Beijing Boyce

A few quickies…

COX, which became famous for wings and recently added curry to the menu, is closed indefinitely. Will this episode see co-owner Kris Ryan (Saddle, The Rickshaw) take his business elsewhere? Stay tuned, and in the meantime, you can still get those tasty wings at Rickshaw. (Hats off to Trevor, Nick and Kenn for the tip.)

Word has it that China Doll will hold a July 4 party next Wednesday day. As the date falls on ladies night, its free wine and cocktails all night for the girls and a free drink for the U.S. guys. I’ve been waiting on the details and will provide them when in hand.

Wonder Bar will feature drum and bass on Friday and eighties tunes on Saturday, with buy-one, get-one-free drinks before 11 PM. So much for having a jazz bar with quality cocktails…

ASC Fine Wines‘ Don St. Pierre Jr joins Robert Parker, Richard Sands, Miguel Torres and other global wine players in Decanter magazine’s “2007 Power List.” St. Pierre, who established ASC with his father Don Sr 11 years ago, ranks number 37 on the list of those deemed to have the greatest impact on what people are and will be drinking. He’s the only China-based person, and only one of three in Asia, to make the top 50 (the magazine somehow overlooked yours truly). I interviewed him by email over the weekend…

How does it feel to make that list?

It is a great honor for our company as a whole as well as an indication of how important the world thinks the market for wine in China will one day become.

ASC’s business is in China and you’re the only China-based person to make the list, yet your company doesn’t distribute any Chinese wines? What’s up with that and what’s your take on Chinese grape wines?

The list is about the companies and people that influence what wines are available and consumers’ perceptions of wine - this covers importers, distributors, wineries, winemakers, government, and wine writers. ASC is a wine importer and distributor, so I assume Decanter feels that since we are the largest importer in a market that will one day become a significant consumer of imported wine, what we do now and in the future will influence what consumers drink.

Chinese grape wine quality needs to improve, but there are signs that it is happening. And it will happen more and more, because consumers will demand better and better quality wine, and the companies that can produce that wine will find they have more and more customers.

It seems as though there is an increasing amount of Australian wine in China. Which country’s wine producers are coming on strong, which are stagnating and which are losing out?

France is still the overall leader, but as you point out, Australian wine exports to China are growing quickly. It is however important to note that most of the Australian export boom to China is made up of very inexpensive wines. Of all the important wine-making regions, I think America is stagnating or growing the least versus where it should be.

What are the three most important things to realize about marketing to wine consumers in China?

Focus your efforts on sales channels likely to have consumers interested in and able to purchase the wine you are selling - i.e. wine tastings on Nanjing Xi Lu during Chinese New Year with one million people walking by are not a good idea.

Remember that wine consumers in China are just beginning to understand the basics about wine, so keep your message simple and try to ensure it conveys something the consumers can easily identify with - i.e. don’t compare a wine’s taste to saddle leather or black cherries.

Wine and food cross-marketing / promotions can work.

Not counting the people in the top 50 whose products ASC distributes, which three on that list would you most like to sit down with a bottle of wine, and why?

Richard Sands - from 1991, his company went from a little over 100 million in sales to, in 2007, over 5 billion in sales.

Mel Dick - he runs the most successful wine distribution company in the world, bar none.

Dan Jago - largest buyer of wine in the world (Tesco) and his company is moving into China.

As I twitched about Wal-Mart in a fluorescent light-induced daze about six weeks ago, an SMS from E. Salt, one of Taipei’s premier party people, snapped me out of it. She was in Beijing and up for a drink - note to self: there is no such a thing as “a” drink with ES - so I hightailed it out of the hypermarket and headed on my first pub-crawl in heavens knows how long. Such moments force one to think quickly and here’s where I took a visiting pal who likes a decent drink and some fun on a school night:

Q Bar: The deck was tranquil save for one excruciatingly loud woman who peppered tales of her tedious life with four-letter words. I normally oppose capital punishment, but there are exceptions… Anyway, we moved to another part of the bar, and I had an Alfonso Special while ES enjoyed a Dragon Fruit Margarita. Thumbs up to both drinks.

