Menus with fusion

Forget choosing between Chinese takeout and pizza for dinner. With Fong's Pizza, the new downtown restaurant, you can have both, at the same time. And they're not the only ones combining cuisines lately. Several local restaurants experiment with unusual fusions. We asked them why they blend flavors this way, and found some of the best dishes for you to try.

Fong's Pizza
223 Fourth St., fongspizza.com

Full Court Press partner Jeff Bruning said the Chinese/pizza fusion restaurant came about because the group wanted to create a pizza restaurant, and the downtown space formerly occupied by King Ying Low happened to open up. Having seen pizzas on Chinese buffets before, Bruning didn't find the idea of blending them together too strange.

Plus, the partners are known for funky combination restaurants like el Bait Shop (with its Mexican/barbecue menu), the retro High Life Lounge (serving tater tots and Tang), and the recent addition of some Cajun dishes to the Hessen Haus' German menu (a nod to the now-closed Buzzard Billy's restaurant). "Just like everything we do, it gives people a reason to talk about it," he said.

Bruning said the menu items that truly fuse cuisines have not scared people too much, especially late-night diners. "Oddly, it fits together," he said. "No one thinks things are too weird at 2 a.m."

Dishes to try: Bruning's favorite item is the pizza roll (four for $4.95), an upgrade from the Totino's version with pizza toppings rolled into an egg roll wrapper. Fong's also serves a Moo Shu Pork Pizza, topped with hoisin barbecue sauce, pork, cabbage and cheese ($10.95 or $17.95).

Another place to get Chinese pizza: China Garden in West Des Moines has been offering this combination for several years. Ask for a pizza menu and you can get a 6- or 12-inch puffy pizza crust topped with traditional veggies like green peppers and mushrooms, or something more unusual like pea pods, water chestnuts or Princess Shrimp, with a gingery/hot pepper sauce replacing the marinara. 2020 Grand Ave. No. 1300, West Des Moines.

El Chisme
2920 Merle Hay Road, elchismedsm.com

The description says it all - El Chisme is a taqueria y pizzeria. From day one, Chef Jesus Ojeda, who has experience cooking at Italian restaurants, has been serving pizzas (at the request of his daughter) and calzones alongside traditional Mexican dishes like tacos and burritos. He said the Alpastor Pizza, made with marinated pork and cilantro, is the restaurant's best seller. Back in December, Ojeda added homemade pasta and sauces to the menu.

Dish to try: The Alpastor Pizza ($14.99 or $17.99)

Another place to get Mexican and Italian: Chianti has another chef with Mexican roots and Italian restaurant experience. Izekiel Robles worked at the Trattoria, which formerly occupied the space, for seven years. His new menu combines both cuisines, meaning you can choose between spaghetti and meatballs or sizzling fajitas, though you won't find them fused together. 207 Fourth St.