Beijing Boyce

Books is learning and learning means Teacher's.

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You wouldn’t expect a place that serves as bookshop and lending library, seminar spot and gift shop, restaurant and café to have dozens of whiskies, but The Bookworm does (map). The bar typically stocks more than 30 whiskeys, ranging from basic bourbons and scotches to pricier single malts, and includes one from Wales. And given the place has everything from restaurant-style seating to sofas to high chairs, you can pretty much enjoy them in any position, including, I suppose, while spread out in the rooftop garden. Standard whiskies such as Famous Grouse, Jameson, Johnnie Walker Black and Jim Beam start at RMB25 to RMB30, with single malts – including Macallan and Glenfiddich – at a reasonable RMB35.

See also:

Massive private collection and 1938 single malt tasting

Ben Shaw and the ’small world’ of single malts

Whiskey week: Q Bar, single malts, and cocktails

Can I make a request? No? OK...

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Reggae fans in Beijing have more to groove to with the addition of two regular events – one new and one restarted – as well as an upcoming gig. Here is a reggae lineup for the next four nights:

Thursday
New Sanlitun Studio joint Kick holds its weekly “Reggae Vibration” from 9 PM with Meiwenti Sound. Entry is free.

Friday
Longstanding reggae bar Together (map) has, well, reggae every day.

Saturday
Afrokoko Roots plays at Ginkgo (map), the music including, according to the poster, “reggae classics with Fela Kuti style.” From 10 PM – entry is free.

Sunday
Obiwan (map) restarts its “Rooftop Reggae Sunday” – 5 PM to midnight, with Meiwenti Sound. Includes a BBQ – while food lasts. Held the first and third Sundays of each month.

“There hasn’t been an opening this big since the Olympics,” opined Mr. Brau a few moments ago as he mulled over the launch of Club Juicy Spot (map) tonight. Well, that might be going a bit too far, but this place – in the former Pepper venue on Chaoyang West – has a memorable name, an earthy interior that features old wood and bricks, a decent deck, and a stated focus on hip hop, at least downstairs – sounds a bit like TUN meets Bling. The party starts at 9 PM and features free Sangria until 2 AM. (Click here for some pre-opening pics of the club as well as for the worst rap song ever written.)

The long-awaited Sanlitun Village branch of Hatsune (map) opens to the public on Friday. Japanese food fans can find it beside Element Fresh and behind Union Bar & Grille.

The annual Carrefour spring wine fair kicks off Friday night in the Shuangjing branch (map). The opening night provides customers the chance to try hundreds of mostly entry-level wines from 6 PM to midnight and to take home bottles at a 20 percent discount. It is arguably the best free public tasting of wine in Beijing, though given what happened at the last one, I hope they have the glass, spittoon, and pricing issues figured out.

See also:
By / buy the case: Carrefour 2008 April Wine Fair
Carrefour wine fair picks: Southern exposure

After beefing up for the cold Beijing winter, I need to add just a few more pounds to fill out the back of my Speedo when I hit the beach this summer, so good news that City Weekend is holding Gourmet Month. The magazine has arranged deals at dozens of restaurants, including many high-end spots about town.

If you have yet to visit Chi’enmen 23, formerly known as The Legation Quarter, this is a good opportunity. Maison Boulud (map) has a four-course meal – with choice of spring pea soup or pate selection, nine-herb ravioli or “Katafi” crusted salmon, braised lamb shoulder or Coq au Vin, and apple tart or chocolate trio – for RMB250. Next door, Italian restaurant Sadler (map) has a three-course menu – with choice of spaghetti with sea urchin and ricotta or lasagna with duck ragout, braised beef cheek or turbot, and lemon tart spicy chocolate cake – for RMB250. And Agua (map) has a four-course meal – with appetizer, daily catch, braised beef check, and dessert – again, for RMB250.

Gourmet Month also features a four-course meal at Brasserie Flo (map) for RMB150, a choice of three-course meals at Cafe Sambal (map) for RMB99, or a three-course set menu, including matching wines, at L’Isola (map) for RMB150.  See here for all of the deals.

I wanted to post the following on April Fool’s Day, but couldn’t reach the subject in question – Chad Lager – to make sure he was OK with it. I finally had him take a look, he gave the go-ahead, and so here it is – frankly, I could see this happening in reality…

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Best known as former manager of The Rickshaw and TUN, Chad Lager will be calling (and pouring) the shots next week when he finally opens his own spot – Lady Bar.

“I hate those ‘Sir, lady bar, massage!’ touts in Sanlitun, so I decided to beat them at their own game,” he jokes. “Next time they come at me, I’m going to be all like, ‘Hey, I own Lady Bar, so Lady Bar this [he makes a rude gesture involving hip gyrations].”

Lager notes three things that will make Lady Bar special. First, the place has a small brewery that will produce – you guessed it – Chad’s Lager. “We can make 200 liters per batch and I will personally taste test each one at least a dozen times to ensure quality,” he says.

He also plans to replicate – with a twist – the Friday ladies night he made a success at TUN. This one will target what  he calls “ladies who like other ladies.”

“The concept fits our name,” says Lager, who adds that free drinks will be given to anyone of the fairer sex. “You don’t have to be lesbian to enjoy the freebies because we have no way to prove if you are gay or not.” Lager adds that lesbians are also allowed at Lady Bar on other days of the week. “They can come any time. That’s what I’m about that.”

Lager also points with pride to the restrooms, which had been sore points at the previous bars he has managed. The facilities include not only squatters, sitters, and urinals, but also a bidet that he bought from a close French friend. “These are all tried and tested,” he says, pointing at the gleaming porcelain. “When it comes to toilets, I like to keep my options open.”