China Doll: The second floor bar was semi-busy and we ran into Peter, who is in the Bourbon, Rye and Whisk(e)y League. ES had a Margarita (not bad), I had the Ai Wan Special (light and safe), and that “risque” video played for, what, the millionth time?

Wonder Bar: My brain wonders if this bar will work in Tongli Studio, my heart says I hope they can figure things out. It has decent seating, music and martinis, the last at 40 kuai. ES, who hails from Wales, said the Margarita was fine. She then impressed one co-owner by breaking into Taiwanese (show-off).

Kokomo: Owner Bill was on hand and we tried his recommended drink, a Pain Killer (note: the effects did not last through the next morning). It was fine, but my favorite Kokomo cocktail thus far is the Original Mai Tai.

Shooters: Bill joined us as we sat outside, watched the rain, and tried a few shots at 10 kuai per (Bill loved the Pink Panties). This was probably a good time to call it a night, but we went to…

The Rickshaw: It was back to Margaritas as we munched our way through medium wings and potato chips drizzled with melted blue cheese and Alfredo sauce. Good times!

Maggies: Bill took off as ES and I finished the night at one of the city’s most famous / infamous / misunderstood bars. She stuck with Margaritas, I had a Budweiser, and we enjoyed the music and people watching as the wee hours grew larger…

All in all, it was a fun night, and proved two things: 1) Beijing’s bar scene is ever-changing, since nearly every spot on this little tour did not exist a year ago; 2) that it’s a good thing E-Salt and I no longer live in the same city or I’d probably be in my grave from trying to keep up with her!

Last week, I wrote about a then-upcoming fashion show by Plastered T-shirts , which celebrates things Beijing - Yanjing beer, 1.20 Xiali taxi rides and the subway, among others (see A party that fits to a T). Organizers promised free beer and wine for those donning Plastered wear and yours truly can confirm that this, indeed, was the case.

I’d guess several hundred people were on hand to enjoy those beverages and a “hutong catwalk” fashion show made possible when a car miraculously broke down nearby and blocked traffic. While music throbbed, a half-dozen models took to the street to strut a narrow path between cheering onlookers for about a ten-minute show that delighted a mostly expatriate crowd, amused some of the locals, and angered several cyclists. Ah, such is the hutong fashion world…

I’m too sexy for this shirt…

Clothing the masses can afford…

I wouldn’t be caught dead in that skirt…

(Thanks to Dominic at Plastered for the photos.)

Note: Nanluoguxiang has an amazing number of bars and methinks a fact-finding trip is in order. If anyone can point me toward some of the better spots — Candy Floss is on the list already — I would be much obliged.

Liebe das guten Leben on July 3 as Summergate hosts both a wine tasting and dinner with Ernst Loosen. The fun starts with a tasting at the the Hilton’s Zeta Bar (7-10 PM; 150 kuai) and includes the following wines:

Villa Wolf Pinot Noir 2004
Dr Lo Riesling 2005
Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett
Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese 2003

The wine dinner kicks off an hour later in the Hilton’s One East on Third (8 PM~; 590 kuai, plus 15 percent service charge). The wines:

1998 Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett
2003 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett
2003 Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese
1990 Uerziger Wuerzgarten Riesling Auslese
2004 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Beerenauslese
2003 Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Eiswein

For background on Loosen, check this page. For info on the tasting or dinner, contact Jessie Xiao at 6562-5800 / Jessie.xiao@summergate.com.

For about two months, I was a regular at Rui Fu, conveniently located on the Houhai to Workers’ Stadium / Sanlitun route. It was a spacious retreat, had the big-name backing of Henry Li (Vogue, Neo Lounge), and provided vivid memories for at least one plush monkey. Despite all this promise, Rui Fu has bid adieu.

I needed to see it myself. So, after the Plastered t-shirt party out Houhai way last night, I popped by and found Rui Fu’s revolving door jammed by furniture. I couldn’t budge it.

I heard no music nor saw any human activity. So, I popped around back. The parking lot was empty. The second-floor lights were off. Through the window, I saw two shirtless guys drinking beer and playing cards, undoubtedly there to protect the place just in case meddling amateur bar writers showed up.

