Beijing Boyce

Howdy, and here’s the latest on branch two of Tim’s Texas BBQ, to be named Tim’s Texas Roadhouse, to be located on Super Bar Street (across from Pili Pili and 5:19 Bar & Grill) and to serve up more smoked meat and live music in our fair city. Look for a grand opening on the eve of July 1, with free beer and food, while supplies last…

Tim writes that the new place will have Tex-Mex, Cajun, and other American fare, and feature live music on the weekends and drink and other specials during the week. Here is the tentative lineup:

Margarita Mondays – Specials on this tequila-based beverage

Two-Step Tuesdays – Free country and western dance lessons

Coyote Ugly Wednesdays – Special shooter prices

Thursdays to Saturdays – House band, from 10 PM to 1 AM

Poker Sundays – Texas hold ‘em tournament

Looks like Nashville will have some competition and Dave at 5:19 Bar & Grill will have some neighbors (Note: I interviewed Dave earlier this week and will have that online in the next few days).

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

e-Von writes that Canadian Embassy Chef Billy Kawaja has launched a new weekend brunch at Cafe St. Laurent, better known to 80s music lovers as Alfa. (Note; my lone experience with Billy K’s cooking was at an excellent wine dinner last fall, which inspired my weirdest - and most terrifying - write-up ever.)

Billy’s menu has new takes on classic foods, writes e-Von. “If you like steak and eggs, you’ll love the wagyu beef with Parmesan flan and emmental potatoes, and fans of French toast will enjoy Billy’s version, made with bittersweet chocolate, brioche, and grilled banana, and of course accompanied with real maple syrup.” (And back bacon, that’s somewhere on that menu, right?) There’s also a selection of special cocktails, including  the Asian Mary and Cafe St. Laurent Shake.

Brunch runs from 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM; reservations are recommended (6415-0161).

My early Beijing days included more than a few nights listening to Ah-Q Jazz Arkestra at CD Jazz Cafe. I recently interviewed Matt Roberts, a fixture on the city’s music scene and a member of Ah-Q, which recently released its first CD – Yi Nian.

BB: I always associate Ah-Q with CD Jazz Cafe. How did you guys get that gig?

MR: I had been playing at the CD for a long time, usually on Saturday nights as part of Liu Yuan‘s everlasting jam quintet. I was looking to do something new musically, and worked out an arrangement with the owner of CD to allow the Ah-Q Jazz Arkestra to play on Thursday nights, which were usually slow, for a percentage of the bar. We bore all the risk, and it was our responsibility to bring in an audience – or not get paid. But the guys in the band – Dave Beckstead on guitar, Nathalie Craan on vocals, Andy Collier on drums, Atsushi Ouchi on sax – were so excited about the new compositions and approach to playing that we were able to build up Thursday evenings even without much income. And eventually, word got out and Thursdays at the CD with Ah-Q became quite popular. When Liu Yuan moved over to East Shore Jazz Cafe last year, Ah-Q moved into the Saturday night spot at the CD. With Andy and Atsushi in New York, we now feature Scott Silverman and Xiao Dou on drums, and the fiery Liu Xiaoguang on sax.

BB: What other past and present venues have you played in Beijing?

MR: That’s a long list. Between the Alas Jazz Band back in 1990-1991, the Rhythm Dogs, BJ Funky, and now Ah-Q, I’ve played in most of the major hotels and clubs here. Favorite defunct venues included the bar on the center island at Houhai, the Brauhaus at Guomao, the Jam House with BJ Funky in 1999, the Goose and Duck on Ritan Donglu (Rhythm Dogs) and the older versions of the CD. Favorite spot today: the CD Jazz Club and the Orchard, where we play the third Friday of each month.

BB: You’ve mentioned being part of a funk band – what’s going on with that?

MR: We had a pretty hot funk band in 1999 – BJ FUNKY: two saxes, two trombones, electric violin, Eddy on guitar, bass and drums – all jammed into the corner at the Jam House. We played a lot of original funk tunes plus some arrangements of tunes from Groove Collective, Maceo Parker, Bootsy Collins and Parliament. It was a blast

BB: What’s your wildest Beijing band memory?

MR: Last year, before the CD was closed for subway-related renovations, we were playing one Saturday in the middle of a huge thunderstorm. The music was rocking and the place was packed. I was soloing and feeling the rhythm section growing underneath my lines, punctuated by the rolling thunder and the pounding rain. As the intensity grew, the sound was almost deafening… when I opened my eyes, the audience had retreated and the floor was under three inches of water: the roof had come down and the rain was pouring in. We kept playing…

BB: What’s the perfect drink after a long night on the trombone?

MR: To be honest, after a long night of blowing hard under the hot lights in a smoky club, the perfect drink is water. But I usually go for a gin and tonic.

Ah-Q will play at CD Jazz Cafe this Saturday at 10 PM, preceded by The Insomniacs, a band of jazz musicians from the International School of Beijing, at 9:15 PM. For more on Ah-Q, see www.ahqjazz.com.

