Beijing Boyce

It’s zaijian to mojitos and ni hao to margaritas as Fubar in Workers Stadium mixes things up for its monthly RMB1 drinks event. Since April, the deal has been RMB1 mojito martinis from 6 PM to 8 PM on the first day of each month. On August 1, Fubar will instead serve what co-owner Chad Lager calls an “Australian margarita”.* It includes 50 ml of pepperberry vodka, 25 ml each of pineapple gin and triple sec, and lime cordial blended with ice (dingoberry garnish still to be confirmed). That’s August 1, same time (6 PM to 8 PM), same place (Fubar).

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* Why did Lager decide on “Australian” margaritas for August 1? Is it because on that day in 1949, the Snowy Mountains Authority came into being and resulted in a hydroelectricity and irrigation project covering more than 5,000 square kilometers of New South Wales? Is it because this date is closest to that on which Arthur Stace, who chalked the word “eternity” on the pathways of Sydney for 35 years, died? Or is it because the vodka and the gin used in this margarita are from Tasmania? I fear we shall never know…

A heads up for fans of Mosto: the third-floor Nali Patio restaurant will close for renovations for a week, from Sunday, August 1 to Monday, August 9. Meanwhile, the team is aiming to open the second establishment, Modo, on the third floor of Sanlitun Village in early August. Says Oscar Teran, who is handling the PR for the two places, the furniture is in place and the menu is nearly finished.

Everyone and his brother wanted to join.

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Members club The Apartment is slated to reopen in mid-August under the same name, says a source involved in the project. On the top floor of Tongli Studio, across from the entrance to Kokomo, The Apartment opened last year with 25 founding “flatmates” who were given access to everything from private parties to the bar fridge to the laser printer and who could recommend others as members. Membership grew from 25 to 85 but joining soon became “a cool thing to do” and went against the spirit of the project, says the source.  The idea is to reopen it as more of a drinking club. An increased number of people would have access to the place via the thumbprint lock but becoming a “flatmate”, which includes benefits such as discounts, would involve a stricter process. Well, and both these pics are from that movie, maybe not Animal House strict …

So the rules will become a wee bit stricter.

Sea urchins!

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Quick quiz: The favorite foods of NBA star Kevin Garnett are: a) sea urchin, tuna tartar, and halibut linguine, or b) hamburgers, french fries, and pizza?

If you answered b), you know your Boston Celtics. But if you want to see him possibly eat a), you are in luck, because Room Beijing will host “an evening with NBA Star Kevin Garnett” on August 1 from 7 PM. The dinner also includes everything from pot-roasted black cod to the restaurant’s well-known “fruit tree” dessert (see menu here). It starts at 7 PM, costs RMB688 (plus 10 percent, does not include drinks), and will be followed by an after-party at 10 PM with DJ Wordy. For reservations, call 8517-2033.

Soon with more hand-spiced pepperoni...

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While that superb two-for-one pizza deal at Gung Ho ends this Saturday, there is good news for those who have become fans of these pies but think they will be too expensive at regular prices: As of Sunday, Gung Ho will increase its pizza sizes, but keep the same regular prices.

The large will go from 12 inches to 14 inches, making it slightly more than a third bigger, says Gung Ho’s Rich Akers. And the medium will go from 9 inches to 11 inches, which by my calculations makes it about 50 percent bigger. These guys couldn’t have planned it better.

I’ve ordered a dozen pizzas since Gung Ho opened three weeks ago and this added value means more four-cheese pies will be coming my way. For the menu, see here.

(Because my brain is on slow today, I asked two wordsmiths sitting nearby–Andy B and K Square–to help with the title of this post. Their ideas included, “An extra two inches do matter”, “the Ho just got bigger”, and “Forget 7-ELEVEN, it’s nine to eleven”. It’s nice to have friends.)

