Beijing Boyce

Havana, which opened last Sunday in the Grand Millennium Hotel, is a cozy bar with a high ceiling and comfy wicker chairs (a sturdy frame and firm cushions make for bar seating at its finest). Heavy on dark wood tones, Havana offers a long table for 12, five tables for four, and seating for 15 along the bar, behind which are several hundred Cuba-themed photos (apparently, two are identical, so those with nothing better to do can amuse themselves by trying to find them). The only annoyance is the overly harsh light emitting from beneath the bar lip.

The venue seems a bit small for a live band, but management informs that the patio just outside Havana will soon be opened with seating for 80. The band hails from San Francisco, played some rhythm and blues and some funk, and included a female singer who donned an extremely cool canary yellow Alice in Wonderland-style hat.

As for drinks, fellow patron PA said the GT suffices (the tonic is provided on the side thus allowing one to adjust its strength) and that the Margarita is “fine.” Cocktails are RMB60 up, with soft drinks and bottled beer starting at RMB45, all drinks coming with a 15 percent service charge. Oddly, there were no bar snacks.

Expect a mix of historical and industrial at Tun, the newest spot from Huxley, whose joint Nanjie in the Sanlitun South zone is a shot glass’ throw away. Tun – from “tun” in “Sanlitun” – shares the same strip as Rock n’ Roll and is a spacious abode with high ceilings, a loft, and a décor that includes hutong touches, faux antique Chinese tables, and a turret style DJ booth you have to see to believe (think The Great Wall.

The main floor includes a mingling and dancing area with high tables and a bar. A smaller space behind features a second bar. The loft has potential, though it looks somewhat bleak at the moment with its white walls, dreary lighting, and seating more appropriate for an office lobby.

As for drinks, a rack of a dozen shooters is RMB100, with 44 options. Cocktails tend to be RMB25-35, with martinis at RMB40, while bottled beer ranges from Tiger and Qingdao at RMB15 to Duvel at RMB45. The menu defines annoying: small white lettering + a dark background + a dimly lit bar = headache. (Tip to bar owners: If your staff has to use lighters so customers can see the menu, you need to rethink the design.)

By the way, Huxley is no doubt aware of the potential of cannibalizing the Nanjie crowd and has a niche demographic in mind, but what that will be, who knows. One friend said this place might do well as a cross between Browns and Poachers: crank the tunes, let the drinks flow, get some sports on the screen… it could work.

The “charity marathon” at the Emperor Hotel’s Yin Bar raised RMB26,000 for the Red Cross, says Miao Wong of Acupuncture, which spun tunes during the event.

Meanwhile, The Stone Boat reports that its earthquake relief concert last weekend raised RMB22,000 for Mercy Corps and RMB4,000 for The Red Cross.

Barring any last-minute problems, wine bar Enoteca - which has two branches in Shanghai – should open in The Place next week.

Finally, she has a club, she has a lounge, she has a deck, and now The World of Suzie Wong’s has a cafe. The cafe is on the first floor, next door to the double entendredly (yes, I realize that ain’t a word) restaurant named Fat Mother restaurant.

Friday night (May 30, 7:30 PM) will see a slew of bands band together at a D-22 to raise funds for Time Out music editor Ian Sherman, who is fighting cancer. The lineup includes Carsicks Cars, Arrows Made of Desire, RandomK(e), PK14, and Snapline, among others (RMB100 at the door).

Saturday night sees Frank’s Place (v2) celebrate its second anniversary, from 7 PM. The event will raise funds for the Red Cross.

Those saddened by the closing of Mare Nostrum will be gladdened to know that two of the chefs have shifted to Tao (Lucky Street). (Thanks to reader S&B for the tip.) The weekend brunch (noon-3 PM) includes eight starters, seven main courses and three desserts, from RMB168 (30 percent off during June). Free-flow Spanish sparkling wine is an extra RMB50. To reserve a table, call 5867-0209.