A running joke among my wine-loving pals is that I’m on the payroll at Grace Vineyards. Maybe it’s because I interviewed Grace CEO Judy Leissner, or because I push her wines on people at hutong parties, or because they did so well at my first blind tasting (which reminds me, I need to write and post my long overdue notes from the sequel). Or maybe it’s because I’ve written about drinking Grace wines everywhere from Senses in Shanghai to Vincent Cafe in Beijing.

Whatever the case, here’s additional evidence that I’m not alone in liking them: Jancis Robinson’s site has a story (subscription needed) by Marcus Ford called “Chinese Wines again – sorry if you have had enough!” (thanks to Adam S for the tip).

“The idea had been in our minds for some time,” writes Ford, “[that] the Chinese wine world is going extraordinarily fast, but where is it going and is any of the wine really worth drinking,” he opens. To find out, 30 restaurant managers (including Ford), food and wine writers, and “keen and interested members of the public” met in Shanghai to give 85 Chinese wines a chance.

The good news:

Grace Vineyard was the star of the tasting, all of their white wines were selected as the best of the whites – the two vintages of the premium Chardonnay were chosen as the winners and the other wine considered was their regular Chardonnay bottling. In all the categories where Grace wines were shown they were commended and the 2004 Chairman’s Reserve (Cabernet Merlot Blend) was the universal favourite as the best wine on show. We all concluded that this really was a benchmark for quality in China and could rightly be compared with imported wines at a similar price – quite some statement when this wine retails as almost 400 rmb. Catai‘s wines also showed well, particularly their Reserve Cabernet which was best in its class. Landsun‘s regular Cabernet was also exceptional at its price point.

The bad news:

In general the quality of the cheaper wines on show was appalling, we were quite frankly astounded that some of the wines shown in the 60 rmb and below groups could be sold or drunk with any pleasure for anyone. They were truly awful- some faulty – reduction, sulphur, dead fruit and animal smells were the common tasting notes amongst this group of wines. At the other extreme in this cheaper category came wines that tasted entirely synthetic, either diluted and sugary or just chemically.

Importantly noted is that, unlike Grace,  most of the “Chinese” wines tasted were made at least in part with imported grapes.

I’ve recommended Grace to many people, particularly the Chardonnay, and will continue to do so, but I also hope to find other decent wines that are made solely with local grapes (can anyone let me know where to buy some Huadong Riesling!).

As mentioned many a time, the research can be quite enjoyable…

Events featuring booze from three continents – what more could you want? Four, you say? That’s a good point, so let’s add another tasting. (Apologies to South America and Africa — I hope the Chilean Sauvignon Blanc chilling at home and that Algerian wine tasting at the Sequoia Cafe a few weeks back suffice respectively).

In order of price…

Europe
Blush for free at a Top Cellar tasting of five rose and three white wines from France on June 7 (7-8:30 PM). It’s 10 percent off for those buying bottles of these wines. (Contact Quentin at event@topcellar.com for reservations.)

Australia
Sequoia features two whites and two reds from Western Australia, including one from Leeuwin Estates, on June 8 (from 6:30). Frank’s Friday night tasting is 100 kuai, with snacks. (Email Frank at frank.siegel@gmail.com to get on the mailing list.)

Asia
China World Hotel turns Japanese with a Sake dinner June 22 (from 7 PM).  States the invite, “Esteemed sake masters from Kamotsuru of Japan will introduce the finer points of six kinds of sake accompanied by an authentic seven-course dinner crafted by Japanese master chef Tsuchiya.” Expect to hit the futon full force after this event, which is 888 kuai plus 15 percent service charge. (6505-2266, x39 or nadaman@china-world-hotel.com.cn for reservations)

North America
Doug Shafer returns to China to guide guests through 11 years – 1992-2001 – of Hillside Select. I went to the Shafer and Phelps event last year and it was fantastic, though only one- fourth the 3,888 kuai price tag of this one. But if you have the cash and love wine, this is good value (check wine-searcher.com if you don’t believe me). This ASC event is June 16 at St. Regis Hotel, with a dinner following the vertical tasting. (Contact Dennis Zhang at dennis@asc-wines.com / 6418-1598, x130 for reservations.)

You can knock the wind out of a good man, but you can’t keep him from airing his views or finishing his brews. So goes some ancient saying, with the point being that Shanghai bar expert Winopete has been out of action of late due to a car accident, but even amidst trauma has squeezed out another pub newsletter.

As Pete himself puts it, “Courtesy of the Jin Jiang Taxi Company (the white ones), this issue of ‘Pub News’ has been seriously delayed, for which I profusely apologize, and is coming to you from my room at Ruijin Hospital.”

Among the recent news from Shanghai, our sister city to the south:

- Ex-Senses Wine Maverick Mat Ryan is part of team bringing in Aussie beers Cascade Premium, Cascade Light, Victoria Bitter, Crown Lager and James Boag – the launch party is set for June 10 at Sasha’s.