A handful of restaurants/bars are on the verge of opening on the third floor of Sanlitun Village, though some of the projects have teetered on that edge for a quite a while due, say numerous sources, to administrative issues (factor #157 to be considered by anyone who thinks it would be “fun” to open a place). Construction is also under way in the northeast corner, though I am not sure what is going in there. Anyway, here are the five spots that barring any more delays should be open within the next month, some of them possibly within the next week:

• Flamme: A two-floor grill in the former Peppe’s Pizza location. The set-up team includes Dev Raturi (formerly of Meat & Wine), Jeffrey Powell (The Orchard and Element Fresh, among other places), and Paul Mathew (see www.bloodandsand.com). It looks pretty much finished and could be open within the next week.
• Modo: The second establishment by Daniel Urdaneta and Alex Molina of Mosto, next door in Nali Patio, its closest neighbors are Toni & Guy and Karaiya Spice House. See here for more details.
• Stumble Inn: The second edition of the former subterranean pub on Lucky Street, the project is headed by Glenn Phelan and Shane Neill and is in the former Double Coffee space. The sign is now up and the operation has a customized company vehicle–look for a bright yellow motorcycle with sidecar zooming around Sanlitun.
• Queen’s: Beijing branch of the Hong Kong outfit of the same name, this large project is headed by Susanna Tang and includes a bakery, cafe, numerous dining areas, and a wine bar. Located on the south side between Karaiya and Ganges. See here for more details.
• Leaf: On the west side, it will feature Korean beef barbecue. The place has a Korean chef and aims to open within the next week. A nice decor, with plush charcoal gray seating.

Photo courtesy of Jonah Kessel (jonahkessel.com)

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Last week’s post by Sarah Peel about her top five places to get coffee in Beijing inspired others to recommend spots. Here are a few, including the Twitter IDs of those making the recommendations.

“Best coffee in Beijing. Cafe Excuse @ Drum Tower. Go there before  Gulou is ‘redeveloped.’ Get to know the owners and staff.” – @gadyepstein

“I recommend the coffee (and homemade ginger ale) at Alba. Great place to work, and very nice people.” – @bokane, seconded by @lhiver

“Meet @ftcoffee. They ship. It’s cheap, it’s delicious, it’s from Yunnan. You can thank me later.” @mark_e_evans

“Jamaica Blue. Good quality coffee and they remember my previous order — syrup and no milk — but confirm to make sure I want it that way again.” – @ksquare77

I’m not an aficionado, and generally seek spots to work while drinking my java, but I’ll give a shout to the American coffee–no sugar, no cream–at The Bookworm. It has a slight bitterness, comes in a pretty big mug, and offers decent value at RMB20. Speaking of value, it is hard to beat the bottomless cup for RMB22 at Union Bar & Grille (RMB10 if you are adding it to the set menu at lunch).

The second post in the Beijing Photo Five series of pics that I want to share and don’t fit elsewhere. See also: Dita von Teese, Pee Monkey tribute*, stairway to nowhere.

Gin-tastic: An Alfonso Special at George's bar.

Can't see the taster for the wine: New Zealand vs France event.

Electric sashimi: A plate in a Park Hyatt function room.

Tasting in progress: 2010 Grape Wall Challenge at Maison Boulud.

Egg-cellent: Lunch at Maison Boulud during Grape Wall Challenge.

Forbes published a story titled Asia’s Most Expensive Cup Of Coffee that claims, based on data from a Mercer survey, that our fair city has the highest price for java (my highlights):

China’s massive capital city tops our list of where you’ll find the 20 most expensive cups of coffee in Asia. According to data from consultancy Mercer’s annual cost-of-living study, a cup of coffee plus tip from a reputable global brand can run a java-drinker $7.17 in Beijing, population 14 million. Other cities where a cup of joe costs more than five bucks include Hong Kong, Taipei, Seoul, Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, and four more mainland Chinese cities: Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang and Shenzhen.

I read this while sipping a “bottomless” cup of coffee in the cozy confines of Union Bar & Grille in Beijing. Price: RMB20. In fact, I can name a dozen places within a five-minute walk–and where I am in Sanlitun is not by any means the cheapest area of the city–where I can get a coffee for less than RMB30. And where the staff would be surprised by any attempt to leave a “tip“, especially at a “reputable global brand” such as Starbucks.

