Friday, June 5, 2009

Variety Friday: Domino's Millefeuille Pizza

Japan is well-known for its weird pizzas. I've been here long enough that most of them don't even catch my eye anymore. Tuna and corn has become as normal to me as pepperoni and onion. Even artful lattices of mayonnaise squeezed across the top of a pizza elicits a yawn from me after all of this time.

Recently, I got a menu from Domino's in my mailbox which contained a pizza that made (even) me take pause. This one went above and beyond the normal weirdness into a whole new realm of culinary adventure. Domino's has stepped through the pizza looking glass and they've come up with this:

Click this image for a somewhat bigger one on which it is easier to see details.

The basic concept behind this pizza is that it imitates a millefueille pastry by layering thin crusts. The diagram you see on the right under the actual pizza describes the layering as follows:

bottom: Italian crispy crust
2nd layer: baloney sausage and mozzarella "mix cheese"
3rd layer: Italian crust with Camembert pepper cheese
4th layer first half: roast chicken, apple slices, almond slices, tomato sauce
4th layer second half: baloney sausage, grilled eggplant, grilled zucchini, red pepper, tomato sauce

If all of this is just a little too adventurous for you, you can order a pizza with only one side of the toppings. The apple version is called a Normandy Millefeuille and the eggplant and zucchini side is called a Bologna Millefeuille. There may be a place where apple and almonds on your pizza is mundane, but such a land is beyond my limited imagination.

I like apples and eggplant, but I'm not prepared to go for these funky pizzas. They may be incredibly tasty, but I'm just not adventurous enough, particularly when it comes to something which I regard as a relatively expensive indulgence. If I order a pizza, I'm going to be sure it's something I like that is worth the calories and the cash. For your reference, a 25 cm./10 in. medium is 2700 yen (about $26) and a 36 cm./14 in. large is 3950 yen (around $38).

teriyaki chicken, roast chicken (top right), shrimp mayonnaise, jalapeno (middle right), and meat sub (bottom right)

On the bright side, the same menu mentions that Domino's is starting to sell 15 cm. (5.9 in.) hot subs and those are in far more mundane varieties and much less pricey (550 to 680 yen or from about $5.50-$6.80). Such sandwiches are generally only available from places like Subway (of which there are none in my neighborhood) or somewhat expensive coffee shops in Japan. I'll be giving one of these a try, and passing on the funky pizzas.

5 comments:

ebidebby said...

I would definitely try that pizza, but it just sounds like too much food with all those layers!

In gourmet pizza restaurants in the US, it's not uncommon to see things like apple, pear, or eggplant on pizza. I do like it, but my all time favorite will always be pineapple.

Thanks for the interesting read!

CrackerLilo said...

I get eggplant on pizza a lot (eggplant parmesan on a crust!) and make pizza with eggplant, too. Zucchini isn't bad, either, especially in summer when I have lots. But as for the rest...well...pass.

I'm shocked at the level of creativity exhibited by any Domino's anywhere!

Anonymous said...

So many interesting food combination in Japan.

badmoodguy (Бадмўдгуи) said...

Oh, my, this post is pretty apropos to me. I have been trying for the last three weeks to have a pizza and have not successfully accomplished it! :( Something has always gotten in the way.

The pizzas in Japan always seem a great deal more "interesting" than in the US. I think this pizza a little over the top, not to mention expensive. $38 for a large!

I love Papa John's (I don't think they are in Japan) which has a great sauce that is almost sweet. I get mine with light sauce, extra cheese, pepperoni, onion and pineapple. Awesome!

Molly said...

Bizarre. Seriously, that pizza looks like it came from the mind of a drug-crazed monkey.