At that point, I went into Scooby Doo mode and deduced that Rui Fu, indeed, is closed. I tugged at the doors a dozen or so times to confirm it.

It’s too bad Rui Fu didn’t make it. I thought the location was good (plus that old residence out back - the former premier’s? - is hauntingly beautiful). It drew an interesting crowd. Even so, I eventually drifted elsewhere due to the spotty bar service and constant theme parties (as I asked my friends, how many times did Henry Li expect us to dress up like schoolgirls?). I also think China Doll hastened Rui Fu’s demise by siphoning off some of its customers, though that demise was not a foregone conclusion, which in the end is what makes the whole thing sad…

(After checking on Rui Fu, I visited Mistica Cafe - if you’re heading through the gate to the Rui Fu parking lot, take a right instead of a left. This cafe is spacious and pleasantly decorated in warm colors, with most of the seating for groups of four or less. There are a few tables outside. Mistica offers plenty of juice, tea, coffee, milkshake and other drink choices, mostly in the 15-25 kuai range, with cocktails at 30 kuai - I skipped these. The staff is friendly, perhaps a bit too much so, checking on me every three minutes and, as special treatment, putting on a French song that they consecutively played more than a half-dozen times. Still, the intentions were good, and this is a nice little place…)

A few months ago, I reported that Henry Li’s newest bar, Rui Fu, was up for sale. In discussions over the cavernous bar’s fate with friends, the venue’s potential as a site for live music became clearer* - it’d be easy enough to put in a stage, there’s enough room for hundreds of music lovers, and the private rooms upstairs could handle spillover or be used for multiple events. Well, someone else agrees - Yugong Yishan will take over Henry’s digs, which should ensure a few more encores there of Beijing’s AC/DC tribute band, Dirty Deeds…. Let’s see how the neighbors like, “Have a Drink on Me.”

* In the past three months, I’ve received more emails re investing in live music venues than about any other bar-related business topic (wine distribution would be second).

If Sanlitun or Houhai are getting tedious, and Super Bar Street just isn’t your thing, why not be a bit adventurous and try barhopping a bit farther north in, say, Ulaan Baatar?

If a new guidebook by Chris Devonshire-Ellis — 20-year China veteran, man-about-town, whiskey and Champagne lover, regular bowtie wearer, and tax expert — is any indicator, there are enough watering holes there to keep you busy for a weekend or two.

Chris’ 140-page “Travel Guide to Ulaan Baatar and the Mongolian Countryside” has plenty of info on everything from retreats to good eats. I asked him to list his top five Ulan Bator bars — here are his responses (note: if you want to order his book, email tuya@mongoliaexpat.com or pick it up at Pavillion, Bookworm or Maggies, for RMB 100).

“Dave’s Place - Sukhbaatar Square
“Right on the corner of UB’s [Ulan Bator’s] main square, Dave’s is the quintessential expat hangout, with a huge outdoor veranda looking out over onto the main square, ideal for people watching. Local UB beer on tap plus all the regular drinks, and a British-based food menu. Dave’s is the ending point for the annual London-Ulaan Baatar Mongol rally, where vehicles under 1000cc drive all the way overland and end up, if they’re lucky, in the courtyard. Regular Thursday night quiz session is a UB expat institution, while Dave’s is also home to the UB Yaks rugby team.

“Chingghis Brewery & Pub - Sukhbataaryn Gudamj
“A pub sited right next to a brewery - how cool is that? Chingghis Beer was first brewed in UB by Swiss born Alfred Naf, ten years ago, and he now represents 80 percent of the local market. A German-themed pub with dark wood paneling and a good German menu, glass walls between the pub and the brewery mean you can watch your next pint fermenting next door, before being piped into the bar. Now that’s what I call fresh.

“Grand Khan Irish Pub - Seoul Street, next to the National Theatre
“By far the largest pub in UB, with an excellent selection of local and imported beers. In the summer a large terrace and stage for live music is set up, with the bar patronized by expats and locals in equal numbers. It’s sited just next to the Prime Minister’s residence, so who knows, maybe you’ll see him at the bar sinking a pint of Chingghis.