Could I find a cup for RMB50 if I wanted to? Sure. But that’s not the point, at least given how Forbes describes Mercer’s research methodology:

If, for example, there is no Starbucks in a certain location–like Karachi, Pakistan–researchers will take into account the price of a cup of coffee at an upscale hotel, [Mercer's Marie-Laurence] Sepede says.

Beijing does have Starbucks outlets, plenty of them, and the average coffee is nowhere near RMB50. And even if it didn’t have Starbucks, how would an “upscale hotel“–where a coffee can cost more than RMB50–be an effective substitute? I dunno…

Ironically, I’m just about to put a post by coffee lover Sarah Peel about the five top spots to get a coffee in Beijing. In 10, 9, 8..

During the past few years on this blog, dozens of Beijing residents have agreed to list their five favorite places to grab a drink in the city. For a change of pace, this edition is switching from cocktails to coffee as Sarah Peel, known to many for her work with Kindermusik, tells us her top five spots to get a cup of Joe in Beijing. As the cream on top, she provides some links for those who want to get locally grown or ground coffee.

“I love everything about coffee. The smell, the taste, the feel of a hot mug in my hands, the ritual of making it, the endless varieties of pots and cups, and most importantly the kick in the pants it gives me to get through the day. At home I have no less than five different pots I use, and I keep three to four kinds of coffee in the house at all times.

“I’m not a snob about coffee. I’ll drink almost anything that purports to be coffee as long as it is not sweet. That said, the instant packet stuff is swill, and should be done away with for the good of humanity. If you’ve got a source of boiling water, you can have fresh French-pressed coffee in two minutes. But I digress…

“The one delicious form of coffee brewing I have never attempted is espresso. As far as I can tell, it’s a bit of an art to do it well. It also requires expensive equipment I’d rather rent the use of by the cup than buy outright. Since I’ve been lucky enough in my life to avoid the Barrista Rotation so far, here are some of my favourite places to grab a cup of joe around Beijing.

“Café Zarah (Gulou Dong Da Jie)

“This is the gold standard for espresso in Beijing, and my favourite cafe. The café is à la française, offering the smoothest cup, perfect milk foams and, even better, the option right there on the menu to add ice cream or Bailey’s to your coffee. Great location near the Jiaodaokou, the café is comfortable, relaxed, and populated by one of the most interesting mixes of people in Beijing.  Indoor and outdoor seating are both quite limited. Be prepared to wait for a table any time of day.

“Sculpting In Time (locations include Lido and Xueyuan Lu, opposite Beijing Normal University)

“The food at S.I.T. is rather hit or miss, and varies greatly by location, but their Illy coffee is strong and reasonably priced.  Every branch is a little different, but they all feature movie posters, wooden tables, cheerful if wildly inconsistent service, and iffy wifi connections. The location opposite Beijing Normal University is beautiful, light and airy, built into the second floor of the University of Aeronautics & Astronautics Gymnasium.

“Storygarden Café (Xizhimen)

“From the outside, this seems like an odd collection of café meets library meets trinket sale. Somehow it all comes together to be a quirky little place that serves some great lattes. Known for its Saturday coffee schools, Peka Kucha-like salon offerings, and Beta Camps, this is the not-so-secret hangout of a lot of Beijing’s young social media / web 2.0 crowds. Think social justice meets the Internet for a cup of coffee. Fun staff and great cast of local characters. Bring your laptop if you want to fit in. Indoor and outdoor seating.

“Element Fresh (Lido and Saniltun locations)

“I think the coffee at Element Fresh often gets overlooked in favour of its (quite rightly) popular fresh juice, smoothies, and even cocktails.  Worth checking out the caffeinated part of the menu, especially as their organic house blend is a really decent cup of plain old North American style brewed coffee. Plus, the mug is bottomless if you get it with one of their breakfast specials, which are excellent value for money.

“As for the espresso options, they’re tasty and huge! Regular espresso-based drinks like lattes or cappuccinos have two shots, large ones have three, giving you more kick for your money. I find the milk a little sweet here (UTH perhaps?) and usually stick to the brewed coffee. Nice design even if the restaurants do get loud when they are full, and the patios at both locations are gems. Indoor and outdoor seating.