By Jim Boyce

I wrote it before and I will write it again: consumers in Beijing enjoy amazing value when it comes to wine tasting. One recent trend is that of wine distributors offering up good chunk of their portfolios for tasting at minimal cost. Over the past seven months, the city’s imbibers have enjoyed:

• Torres China’s Taste of Nations, with more than 150 wines (RMB188)
• Palette Vino’s late 2007 and early 2008 tastings of more than 100 wines (RMB100)
• GELIPU’s and Winelink’s tasting of more than 100 wines from Australia and South Africa respectively (RMB 100).

Add in the Hilton’s Food and Wine Experience (RMB230) and it adds up to consumers being able to taste more than 1,000 wines for about less than RMB1,000. Not bad value, eh?

Next up: the Global Wine Extravaganza by ASC Fine Wines, which will feature more than 100 wines from 22 wineries for RMB150. This one comes with a twist: doing the pouring will be representatives from the wineries, which include Joseph Phelps, Seghesio, Trimbach, Meerlust, Santa Rita, Masi, Ginestet, Taylor, Robert Skalli, Henri Bourgeois, and more. The event will be held at 1949: The Hidden City on June 3 from 4 to 8 PM. To register, contact Helen Lu at HelenLu@asc-wines.com / 6587-3803.

Eight is a lucky number in China, so for each of the 88 days until the 2008 Olympics, I will strip-mine my brain to unearth a thought related to Beijing and The Games. That’s one thought per brain cell. It’s called teamwork, people!

Thought 6 of 88

Following up on yesterday’s idea of shots themed on the Olympic mascots, why not an Olympic cocktail for those who prefer slower imbibing? Since each Olympic ring represents a continent, the beverage could include a global mix of alcohol, a sort of international Long Island, with options such as Tequila (North America), Gin (Europe), Cachaca (South America) and, well, I’m not sure what African alcohol is available here in our fair city. Since the games will be in Beijing, a Chinese alcohol seems appropriate, with Maotai and Baijiu obvious choices, though the strong lichee-based liquors from southern China are another option.

And the name? Well, let’s skip Long Island and instead go for Great Wall, cause the morning after drinking a few of these it’s s going to feel like you banged your head against one.

Previously
Thought 1: If they build it, we may come
Thought 2: “Whether or not” in Sanlitun
Thought 3: Living the lowlife on Lotus Lane
Thought 4: The F&B scene takes a pre-Olympics breather?
Thought 5: Flaming Fuwa

Eight is a lucky number in China, so for each of the 88 days until the 2008 Olympics, I will strip-mine my brain to unearth a thought related to Beijing and The Games. That’s one thought per brain cell. It’s called teamwork, people!

Thought 5 of 88

Such beverages may exist in one of our city’s watering holes, but I have yet to spot any shooters based on the five Olympics mascots, aka Fuwa. As Fuwa / Friendlies* fans know, each mascot represents an animal / object and an “element”:

Beibei – fish / sea
Jingjing – panda / forest
Huanhuan – Olympic flame / fire
Yingying – Tibetan antelope / earth
Nini – swallow / sky

Even better, they are decked out in the colors of the Olympic rings – blue, yellow, black, green, and red – which means there are plenty liqueur options. And given that Huanhuan represents the flame, I think an exception can be made to the “don’t mix alcohol and fire” rule for that particular shot.

Rack of Jingjings anyone?

* The original name of the mascots. This post cites a “Dr. Li” as saying it was too close to “Friendless” and “Friend lies.”  Hmmm…

Previously
Thought 1: If they build it, we may come
Thought 2: “Whether or not” in Sanlitun
Thought 3: Living the lowlife on Lotus Lane
Thought 4: The F&B scene takes a pre-Olympics breather?

By Jim Boyce

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The Robert Parker Dinner – 8:08 PM, May 24, The Great Wall of China, Beijing

Watchtowers lit in gold, walkways lit in silver – the Great Wall shone like an ornate necklace draped over a mountain of wrinkled black velvet. Long-silenced iron cannons pointed at the ghosts of invading hordes, white flags cracked in the cool stiff breeze. The moon hung low, orange as a ripe gourd.

As I admired this view from the shadows, I sensed someone nearby. I turned to see Robert Parker, the planet’s most famous wine critic – the man some feel has far too much influence over the wine industry – here on his first trip to China.

“Nice wall,” he said.