“Marco Polo Bar – Seoul Street
“UB’s version of Maggies but far more raunchy. On some evenings the girls dress up in themed outfits, so if stripping nuns or cowgirls are your thing, this is the place for you. 5,000 togrog fee to get in; entrance at the back of the main restaurant of the same name. From midnight to late. Curiously, no one we know in UB ever admits going there.

“Oasis Club & Lounge - just off Peace Avenue
“UB’s swankiest lounge, something of a departure from the usual bars and pubs. Upmarket, discreet, sort of like a cross between Centro and Lan. Cool French DJ-spun tunes, chill out, and some unique cocktail creations make this the venue for the truly cool. Gucci’s rather than Timberland, so brush up and dust down if wanting to come here after a week trekking in the Gobi.

Last week, I reported that Centro, Suzie Wong’s, Face and China Doll received the most TBJ bar and club awards nominations and that I’d soon list all the categories and nominees. Well, that would now be rather redundant, given the survey is online.

These awards always give me headaches. Take the category of bar / club of the year. Here are the nominees:

Bar Blu
China Doll
D-22
The Den
Q Bar
The Rickshaw
Stone Boat Cafe
Suzie Wong’s
Vics

My favorite place right now is Rickshaw - I like the staff, the wings and burritos, the happy hour, and hanging out on the second floor deck. But then I think: this place has only been open for two months, can it be the bar of the year? Up the street is Q Bar, which, when not too busy, has represented a nice retreat for cocktails for 12 months and has a nice deck. Even so, if I place personal preferences aside, it’s hard to ignore Suzie Wong’s: it’s not my pint of Qingdao, but this place does reinvest in its space, bring in quality staff, provide consistency and pack the house, thus actually getting better year after year. (This is no mean feat - look at last year’s winner, Browns, which failed to make the cut this time.) China Doll? A worthy example of a bar that has good music and appeals to locals and foreigners alike. Stone Boat? A getaway in the city center to chill out and hear excellent bands. And on and on… and that’s before considering the places I could pick with a write-in vote.

In any case, anyone who publicly yaps about the bar scene — that’d be me — ought to put up or shut up, so I’ll take a couple of aspirin and make my picks right after I finish a major project on June 30 and before the voting deadline of July 11.

Eleven days should be enough to decide…

I usually don’t write about work-related events I attend, unless they involve haggis. One exception is the Kentucky Trade Center’s one-year anniversary celebration last week. Five things that made it a good event:

The crowd was eclectic - how often do you find a U.S. Governor, Miss University China and the owner of Steaks and Eggs all within a few meters of one other? There were plenty of interesting food and beverage people, including from Hatsune, Papa John’s and Sequoia Cafe, along with the media, business and government types.

The speeches were short - well except for the guy who went on about Bourbon, but it was bearable, given that I was sipping…

Woodford Reserve. This is an excellent Bourbon, and if the Kentucky state slogan is “Unbridled Spirit”, then this event’s was “Unbridled Spirits”, because this hard-to-find alcohol was being served free-flow, as were a variety of cocktails, including Mint Juleps.

My Old Kentucky Home - There’s something nice about watching people sing their nation’s or state’s song. It always pushes up the mood a few notches.

The gift bag - It included not one but two bottles of Bourbon — Jim Beam and Early Times — and a silver-plated tumbler, Kentucky pin, and reprint of an early Kentucky Derby poster. Some lucky person will win them at our next staff raffle (while I end up with my usual prize of pictorial coasters from some third-tier city).

Note: After the party, I checked out the Hilton’s Zeta Bar and its Tonic Lounge with Frank and Jennifer Siegel. I think Zeta has one of the more interesting designs in the city and the martini I had was pretty good. Tonic seems more like a place I’d relax in if I were a guest of the hotel, though the place did have Samuel Adams beer.

The Ritz-Carlton on Financial Street held its “culinary coin” festival Saturday. I was lucky enough to have a media pass, which got me a big yellow badge, which meant I had the option to feel slightly important while appearing extremely dorky. Woo hoo!