“Costa Coffee (various mall locations)

“If coffee has to be takeout, this is the place.  Their tag line is “Italian About Coffee” which I translate to mean “We serve really really good coffee and just happen to put it in a paper cup 80 percent of the time.” Sure, when it comes right down to it, Costa offers the same features of the infamous green chain from Seattle, but it’s the little things that make a huge difference. They use organic Wonder Milk rather than UTH packs, the staff appears to actually know quite a bit about coffee, and best of all, they hand deliver. Not cheap, but the quality is there.

“Parting shots:

“Best value for money on coffee is the weekday FREE bottomless cups of coffee at Ikea in Wangjing. Show your Ikea Family Card (also free), and then go to town. If this place had wifi I would never leave. Even without the card, it’s just RMB6. The coffee is passable, just like the atmosphere, and hey, the place is non-smoking!

“When all else fails, I hit Starbucks just like everybody else. I don’t really like their coffee, but it’s easy to find and very consistent. They also sell the best steel mugs anywhere. Get yourself one, then feed your addiction on the go with home brewed or decent takeout coffee.

“Local Chinese coffees are fine and sometimes even fantastic. Mostly grown in Yunnan, or roasted here using imported beans, they offer lots of tasty ways to feed your habit without shelling out for imports. Here are some to try:

• Arabica Roasters
• Uganda Crane Coffee
• Shangri-la Farms
• Jade Emu

I realize Terra will likely make a splash–or, given the citrus factor, should that be a squirt?–for its ceviche, but this place also has a nice beverage menu. There are eight wines by the glass–four red, three white, and one sparkling–starting at RMB38, while the by-the-bottle list, starting at RMB238, is compact yet fairly comprehensive. It includes quite a few bottles I’ve actually tried and either liked or found interesting, including Seresin Chardonnay from New Zealand, Vasse Felix Cabernet-Merlot and Hewitson “Gun Metal” Riesling from Australia, and Symphony Series Muscat from Grace Vineyard in Shanxi.

The beer list is modest, though word is it will soon expand, and ranges from Bombardier at RMB28 to Stella at RMB48 per pint to Estrella Inedit in a 750-milliliter Champagne-style bottle at RMB98. As for cocktails, they start at RMB58 and, along with concoctions like passion fruit mojitos and lemon grass martinis, include some drinks launched earlier this year when the affiliated Salt opened its deck, including the Slim Green (Hendrick’s gin, cucumber juice, grapefruit juice, basil, and basil syrup).

While Terra is in the former Rickshaw space, there is little resemblance to that former bar and restaurant, given the gutting of the building during renovations.  Downstairs includes an open kitchen, bar, and a few tables, while upstairs includes a longer bar and space for bigger groups. Expect lots of black, white, and dark wood, a few industrial touches such as the metal floor, and two colorful mirrored backdrops–heavy on metallic green and sepia–behind the bar. As for the exterior, I expect there will be a lot of love-it-or-hate-it reactions. The idea was to have something contemporary and it does kind of work in conjunction with Sanlitun Village and Sanlitun Soho, though opinions at the launch party on Sunday ranged from “modern” and “cutting edge” to “looks covered in graffiti” and “Mandarin Oriental-esque.”

Speaking of the launch party, I have been to a few of these during my time but this one drew a lot of longer-term expatriates and it was fun to hear about the food and beverage scene in the years before I moved to Beijing, especially given we were fueled by free-flow wine, cocktails, and beer.

Terra is open as of tomorrow.

The photos…

First floor

Second floor bar

Second floor before opening

Second floor after opening

The exterior: Terra-iffic or Terra-ble?

Looks like that second floor space on the south side of Tongli Studio has seen its last dance following the departure of the third in a trio of clubs–China Doll, Club China Doll, and White Rabbit. One investor told me the plan is to reopen it as “Jaison’s” and with a “loft apartment” theme, complete with kitchen (the bar will be an island in the center), bedroom (you won’t get yelled at for leaving crumbs on the 300-count sheets here), fireplace area (measuring some 15 feet wide), and more. The investor cited “home entertaining” as the inspiration and said the drinks will include standards like martinis and old-fashioneds while the food will be the kind of stuff you would whip up for friends, such as macaroni and cheese or a stir fry. The slated opening is for mid-August.

