Domino’s unveil a new “roast beef and gravy” pizza and it looks insane

There aren’t many things that categorically can’t go on a pizza. Even though traditionalists might collapse at the sight of anything other than cheese and tomato, everyone’s favourite fast food has been adopted by diners all over the world. Today, pizza is a canvas for displaying thousands of ingredients, all different depending on where you’re eating it. A Hawaiian pizzeria might stock industrial quantities of pineapple, while a Texas restaurant may rely on buckets of barbecue sauce. That being said, the latest flavour combination from Domino’s Japanese division might be one of the most unorthodox ever.

Rather than stick with something traditionally associated with Japanese cooking, the twisted cooks at Domino’s Tokyo headquarters have decided to adopt a British favourite and adapt it for Italian food fans. Their latest pizza is a combination of classic Sunday fare – roast beef and gravy. As the Domino’s Japan website proudly proclaims, “It’s a classic pairing so delicious that it can’t go wrong—even as a pizza!” We’ll be the judge of that.

The pie, which costs between ¥2,800 (around $25) for a medium and ¥3,900 (around $35) for a large, is certainly striking to look at. In addition to the brown coils of beef and muddy streaks of gravy that coat its surface, the pizza comes complete with golf-ball like tomatoes, that sit like a series of mad polka-dots on the surface. Buried beneath are layers of spinach, mushrooms, cheese and tomato sauce, giving the whole thing the look of a strange, acne-ridden alien.

Despite the odd appearance and alarming clash of cultures on display, there are some upsides to ordering the new dish. For starters, Domino’s Japan have announced that their “popular Roast Beef and Gravy topping combo can now be ordered as a whole or one half of a half & half pizza,” meaning that if you aren’t ready to shell out for a whole pie you can at least sample a few slices before returning to something more traditional. The chain also claim that a single slice comes in at around 126 kcal – approximately 75 calories less than the average slice.

This isn’t the first time that Domino’s Japan have served up something unusual in December. In 2016, the franchise dressed their delivery bikes as reindeer in order to make things more festive, whilst in 2012 customers were offered up to a 25% discount if they had facial hair, a ponytail or a parrot. Clearly, the business aren’t averse to pushing the boat out at the end of the year.

It remains to be seen whether the “Roast Beef and Gravy” will become a permanent fixture on the Domino’s Japan menu, or indeed whether it becomes an international bestseller. In an age where strange pizza toppings are increasingly becoming all the rage, Domino’s latest offering might tick enough weird boxes to become an overnight success. We’ll just have to wait until the reviews start pouring in.