Beijing Boyce

Exposed concrete floors and low unfinished ceilings contrast with a wealth of paintings, bed-sized mirrors, voluminous curtains and assorted furniture from modern to regal - Lan, while reportedly covering 6,000 square meters, reminds me of an art installation that might be packed up and carted off in two days for quick reassembling in, say, Ulan Bator or Taipei.

I went there for a recent Freixenet sparkling wine party. As it turns out, this was one of those body painting, flair bartending and DJ deals. Not exactly my scene - excuse me, Mr. Bartender, isn’t the ice melting and diluting the drink as you continually toss that cocktail shaker behind your back? - but  it seemed to fit well with the venue.

Some quick observations on the drinking side of a spot largely focused on food (with the latter being overpriced if readers’ comments are any indication):
- There is plenty of eye candy: those distracted by shiny objects may never leave
- The floor space is intriguingly broken up into dining, drinking and private rooms
- The ceilings are surprisingly low, giving the place a kind of subterranean feel
- The door staff on the night I visited had minimal English-language skills
- The drinks are expensive: expect to drop 70 kuai on a cocktail
- The place is in an office tower in an area with very little nightlife, making the exit a sobering experience

A long observation: Lan seems part of the “make Beijing cosmopolitan” movement whereby our city is deemed to require world-class venues (look at us!) on par with London, Paris or New York. Note the media coverage heavily focused on the fact that internationally known designer Philippe Starck is the genius behind the design (look at us!) , with reportage on the food and drink either a side note or ignored altogether.

In short, this place is the anti-Suzie Wong..

Does it work?

In terms of a bar, strip away the décor and this place barely rates average. High prices, so-so drinks, no beer on tap, and a staff that doesn’t understand the words “toilet”, “exit” or “let me out”. Even so, it’s worth checking out once and, in the interests of fairness, I’ll give it another few looks. In the meantime, I’m interested in what others think…