Some 30 Twitter users gathered at George’s (map) last Wednesday for a night of martinis and pizza. Proprietor George Zhou priced all martinis at RMB30 for this “tweet up” while Gung Ho provided a dozen pizzas, including four “carnivore“, four chicken, Camembert, and black currant, and four pesto pies. Below are a few photos–yeah, I know  my future as a professional photographer is dim–and some Twitter feedback about the pizzas. (Note: That two-for-one deal at Gung Ho ends on July 31.)

Life is a blur...

View from the bar

View from the loft

View from the pie cam

Twitter feedback (I’ve edited some of these for clarity since, unlike on Twitter, I am not limited to 140 characters per message):

• “Small and tasty… like Tom Cruise”
• “Couldn’t think of what to eat tonight, inspired by last night figured I’d have more Gung Ho, good stuff…”
• “Will definitely recommend as well as order now – their pizza was new to me. Loved the pesto pizza.”
• “I ate late & agree they don’t taste fantastic cold, though could tell toppings are good quality. Would recommend to friends. Please thank them.”
• “The bar owners should like it, moves lots of beer! Am disappointed to find out that I lived just outside their delivery zone“
• “Love their chicken Camembert with wine soaked blackcurrants. The other meat one you liked was too salty for me”
• “Boysenberry, wild pheasant, and Crotin de Chavignol, or something like that. Tasted like fancy on a crust.”
• “Good pizza. I actually liked the frou frou one with wolf berries and Chabichou du Poitou cheese, or whatevertheheckitwas.”
• “Gung Ho pizza is solid. I don’t think I’d ever turn down a slice of that stuff. Pepperoni and smoked pork my favorites.”

Terra, the new project by the team at Salt, is slated to open this Sunday night in the former Rickshaw space on Sanlitun South (more details here).

Union Bar & Grille is selling its remaining Mumm’s Champagne at a discount: RMB499 per bottle. Union also just introduced two salad and wine pairings, with the vino coming from The Wine Republic.

The story is over for Garden Books in Beijing as it has closed its branch above Sequoia Cafe near Ritan Park. Look for that space, and half of Sequoia Cafe downstairs, to revert to a restaurant (it previously housed Tim’s Texas BBQ and before that John Bull Pub).

The new Purple Haze has a “toss the boss” promotion, though it does not involve chucking the owners about. Instead, you flip coins against the staff for a chance at a discount of 50 percent off drinks.

Something is happening at the bar formerly known as Pink, but I’m not sure what. I saw two guys inside and asked them about the project. One said it was going to be a lounge. Then, after some whispering, the other said it would be a clothing store that also served food.

Finally, via SMS from music man Jon Campbell, “Tonight at Kolegas will be like nothing you’ve ever seen. Prins Nitram one-man multimedia show with close! RMB50.” Repeat, Thursday night is clones night at 2 Kolegas…

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In this edition of “top five watering holes“, self-described “serial wanderer, computer geek, yoga nerd, and language nut” Marc Wandschneider lists his favorite places to have a drink in Beijing. Wandschneider, in the “53rd month of his ‘about 6 months’ stay in Beijing”, says he has developed an appreciation for well-made drinks. His top five….

“Q Bar

“This bar remains my favorite place for mixed drinks in Beijing. The quality of the cocktails served is consistently the highest, and I have yet to find a better Caipirinha anywhere else I have been (I even unsuccessfully spent an evening jumping around Brazilian bars in New York looking for one as good). The outdoor patio area opened in 2009 is a wonderful place to hang out with friends and while away an evening; the interior decoration is modern and tasteful. Two-for-one martini Wednesday nights (now actually “roughly half-price martini” night) remain a favorite event on my schedule.

“My one complaint with Q Bar is that in colder seasons when the outdoor patio is closed, the music inside the bar is unbearably loud making it impossible to chat with friends. While this is good business –can’t talk? drink more–it’s annoying.

