I met Mikey D on Sunday night, not only because it had been months since we last had a drink together, but also because I sensed he was depressed that his favorite sport, curling, is not part of the Summer Olympics (at least I know what to get him for his birthday). Anyway, the itinerary:
Face: This is a nice place to relax, whether inside the arty bar and lounge or outside on the tranquil deck where a wall of bamboo nicely cuts off the world. Happy hour is from 5:30-8 PM, with 50 percent off house drinks and Carlsberg – that translates into RMB27.5 for an OK Gin Tonic. Seven PM on Sunday saw a light crowd.
Centro: A light crowd here, too, though the place bustled by the time we left about 10:30 PM. I had a glass of red wine, Mikey D had a Gin Tonic, and we got the cheapest cigars on the menu at RMB100 (this is the first combustible material I’ve had in my mouth in months and, given how queasy I got near the end of it, likely the last for a while). The five-man band played upbeat tunes at a volume that made talking possible.
Q Bar: I’ve been ending up here a lot of late. I had a Horse Neck (Bourbon, ginger ale, lemon), while TVG joined us and had a Gin Tonic. The place looked moderately full, but a head count of the inside area and the deck revealed 64 patrons. Sixty-four patrons each paying RMB50 or more per drink on a Sunday night – tell me this place isn’t printing money. By the way, Q Bar has added RMB5 to RMB10 to the price of its drinks.
The Den: We all felt the need to strap on a feedbag and headed for the longstanding home of late-night fuel. Hamburgers topped with fried eggs did the trick – for the carb conscious, this isn’t a bad choice if you drop the bun and those oh-so-tasty fries. By the way, The Den also has a RMB45 lunch special that includes your choice of more than a dozen main courses and a drink. The chef’s salad offers good value.
See also:
Weekend Wrap 1
Weekend Wrap II
Yep, the fries at The Den are oh so good!
Funny how the world works…The Den used to be THE place to dance in Beijing…about ten years ago…and then along came Club Vogue to claim that mantle.
Now, The Den looks as if it has absorbed the Maggie’s crowd.
curl this, buddy!