- A new Italian restaurant – Frankie’s – is set to open with Marco Pierre White as guest chef. White has three Michelin stars and is, according to Pete, “infamous for his John McEnroe-like temper.”

- While the ice bar Taste of Scandinavia has melted away, so to speak, Absolut Vodka is set to open another such establishment, on June 22. “The bar will have an area of 100 square metres and seating for 60 customers, with all the walls, chairs, tables, lights and glasses to be made of ice imported from Sweden,” writes Pete. “[Absolut] claim to have researched the China market for this project, but methinks they may not have thoroughly researched the Shanghai scene. Let us see.”

- Finally, good words for for Martini Bar, on the Bund. “This small bar, with all-black decore and leather sofas, has been Winopete’s latest frequent hangout (before rockin’ Ruijin Hospital, that is). Martini Bar is managed by Fergus, an amicable and experienced Sydney-sider.”

If you’d like to sign up for Pete’s e-newsletter, wish him well, send him a bottle of wine, or all of the above, please email him at winopetechina@yahoo.com

ASC Fine Wines has another Wine, Spirits and Education Trust (WSET) course lined up for the grape lovers out there. This four-night intermediate course runs from 7 to 9 PM on June 20, 21, 27 and 28, and the flyer promises more than 50 wines are to be tasted. I assume the final exam, slated for 7 to 8 PM on July 5, will be dry. (Note: While the tutors are bilingual, the 50-question multiple choice exam is in English.)

The course covers grape varieites, labeling terms, wine and food pairing, and plenty of other stuff. At 3,688 kuai, it ain’t cheap, but – if you pass – you do get an internationally recognized certificate.

For more info or to reserve a seat, contact Dennis Zhang at dennis@asc-wines.com.

Midnight last Saturday and the inside area and deck at Q Bar are bursting at the seams. The staff crank out drinks to sometimes impatient patrons, people on the deck stand and hope to grab an emptying table, and there’s a non-stop game of musical chairs — “may I borrow this?” edition – as flesh is pressed on a fairly close night.

For bar owners, it’s a better problem to have too many than too few customers. For bar lovers, and especially those who first patronized Q, the overcrowding is understandable, though it’s a bummer, as the place becomes “hipper” and a bit corporate.

I talked to Ralph, one of the co-owners, and he says the Q has secured more roof space, which, with additional staff, should relieve the patron pressure. So should the new point-of-sales system. It would also help to place a basic bar, or even a few coolers of Qingdao, on the deck so that patrons could happily and easily polish off a beer while waiting for their martinis…

And for those looking for some of the old-time atmosphere, you’re best going on a week night for a post-dinner drink.

A blog regular, a co-founder of the Bourbon, Rye and Whiskey League, a dedicated volunteer teacher and a business executive that helps fill our streets with even more cars, Eddie O will soon leave our fair city.

Actually, he’s around to mid-October, but it’s never too early to pay tribute to a man who has spread his love of Bourbon by providing spots as diverse as Cheers, Browns and Capone’s with bottles that he’s hand-carried to Beijing.

In any case, maybe it was the angst caused by his upcoming departure that caused him, about 11:30 PM on Saturday at Browns, to emote: “I’m not sure why, but I’m embarrassed to be a white man right now.”

Perhaps it was the few too many patrons from Eddie O’s demographic that were giving women the once over faster than an airport X-ray machine (though much more creepily).*

In any case, Saturday night saw Browns hold the umpteenth “dress up like a schoolgirl” party in Beijing, this one paired with 10-kuai cocktails. The crowd was lighter than in days past, and though it was still fun, it was “stay for 20 minutes and a quick drink” fun, and it would be great if this place could recapture some of its old spirit (and old crowd)…

One positive sign: I hear that the infamous Sunday “pet races” are no longer.

* Or maybe he was reflecting on his earlier comment that he planned to buy a Porsche after leaving China.

Capone’s is joining the ladies’ night bandwagon by offering a free flow of sparkling wines for the city’s women between 6 and 9 PM on Fridays.

According to an email from Capone’s, “To join this party, there is no admission fee… All you need to do is be good looking and sexy.” Well, that counts me out…

By the way, if you haven’t heard Bobby Taylor, accompanied by Doug Louie on piano, then it’s worth a visit to Capone’s.

Tim’s Texas BBQ will open its new branch, on Super Bar Street, on July 1. I talked to both Tims – the manager and the chef – last night and they are primed to start serving up even more smoked meat to city residents.

Look for a new Lido-area establishment called Love View to pop into sight in August. Tonight, I ran into Ai Wan of China Doll, which just won City Weekend’s best new nightlife spot award, and she says Love View will be a high-end establishment in the old nhu location.

Ai Wan also says China Doll will soon hold a competition to find nothing less than the city’s best “China Doll Girl.” Weekly qualifying rounds will culminate with one lucky participant taking home 100,000 kuai in prizes.

More details to come…