“Yes,” I answered. “It… uh… displays brilliant hues, and… an elaborate yet tightly constructed body, and.. uh…”

“Hey, I’m the critic!” he interrupted, playfully punching me in the arm. Then he grinned and said, “Want to know a secret?”

I nodded yes.

He started to open his jacket. (Uh oh, I wondered. Is he going to take off his pants and show me why he’s called “Big Bob”?) Instead, he pulled back a jacket flap to reveal – gently nestled in a shoulder holster – a .357 Magnum.

I whistled in astonishment and showed my unparalleled ability to note the obvious: “You have a gun.”

“People always ask how a guy scribbling tasting notes in a Maryland farmhouse can exert such power over the wine world,” he said, thoughtfully fingering the trigger. “The answer is simple: I keep this thing against its collective head.”

“How American,” I said.

As he chuckled at the umpteenth stereotype he had heard that day, I thought back to how I had characterized wine makers and writers who chronically complain about Parker and his points system as whiners. I had missed their calls for help: sorry, Hugh Johnson!

I snapped back to attention as Parker twirled the Magnum in front of me.

“Be careful with that thing!” I warned. “There’s Riedel crystal nearby!”

“Don’t worry,” he said. “This gun isn’t loaded. It never is.”

“You mean…”

“Yes,” he said, with a twinkle in his eyes that equaled that of the stars in the Beijing night. “I’ve been bluffing all along.”

With that, I woke from my dream, or maybe it was from a spell of unconsciousness beneath my table on the Great Wall – my memory is foggy. Long story short, I attended the Robert Parker dinner on Saturday as well as a tasting with him today and will post the details this week.

I will also post about several other wine events held in the last five memorable days, including lunches with Gaia Gaja of (obviously) Gaja and Peter Gago of Penfold’s, a tasting with Marcel and Philippe Guigal of (again, obviously) Guigal, a wine dinner with Grace Vineyard CEO Judy Leissner, the Robert Mondavi tribute by the Friday night wine bunch at Sequoia Cafe, and the inaugural meeting of the International Congress of Chinese Cuisine & Wine.

Photo: MH

Hot on the heels of an executive decision to expand my “hood” - hey, if Champagne producers can do it, why can’t I? – I’m revising my recent list of coffee stop suggestions. I’ve traditionally defined said hood as the Gongti-Sanlitun corridor, but I’m tacking on The Place since it is but a brisk ten-minute walk from my pad near Workers’ Stadium.

That brings into the fold Pacific Coffee, which I visited thrice last week. A friendly and competent staff, strong wireless signal, cozy chairs inside and adequate seating outside, and reasonably priced coffee (RMB19 for a large brew) and food (RMB22 for a toasted Panini with chicken and avocado) make Boyce a happy blogger. The only drawback: going to the toilet requires an elevator trip to the floor above.

Note: The multi-floor Pacific Coffee in Jianwai Soho is also a good wireless option.

See also:

• Grab a java: Coffee in my hood: Cafe St. Laurent, Revelations, Sequoia Cafe, Le Petit Gourmand, and more
• The winter wireless series: Bubble Cafe, Aperitivo, Nearby the Tree, The Bookworm, Sequoia, The Rickshaw; Le Petit Gourmand; The Stone Boat

Look for Gongti-Sanlitun area clubs China Doll (in the 3.3 Building) and Klubb Rouge to open in the first half of next month, while late June is the target at Maison Boulod in The Legation Quarter, which saw its art center open last Saturday night. Meanwhile, the management at Project H20 says it hopes to its new Nali Studio space open in the first week of July. Time is getting tight given there are just over ten weeks until the Olympics…

The Stone Boat will hold a concert this Sunday to raise funds for MercyCorps and its earthquake relief efforts in Sichuan. The music kicks off at 6 PM and the bands include Arrows Made Of Desire, Panjir, Upstepper,  Hanggai, Random K(e), Junglecat, Les Enfants Terrible, Bill Zorn, The Jolly Fellow Uku Band and Mr Mojo. Stone Boat is working with Red T Music and with Thai restaurant Tuk, which will provide finger food, on this event.

For more info, email info@redtmusic.com or jansfield@hotmail.com.