While the pre-event promo materials used wording such as ‘rich violin harmonics‘ and suggested there’d be intimate gastronomic experiences with a sommelier, a pastry chef, and so on, the reality is that this - like most such shows - is mainly about serving the masses. Luckily, the crowd was of a moderate size, as lineups were already lengthy enough at some food stands.

By the way, before I discuss wine, let me note that the cab I took with Funky Walker and Doctor E had an overly ripe aroma, with hints of garlic and bum sweat-infused plastic seating. The driver himself was a bit musty, and if he ages as slowly as he drives - his car apparently tops out at 25 kilometers per hour - then a fine vintage he shall be.

Anyway, waiting at the entrance was a glass of Berlucchi sparkling wine. Fantastic stuff, and I wished I kept better notes. Anyway, this one stole the show IMHO, and will be available in Beijing, at about 400 kuai per bottle, from Italian Wine & Food, slated to open this October.

The Nipozanno Chianti Reserve 2003 (Jebsen) was among the better wines, while the Signos Chardonnay / Chenin Blanc (Torres) was okay value at 58 kuai per bottle.

The second floor featured mostly food and a few beverage stops. I skipped the throw-everything-in-at-once lychee martinis, but tried the unfiltered Sake, which was pleasant. Food ranged from ice cream to nachos, though the highlight was the Italian meats and cheeses sliced and cut on the spot on the first floor.

Overall, Culinary Coin was good value at 100 kuai and, given it was the first of its kind at this Ritz, went off well. I especially liked that the organizers bypassed a string quartet or the like and instead played tolerantly loud dance music. With many guests dressed up as though ready for a night on the town, it was a good primer for further Saturday night fun…

The Rickshaw has become wildy popular since opening about two months ago.

I’ve already posted this interview with co-owner Kris Ryan and these 12 thoughts on the place. Almost everyone I’ve taken there, from my mom and sister to friends visiting on their honeymoon to co-workers and buddies, has liked it. And it’s a nominee in a half-dozen categories in this year’s that’s Beijing bar and club awards.

A visit to The Rickshaw on Saturday night with Funky Walker, Doctor E and Eddie O further further proved this place is doing things right:

1. The wings are fantastic. We wolfed down 40 of them, as well as a beef quesadilla and some spinach dip, and that was AFTER spending most of the afternoon gorging at the Ritz-Carlton’s culinary festival (see post later tonight). This isn’t the first time we’ve craved Rickshaw’s wings in such circumstances. They ‘re so addictive they remind me of the scene in So I Married an Axe Murderer when Charlie MacKenzie is talking to his dad, who’s convinced Colonel Sanders and the Kentucky Fried Chicken empire are evil:

Charlie Mackenzie: Dad, how can you hate “The Colonel”?

Stuart Mackenzie: Because he puts an addictive chemical in his chicken that makes ya crave it fortnightly, smartass!

(See the 2:20 mark of this clip from the movie.)

2. Just before the happy hour finished at 8 PM, Chad went through the bar ringing two bells on a pair of bicycle handlebars. No one can say they weren’t warned! 

3.  Kris was in eighties flashback mode - I think it was the first time in Beijing I’ve heard Kim Wilde’s Kids in America. Add in Duran Duran, Queen, Dexy’s Midnight Runners and more, and I felt like getting out the stone-washed jeans…

4. The staff, from Luge to Chad to the waiters and waitresses and bar help, are friendly.

5. There were people of all ages and nationalities in the place. This, to me, is a sign that the bar has something universally attractive (see The Wings, above).

6. The management is responsive. Recently, a safety strip was put on the step near the stairs. I hear wet naps are being considered for the wing eaters. Apparently, the place took A-Rob’s suggestion to start beer pong (note: A-Rob is not to be confused with A-Rod.)

Plus, on Saturday night, when Eddie O thought the Wild Turkey might be off (to be honest, it did lack the burn I associate with that tipple), Kris cracked open another bottle for comparative purposes. This Friday, Eddie O will bring a bottle of Wild Turkey he hand-carried to China, to check further into this  situation - all in the name of research, of course. (Note: Kris uses a company to help ferret out fake booze, which is a major plus in this town, given some of the dodgy bottles in use.)