“Fubar

“Chad Lager’s new establishment in the Worker’s Stadium is just a fun bar to hang out in with friends. While the quality of drinks maybe isn’t as high as the level set by Q Bar, they are definitely solid, and this place might very well have Beijing’s most relaxed atmosphere. There are always plenty of fun events (such as 1 RMB vodka mojitos on the first of the month), and there is always somebody you know there. Consider it Beijing’s upscale “Cheers”.

“Having the bar hidden behind a hot dog stand window front makes it extremely convenient to get a snack if you suddenly develop a case of the munchies after a few drinks. Just be sure to check before visiting Fubar if there’s an event at Workers Stadium. Getting to the bar will suddenly get difficult.

“Reef

“In the olden days (2007), Nanluoguxiang was a small hutong with a few cafés and bars and preciously few tourists. Sometime in 2008, some friends made me aware of Reef bar on the north end of the strip, and we would blow entire evenings there drinking 10 RMB beers and playing that dice-counting game. The owners will make other drinks (I had a sip of a mojito once and it was nice), but it’s easy to spend an evening downing Qingdao’s finest “bing huang cha“.

“The owners are always there, and happy to down a few drinks with you. Throw in the fact that you can order chuan’r from a few doors down, and you have the recipe for a perfect local evening. The expansion in 2009 that effectively doubled the space made for a welcome respite from the previously ridiculous overcrowding. Fortunately the hordes of tourists seem to stick to the venues further down the alley, leaving this place alone with that old Nanluoguxiang feel to it.

“12SQM

“Run by an Aussie, I only started frequenting this place because of a Kiwi friend of mine who visits the bar regularly. Actually starting out with a space of twelve square metres, I never went because it was too small. Now that it has nearly tripled in size, I find myself liking the place much more, and the interior decoration is warm. Throw in a friendly owner and his firecracker of a wife who both mix good drinks, a good beer selection, and great location, and you can’t go wrong with this place.

“Bridge

“While not quite a bar, the always-open Bridge Café up in Wudaokou (literally 250 meters away from the subway station) is one of my favorite places in Beijing to pass any amount of time. The cocktails and beers here are reasonably priced and of decent quality, but the real reason to come is for the (post-drinking?) coffee.

“With plenty of space and tables spread over three floors (one of which is nonsmoking), good Internet connectivity, and tons of options for snacking or even full-on dining, you it’s a good place for either business or pleasure. A people-watching paradise.

“Honourable mentions

“Salud in Nanluoguxiang has brilliant spiced rums for 20 RMB that are both tasty and a good deal. The environment is pleasant and the atmosphere is vibrant.

“Le Petit Gourmand in Tongli Studios again doesn’t quite qualify as a bar, but has great wine, coffees, and food, and is just a nice place to relax and chat while sipping a drink.

Dishonourable mention

“I can’t finish this off without a big “bite me” to D-Lounge, which started out with so much potential, but has since brought all the worst aspects of New York- or LA-style “Sorry, private party tonight” queuing to Beijing. This city doesn’t need that kind of crap.

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Listen up Penfold’s: You’ve had 166 years to build a market in China, and while you may well believe in things like decent viticulture and quality control, don’t you think it’s time to give someone else a chance? For example, an up-and-comer such as Benfold’s?

I don’t know from where in Barossa–or Guangzhou as the case may be–this wine hails, but it comes with a catchy and almost familiar name and logo as well as a  “lirm taunin finish“. For those into food and wine pairing, it is an “excellent accompeniment to red mears, game and cheese”. And give its copy credit for driving people to drink: “thusethat beld theprevicus vinrage of Benfolds Grange.” I bet that makes sense after you finish your third or fourth bottle.

(This photo is of a bag distributed at a wine trade show in China. Hat tip to TCR. And I wouldn’t be surprised if a wine called “Schmenfold’s” did pop up.)

Update: Given the recent bid on Foster’s wine business, maybe this April Fool’s post about a joint Australia-China label featuring a hugging panda and koala wasn’t so far-fetched.

