tea at 1:30AM? Baccali is the place. 245 W Valley Blvd, Alhambra

Odd toppings:
Savoy Kitchen carries a potato flour based pizza that is topped with sliced Chinese smoked duck, an overwhelming amount of cheese, and red onions. There are photos of this oddity in the wild, but the majority of diners still order the Hainan chicken. 138 E Valley Blvd, Alhambra

Dessert pizza:
While the pizza at Tasty Garden is more to the tune of a very crispy crepe, the menu proudly claims it as pizza (Peanut Butter Coconut Pizza). This is a thin pie, not at all bready, and oozes warmed peanut power and sugar. Best part? It’s not listed under the Tasty Garden’s dessert menu, which means one should order it first, before the entree comes. 500 N Atlantic Blvd, Monterey Park