7. The improvements continue - the most recent is the deck added out back, which means even more space for chilling out (and playing beer pong, for the sporting types). 

Good times!

Don St. Pierre Jr of ASC Fine Wines joins Robert Parker, Jancis Robinson, Angelo Gaja, Miguel Torres and other global wine players in Decanter magazine’s “2007 Power list.” St. Pierre, who established ASC with his father Don Sr 11 years ago, ranks number 37 on the list, which considers those who have the most impact on what people drink now and will be drinking in the future. He is the only China-based person, and only one of three in Asia, to make the top 50 (the magazine somehow overlooked yours truly).

There’s more than one way to get plastered in this town…

Join the t-shirt company that celebrates Yanjing beer, gong bao ji dang, 1.20 Xiali taxi rides and Beijing’s subway, as PLASTERED marks its first anniversary and features its 2007 summer collection at 8 PM this Saturday, June 23, at 61 Nanluoguxiang (close to Pass By Bar). I chatted with Plastered’s Dominic Johnson earlier tonight and there’s free beer and wine for those guests who show up wearing one of the company’s t-shirts. The post-fashion show party is at nearby Salud. (For more info, call 13910-205-721 or email sales@plastered.com.cn.)

A couple of items from previous collections… 

‘

From the site: “1.20: Where did the XiaLi go? Most of us can remember 1.20 taxi rides in beautiful old clapped out cars that smelled of cigarettes. Sadly, they are a thing of the past but Plastered has immortalized this design on a t-shirt.”

From the site: “I Climbed the Great Wall: This Plastered T-Shirt is surely a must for all tourist and locals. Beijing’s restaurant and shop signs are famous for their appropriate use of random half naked ladies but it seemed that this classic design had been forgotten.”

My biweekly newsletter is feeling like a quarterly given that I’ve only squeezed out one in the past three months. Apologies all around - I haven’t moved abroad, been bumped off by a disgruntled bar owner, or decided to lead a more liver-friendly life. It’s just that I’ve been really, really, really busy. Boring excuse I know, but here’s a short list of what is taking my time.

- Expansion: Like the US trade deficit with China, the price of pork, and the attractiveness of an international ban on baijiou-based cocktails, so, too, does my department grow. That means new staff to acclimatize, show where we keep all caffeine-laced beverages and on occasion be useful to. This all takes time, time, time.

- House guests: I’ve had them for pretty much the past month - that means providing clean sheets, fresh towels, ample snacks, and keys… you gotta make extra keys (Stuck for a vendor? Try the basement of Pacific Century). Plus, there’s the time spent showing them the major city sights… Rickshaw, Pavillion, Pass By Bar…

- House plants: I bought them to impress the house guests, but do you know how long it takes to water more than a dozen!? Especially when some qualify as trees!? Perhaps it would be easier if I used something bigger than a wine glass, speaking of which…

- Wine glasses: It seemed like a good idea at the time to buy 72, as they’re a fantastic deal. Since it takes me five minutes on average to clean and polish each one, I can do the whole lot in a mere six hours. Yay!

- More projects: The past six months have been the busiest work-wise of my life, but have brought benefits - I’ve never felt closer to our office coffee maker or the guys who clean the carpets at night. In fact, if the company installed a humidor and a wine fridge, I’d bring a blanket and sleep there.

 - Frank Siegel: Known best for opening one of the first non-hotel bars in Beijing (way back in 1990), he now runs Friday night wine tastings at Sequoia Cafe, which - because they feature an interesting crowd, good wines and decent food - I’m compelled to attend nearly each and every week. Someone stop this man! He’s evil! (Isn’t the fact he hails from Pittsburgh proof enough?)

- The NBA: Ever since the suspension of Boris Diaw and Amare Stoudemire seriously dented Phoenix’s chances to win the conference semi-finals and thus put San Antonio into a position to be labelled a dynasty, I’ve been wracking my brains and had trouble sleeping. I haven’t yet started losing weight over this yet, but I’m darn tired.

- Baby pictures: In this digital age, M-Dawg has a million of his first child. When he’s not showing pictures, he’s mimicking her, which is highly entertaining (except when we have to change his diaper or he requests his gin and tonic in a “sippy cup”).

