Beijing Boyce

And now for a few notes on places that I visited in 2004, the trip before this one, with Sweet n’ Liu (SL) and D-Rock: 

New Heights: On the Bund, the place has a deck with an excellent view of Pudong and the strait separating it from Shanghai proper (watch giant Karaokes / restaurants, done in a traditional Chinese style, languidly float by). The hamburger was tasty, though prohibitive (over 100 kuai); the martini (65 kuai) was okay.

Bar Rouge: At 18 on the Bund, it also offers an excellent view of Pudong, and has better martinis (60 kuai). The patrons were stylish and in some cases snobbish (perhaps it’s because SL and I were soaked from the rain), and seemed split between those there to impress each other and those looking for a little love. Bar Rouge seems to specialize in giant bowls of shooters in dry ice. I guess that’s a niche. Each night, the bartenders, who have obviously watched their fair share of Cocktail, light the bar top on fire. (Normally I’m not a fan of that kind of thing, but in this case, the flames helped to dry our clothes.)

Judy’s: A rough and ready place that was hopping during my two visits and with clientele whose ages span five decades. A couple of pole dancers showed up around 11. Does this sort of thing really increase the number of customers? Anyway, call it a smaller, cheaper Zapata’s.

Studio 78: Having just eaten a massive Xinjiang meal, we were feeling lethargic. Plus, Studio 78 was virtually empty. Plus, sitting on the bean bag chairs was an exercise in balance. Plus, there was something weird about the bathroom, but I can’t remember what. My point: I can‘t judge the place based on this one visit, particularly since I had the attitude of a boa that just ingested a horse and because the music was good if cheesy. This could be a great place when crowded. More research required.

Manhattan: The excellent Filipino band gave this place a good deal of energy. It had a high proportion of older Western men and younger Chinese women, and I sense some short-term M&A action was happening (why did this place make me think of Maggie’s in Beijing?). The staff was fairly friendly and efficient, though strangely enough, on both my visits, which spanned several months, I was told: “We don’t have a drinks menu, but it will be in a few days.” Hmmm.

Mint: Good music, good crowd, decent drinks. SL and I had fun hanging out here and even did some dancing. The cozy seating area includes some sofas and beds, and reminds me of a much more upscale Suzie Wong.

Barbarossa: Tons of wood and a view of a lotus pond - sit on the deck and enjoy the evening. This place is massive: apparently, over a thousand people were on hand for a joint chambers of commerce event last year, so make sure you’ve got your friend‘s cell phone numbers or risk being lost. The bartender was displeased when we complained that SL’s drink was too salty. Ah, the nerve of these customers!

Windows: In a basement, it’s a vast, low-ceilinged, sweaty place with a sticky floor and 10-kuai drinks. Even with a bad cold, you can smell the bathrooms from 50 meters away and the risk of getting a piece of toilet paper stuck to your show is extremely high. Think of a bigger, dirtier Kai Club’s - underground. Simple observation suggests this is a major pick-up joint - I think the numerous couples making out on the cheap plastic chairs gave it away. Should any of these relationships lead to marriage,I‘d love to hear the “how we first met“ stories: “It was magical. Mei Hua was standing there covered in sweat, fighting off two guys and holding a ten-kuai gin and tonic in each hand, all with the cutest four-meter stream of toilet paper stuck to her stiletto shoes. I couldn‘t resist!”)

American Club: Set on the 28th floor, it looks straight down the strait separating Pudong and the Bund; thereby offering a tremendous view. SL and I went here for a wine tasting and I marveled at the incredible skyline.

(From Beijing Boyce XII, first emailed on March 12, 2006)