Room 101 is holding a party this Thursday from 7:30 PM to raise funds for the earthquake relief effort in Sichuan, informs reader PM.

The party will feature eight bands, which means nonstop music all night. Patrons are asked to donate a minimum of RMB30 and this, along with a portion of revenue from food and drinks, are to be donated to the Red Cross.

Those who donate RMB100 will receive a T-shirt, while those who donate RMB200 get a “diamond make-up mirror luxury package.”

For more information, call 13401-126-829 / 13581-664-798.

The Bookworm reports that it has gathered more than RMB120,000 and 10 tons of emergency supplies for the Sichuan earthquake relief effort.

“The Bookworm in Chengdu, which is assisting some of those made homeless by the earthquakes, is helping with the efforts to distribute water, medicines, and basic sanitation products such as disinfectants and soap to affected areas. We need your cash donations to buy the supplies to send to people,” states a message from The Bookworm.

“We urge you to make cash donations at any of the three Bookworms, or contact us to arrange a transfer. This project is being coordinated by a large team of Chinese and international volunteers. We absolutely guarantee every penny donated to this fund will go directly to those who need it most. We have an immediate opportunity to help, and we urge you to support.” (For more info, contact Peter Goff at 13671-212-235 / peter@chinabookworm.com).

Also, during China’s three-day mourning period from May 19-21, “public amusements” – which includes concerts and other events – are restricted. Some establishments may close or shorten their operating hours, so it is best to call ahead.

Eight is a lucky number in China, so for each of the 88 days until the 2008 Olympics, I will strip-mine my brain to unearth a thought related to Beijing and The Games. That’s one thought per brain cell. It’s called teamwork, people!

Thought 4 of 88

I did a double-take when I entered The Bookworm earlier this week. I usually hope for a seat at the long tall table near the front and, barring that, a space on one of the sofas out back.

This time? Plenty of choices: there was hardly a soul in the place.

It’s not just The Bookworm – numerous spots I visited this past week had unusually light traffic. Which puts a dent in my theory that Beijing would be awash in customers ahead of the Olympics, with technicians, journalists, team support staff, and so on piling on top of the regular patrons. But instead of fighting for space in some of my favorite places, I’m finding them fairly deserted.

Is everyone too busy to go out? Are people leaving China in droves ahead of the Olympics? Is everyone saving money for Fuwa souvenirs? Or was this just a fluke week?

Note: Two readers added that patronage might be low due to the Sichuan earthquake. That’s possible, but I would think places featuring wireless would see a lot of customers in search of news and being with friends and acquaintances. Also, I should have noted that several owners told me that business has been off at their places for some time, including prior to the earthquake. This was my fifteenth post of the week and I ran out of gas.

Returning to The Bookworm, as I type, I can see a half-dozen DHL vehicles parked out front there to pick up earthquake relief supplies (Jenny Niven says items may be dropped off until 4 PM today (Saturday). See here for a list of what is needed). Kudos to The Bookworm and to Yin Bar, The Wine Republic, Mao Live House (I’ll soon have a write-up about the charity concert there) and others who raised funds.

Boxing up at The Bookworm

Previously

Thought 1: If they build it, we may come
Thought 2: “Whether or not” in Sanlitun
Thought 3: Living the lowlife on Lotus Lane

The Emperor Hotel’s rooftop Yin Bar is donating all revenue from May 13 to May 16 to the earthquake relief effort in Sichuan, so I popped by last night to check out the scene. When I left around midnight, I would guess about 30 to 40 patrons were still there enjoying drinks and music by Acupuncture.

Yin includes a bar, a goldfish pond, and seating on its main level, and table seating (and a hot tub) on two elevated areas that offer excellent views of The Forbidden City and environs. Expect a decor heavy on wood and illuminated with Chinese lanterns and fixed lighting, some of the latter being a bit too bright.

I stuck to Samuel Adams at RMB47 a bottle, a reasonable price given the surroundings (I’d put this place in the same category as Face).

The service gets mixed reviews: while the drinks came quickly, the food took ages (I didn’t eat, but others at my table were unhappy with their order). Overall, though, the staff did a decent job (and special thanks to Stephanie for helping me get a taxi).