- Bottoms: Did you ever nearly go crazy trying to remember the name of a song, or a book, or whether you had been kissing your girlfriend or her mother during a drunken stupor the night before? Neither have I, but some things do keep me tossing and turning. If it’s not the unfair treatment of the Phoenix Suns, it’s trying to figure out how the Beijing Olympics organizers define ‘neat bottoms’.

With three bars named Pure Girl as neighbors, the newest drinking hole in that low-rent strip opposite Tongli Studio comes with significantly less chaste nomenclature - A ‘Lil High. It’s an intriguing name since the bar is in the equivalent of a sub-basement and it comes when the dealers that normally prowl the surrounding streets have been conspicuously absence. In fact, it’s been about a month since anyone has passed by and mumbled, “Wassup man, want some stuff?” Perhaps the city is doing early cleanup for the Olympics or the developers were tired of the scene, or maybe the dealers gambled right on pork futures (the price of hot dogs is going through the roof!), but it’s a welcome change nonetheless…

A source at that’s Beijing says Centro has been nominated in a leading 11 categories for the magazine’s annual bars and clubs awards, though it didn’t make the ‘bar of the year’ list. The other leading nominees are:

Suzie Wong’s - 10
Face - 8
China Doll - 8
The Den - 7
Stone Boat - 6
Rickshaw - 6
Q Bar - 6
Lan - 6

There’s plenty of new blood this year as Face, China Doll, Rickshaw and Lan have been open less than a year, with Q Bar just over that hump. Other notable newcomers include Kokomo with four nominations (best new bar, terrace, cocktails, and events / parties) and Hilton’s Zeta with three (best bathrooms, happy hour, and decor).

Browns, which won as best bar and best new bar last year, received nominations as best sports bar, best for business networking, and best for people-watching.

The finalists are based on nominations by 150 people, from F&B writers to bar lovers, including yours truly. Voting starts within a week and I’ve listed some nominees here (I’ll add the rest when I get them).

Torres is busting out the bubbles for a “garden Champagne cocktail” at Westin Hotel on June 14 (7:30-9:30 PM). For 180 kuai, customers get three glasses of Taittinger (”mainly Taittinger Brut Reserve and Prestige Rose Brut,” says Torres’ Galia Stern), finger food by the hotel’s executive chef, Christoph Suter, and live jazz. Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger will host the event. Tickets must be bought prior to the event. To RSVP, contact sophie@torres.com.cn at 5165-5519, extension 208.

(Note: Torres also has a tasting, on June 16, at the Ritz-Carlton. It features the wines of Baron Philippe de Rothschild and food of German 3-star Michelin chef Dieter Muller. At 1888 kuai per person, it’s not for the light of wallet.)

An inside source at that’s Beijing says that Centro has been nominated in a leading 11 categories for the magazine’s annual bars and clubs awards, but didn’t make the “bar of the year” list. Suzie Wong’s was close behind with 10 nominations, while newcomers Kokomo, Rickshaw and China Doll received multiple nods. I’ll have more details on the nominees in an hour or so…

Here is the second of two recent tips delivered straight to my mailbox and now straight to you…

Carolyn O reports on a bar she says doesn’t make the listings of the English-language mags - Jianghu. “Thursday nights are gypsy jazz nights,” she says, with the duo of Nico Torrese (French) and Daniel Brustman (American) providing entertainment.

“They are, in my untrained opinion, very good musicians,” she says. The shows starts at 9:30 PM and, says Carolyn, the pair also play on the first Saturday of every month at La Baie des Anges in Houhai, the first Sunday of every month at the Vineyard Cafe, and occasionally at Salud.

Sounds like it’s time for some exploring Houhai way…

Note: Carolyn provides the following directions to Jianghu / 江湖. “Head east along Ghost Street (鬼街) until you hit the junction where if you keep going straight, you hit 鼓楼东大街. Turn left onto 交道口南大街 (往南走). Stop at the second traffic lights. You will see a hutong on your right, 东棉花胡同. The bar is just about 50 meters in (6401-4611).”