(Follow me on Twitter at Beijing Boyce or on Facebook here. See also sibling site Grape Wall of China).

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Four years ago this week, way back when I weighed 30 pounds less, could get by on three hours sleep, and had a Beijing bars e-newsletter instead of a blog, I wrote a piece called “Something about Sanlitun“. This was ~18 months after the end of south bar street and I stated that “Sanlitun has emerged stronger and more diverse than ever“. As evidence, I cited 20 bars, restaurants, and clubs, including a few not strictly in Sanlitun but easily accessible from the area. Given how often people cite the high turnover rate of bars and restaurants, I thought it would be interesting to see how many of those places are still going.

“1. The Tree — Arguably the best pizza in town, nicely washed down with Belgian beer.”

Four years later, still a pizza favorite, still serving Belgian brew….

“2. Cheers — A simple and unpretentious bar with an excellent happy hour (10-kuai Qingdao drafts before 10 PM) and live Xinjiang music.”

Although Leo, The Bearded One, left about a year ago, this place remains pretty much the same, save for switching the bar and the stage.

“3. Top Club / Bar Blu — Comfy rooftop decks up top and dance floors down below.”

Bar Blu is still going, though I find it far seedier now than in 2006, while Top Club turned into Kokomo; different name, same people involved.

“4. Le Petit Gourmand — Kick back, have a beer and read a few books.”

Still going, though the presence of Biteapitta downstairs and absence of a manager (unless they recently hired one) means business is down.

“5. Alameda — A Brazilian barbecue joint picked by that’s Beijing and City Weekend readers as the city’s best restaurant.”

Still going, with a redesign.

“6. The Bookworm — Kick back again, this time glass of wine in hand, and read some more books in the high-ceilinged downstairs or on the rooftop garden.”

Still going, with even more books (and whiskey choices) on the shelves.

“7. Browns — Good pub grub, good draft beer selection, good place to lose your inhibitions and do some bar top dancing.”

Gone. Some people will say because of its size but I blame poor management and marketing (lowlight: turtle races held Sunday nights on a ping pong table with lanes built on top). This place was based on Carnegie’s in Taipei, which is still going. As should be Browns. It went on to become Revelations, then Pink Loft, and is now empty.

“8. Modern Nomads — Enjoy throat singing while sipping the best (er, only) Chingis martinis in town.”

Gone. Fun place but, at least at that time, Beijing had a quite limited demand for throat singing. This spot is now Nanjie.

“9. Beer Mania — An excellent combination of mostly Belgian beers and quality cocktails (Mojito, Long Island) in a laid-back atmosphere.”

Still going, and has since added a deck.

“10. Q Bar — The most consistent high-quality cocktails in town and a spacious deck to boot.”

Still going, and that spacious deck is now about three times bigger.

“Throw in other northern spots such as Saddle (good burritos) [Now Luga's, with pretty much the same concept, though with a history that would require a post of its own], Apertivo (good people watching) [still going] and Jazz-Ya (good Long Islands) [ditto], southern ones such as Salsa Caribe [ditto, with new design], Banana Leaf [ditto] and Phil’s Pub (good 10-kuai Gin Tonics) [forced out due to construction; now just north of Ritan Park], nearby establishments such as The Pavillion [still standing], Alfa [still going] and Yugong Yishan [forced out due to construction]…

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Four years on, 14 of 20 places continue to operate in the same space and under the same name, though there have been some ownership changes. Of the remainder, two have new names but remain in the same space and have either the same concept or same management (Luga’s and Kokomo) while two were forced to close (Yugong Yishan and Phil’s). Only two places are gone due to poor performance (Browns and Modern Nomads).

Does this say something about Beijing having a low rate of bar and restaurant failures? No. Instead, it says something about the power of Sanlitun as a bar and restaurant center. These places staked an early claim, and in most cases grabbed a niche, in an area that seemed destined for strong and steady growth in terms of customers, revenue, and restaurant and bar openings. And four years on, most of them remain as part of a scene that is more diverse than ever.