Tonight is the last night of the charity fund-raiser and Acupuncture will be on hand again. To get directions to the hotel, call 6526-5566

After five months of renovations, China World Hotel’s Summer Palace restaurant will re-open for business on May 23 26 says Communications Director Diane Fermin.

Classic Cantonese dishes still feature on a menu that now includes Huaiyang cuisine (from southern China). The dim sum lunch also returns – from 11 AM on weekdays and 9 AM on weekends.

Fermin says that while Summer Palace will have “New World” and “Old World” wines, the emphasis will be on French Bordeaux.

The restaurant will hold a “Road to Beijing” wine dinner and charity auction on May 22 (RMB2008), with part of the proceeds going to Care for Children.

The eight-course dinner is a clever pairing of wine with foods associated with cities that have hosted the Olympics. The “2000” course, for example, includes “Sydney rock lobster medallion with black truffle and sea urchin sauce, while the “2008“, not surprisingly, is “Peking duck with crispy skin and 2008-year-old marinade.”

That’s some mighty old marinade!

For more information about the wine dinner, or to book space, call 6505-5838.

Voting is underway for the that’s Beijing 2008 Reader Bar & Club Awards. This year’s ballot includes 24 categories ranging from best happy hour to best cocktails to bar of the year. To vote, go here.

Upcoming Beijing wine-related events

Thursday, May 15, 7:30 PM, Bookworm, RMB180
Australian wine tasting, 6 wines from 3 regions, by The Wine Republic; RSVP at 5869-7050 / events@thewinerepublic.com. (Note: RMB100 of each fee will go to the Red Cross for earthquake relief efforts in Sichuan.)

Friday, May 16, 7-8:30 PM, Bento & Berries (Kerry Centre Hotel), free
Henry Bourgeois wine tasting, by Top Cellar; RSVP with Cedric at marketing@topcellar.com.cn / 13439-467-514.

Friday, May 16, 6:30 PM, Sequoia Cafe (Sanlitun), RMB 100
Languedoc tasting, with 5 red wines; RSVP with Frank at 13701-178-073.

Thursday, May 22, 7 PM, Summer Palace (China World), RMB2008
“Road to Beijing” wine dinner and charity auction, 8 Chinese food-French wine pairings; auction of sports art and memorabilia (part of proceeds to Care for Children); RSVP at 6505-5838.

Thursday, May 22, 7 PM, Sheraton Great Wall Hotel (21F), RMB588
Grace Vineyard wine dinner, with Grace President Judy Leissner; by Torres China, RSVP with Sophie at sophie@torres.com.cn.

Thursday, May 22, 7-10 PM, Cafe Europa, RMB180
“Four continents” tasting, with NZ, US, French wines, and finger foods; RSVP Joseph Kiang at Cafe Europa @5869 5663 / 13910-097-621.

Thursday, May 22, 6:30 PM, Le Little Saigon, RMB70
Loire Valley wine tasting, with 7 wines and buffet; RSVP with Raphael at 13520-795-172 or raphael@bylweb.com.

Friday, May 23, 7 PM, Aria (China World Hotel), RMB1288
Guigal wine dinner, with 7 wines and wine makers Philippe and Marcel Guigal; RSVP with Danny at Aria (6505-2266, x36 / danny.kane@shangri-la.com) or Helen at ASC (6587-3803 / homedelivery@asc-wines.com).

Friday, May 23, 7-9 PM, Cellar Le Pinot, RMB50
“Wine & Lady” tasting party, with four wines; RSVP at 8515-1715 / zhoumeixing@lepinot.com

Saturday, May 24, Great Wall of China, RMB15888
Robert Parker wine dinner, by ASC; food by Blu Lobster; 8 wines rated 94+ by Parker; RSVP with Adam Steinberg at adamsteinberg@asc-wines.com.

Tuesday, May 28, 7 PM, Blu Lobster, RMB988
Alain Chabanon wine dinner, with winery owner Alain Chabanon, by East Meets West; RSVP with Blu Lobster (8882-6727) or EMW (6445-5797).