I am sorting thousands of photos and finding quite a few that I didn’t use but want to share. Thus, this “Beijing photo five” series, with each post including a quintet of shots from about town. The first set involves design in one way or another…

* The Pee Monkey reference is to the game of the same name by Beijing’s own Happy Latte.

China Doll: Dita von Teese pillows on the new deck.

Room Beijing: You'll need to watch your head in the, uh, head, or be an expert at Pee Monkey.

Opposite House: The lobby from above. It only the elevators had this much lighting.

Dongzhimen: A preserved piece of the city wall or the product of construction workers with a sense of humor?

Maison Boulud: Colorful bark...



Part-time work for the Jagermeister mascot?

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You can soon add Canada to the growing list of countries* whose brew is available in Beijing. Known for distributing beers such as James Boag’s and Brooklyn Lager, Dxcel is adding Moosehead to its list.

Fubar is the first place I’ve heard of that plans to carry this Canadian icon. Co-owner Chad Lager says he hopes to offer it in 330-millilitre cans and bottles by month’s end.

Speaking of Fubar, it has done more to promote Hendrick’s Gin than any place I know of in Beijing, including in its house GT, which offers good value at RMB50 (happy hour, RMB40). Not surprisingly, this spirit maker and Fubar will team up on some bar redesign. Expect a new look in August.

See also: Moose or reindeer?

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* That list includes China (duh), Australia, Ireland, Japan, Belgium, England, The United States, The Czech Republic, Spain, Cuba, South Korea, Denmark, Russia, Singapore, Italy, Germany, The Philippines, Mexico, France, India, The Netherlands, and no doubt others.

If you seek inexpensive wines this weekend, you might want to try the five in this photo. They are the three white and two red wines that scored highest in the recent Grape Wall Challenge held at Maison Boulud.

The Grape Wall Challenge, organized by sibling blog Grape Wall of China, turns consumers into judges and this year included 22 red and 18 white wines that retail for less than RMB100. While I am generally wary of inexpensive wines with images of animals on their labels, that Obikwa Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa not only tied for first as best white wine among the consumer judges, but also received praise from the wine experts on hand.

Judges were asked to pick one of the following for each wine: “I love it“, “I like it“, “I don’t like it“, or “I hate it.” Below are the top five wines and, in brackets, the names of retailers that carry them. For a list of all wines ranked “I like it” or higher, click here. For this year’s contest, 13 distributors submitted a total of 40 wines from seven countries: Chile, Australia, France, Argentina, Italy, South Africa, and Spain.

Red wines

1. Black Wing Shiraz 2006 from Australia, distributed by from Sea & Sun, RMB87 (Jenny Lou’s).

2. Finca el Origen Malbec 2008 from Argentina, distributed by Aussino, RMB90 (Jenny Lou’s; Aussino wine shop: 1F, Regent Land Apartments, across from the east entrance of Swissotel).

White wines

1. Obikwa Sauvignon Blanc 2009 from South Africa, distributed by French Wine Paradox, RMB75 (Jenny Lou’s, Carrefour, Wal Mart, BHG, Market Place, April Gourmet).

1. Henri Ehrhart Pinot Blanc 2008 from France, distributed by CMP Wines, RMB99 (Boucherie Michel: 1F, Jiezuo Dasha, Xingfucun Zhonglu, near the April Gourmet just north of Workers Stadium).

3. Double Bay Semillon-Chardonnay 2007 from Australia, distributed by Links China, RMB95 (Jenny Lou’s).

This year’s Grape Wall Challenge sponsors were French restaurant Maison Boulud, which provided the venue, storage, staff support, and lunch, and wine accessory company Winpact, which provided gifts for the judges.

The distributors who submitted wine were ASC, Aussino, CMP Wines, DT-Asia, East Meets West, Enoteca, French Wine Paradox, Globus, Links China, Sea & Sun, Summergate, Top Cellar, and Torres China.

And the challenge coordinators were Ma Huiqin, professor at China Agricultural University, Nicolas Carre of French wine school CAFA, and me.

For more on the 2010 Grape Wall Challenge, click here. For info on the 2009 event, click here.