Friday, May 30, 7-8:30 PM, Bento & Berries (Kerry Centre Hotel), free
Deutz Champagne tasting, by Top Cellar; RSVP with Cedric at marketing@topcellar.com.cn / 13439-467-514.

Tuesday, June 3, 4-8 PM, 1949: The Hidden City, RMB150
Global wine extravaganza, with leaders from 20 wineries – Joseph Phelps, Seghesio, Trimbach, Meerlust , Santa Rita, etc; by ASC; RSVP with Helen at helenlu@asc-wines.com.

Saturday, June 14, 3-6 PM, Ritz-Carlton Financial Street, RMB120
The Culinary Coin Festival, with free-flow Champagne / wine, coffee, chocolate, and more.

Saturday, June 14, 7-10 PM, Greenfish (Ritz-Carlton Financial Street), RMB2008
Dinner with Volker Drkosch, 1-star Michelin chef; RSVP at 6601-6666.

Saturday, June 14, 7-10 PM, Cepe (Ritz-Carlton Financial Street), RMB2008
Dinner with Claudio Sadlerm, Michelin star chef; RSVP at 6601-6666.

Saturday, June 14, 7-10 PM, Qi (Ritz-Carlton Financial Street), RMB2008
Dinner with Eric M. Johnson, from Shanghai’s Jean George; RSVP at 6601-6666.

Note: To get a wine event listed, send event info, preferably in text format, to beijingboyce@yahoo.com. If you intend to attend any of the above events, it is best to confirm with the venue ahead of time.

Eight is a lucky number in China, so for each of the 88 days until the 2008 Olympics, I will strip-mine my brain to unearth a thought related to Beijing and The Games. That’s one thought per brain cell. It’s called teamwork, people!

Thought 3 of 88

Getting hounded by a dozen or more “lady bar, lady bar“, “happy hour, cheap drink” and other touts while walking the Sanlitun North strip is as annoying as the Beijing bar scene gets, right?

Actually, Sanlitun slides into second place when compared to Houhai’s Lotus Lane last night around 11 PM. Here are a few highlights of my visit there with The Cellar Rat:

- Lady bar touts, including one who grabbed my arm, following uncomfortably close and shouting “massage! sex!” and “lady come to room!”

- Restaurant employees dragging bags of stinking leaking garbage across the sidewalk, thereby leaving streaks for everyone to walk through.

- In-your-face “salespeople” repeatedly shouting “hello, hello!” and “looka, looka!” in a persistent effort to sell those hand-held laser beams, one of which was shone near my face.

Classy.

Most annoying is that Lotus Lane has such potential. Lying beside the lake and with ample outdoor seating, it offers a nice view. Some of the restaurants serve good food. Some of the clubs make an effort – Buffalo had a decent jazz combo playing last night.

Unfortunately, none of them got our money. We decided to leave rather than deal with a smelly street loaded with rude pushy touts.

One hopes that for the Olympics, the authorities will either: 1) clear out the touts, 2) arm tourists with tasers and mace so they can do the job themselves, 3) or provide a sales primer which underscores that yelling “looka, looka” and shining a high-powered beam of light into someone’s face is unlikely to make them a potential customer.

Previously

Thought 1: If they build it, we may come
Thought 2: “Whether or not” in Sanlitun

The Emperor Hotel announced that it will donate all income earned from May 13 to May 16 at its Yin Bar to the Red Cross Society of China for earthquake relief in Sichuan. On May 15 and May 16, Acupuncture Records will spin tunes from 9:30 PM at Yin, which offers a stunning view of The Forbidden City. The hotel will hold a charity dinner at its Shi restaurant on March 16. (Call 6523-6877 for more info.)

Tonight (May 14) sees bands The Verse, Rando(m), Sand and IC Girlband team up at Mao Live House for an earthquake relief fund-raiser. The show is slated for 8:30 PM and entry is RMB50. (Call 6402-5080 for more information.)

Finally, tomorrow night (May 15), The Wine Republic will hold a tasting of six Australian wines at The Bookworm, starting at 7:30 PM, and donate RMB100 of each RMB180 entrance fee to the Red Cross Society of China. (RSVP at 5869-7050 /  events@thewinerepublic.com.)