Beijing Boyce

Principals O'Loghlen and Gray celebrate with Champagne.

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Slated to open this Thursday in the China View complex, Gung Ho! Gourmet Pizza Factory held a pre-opening party last night at The Opposite House where attendees sampled pizzas and salads, witnessed the global launch of the company video (I won’t give away the ending, let’s just say I knew the mustache was fake), and guzzled gallons of Tsingtao beer, iF juice, and New Zealand wine. I tried a handful of different pies, topped with ingredients ranging from basil to baby squid, and, like those around me, had mixed reactions to the flavor combos. My favorite: the four-cheese pizza.

One thing I hoped to find, but didn’t, was pepperoni pizza. It’s not that I don’t want to try new things (though I am sick of seeing words like “artisan” and “hand-crafted” attached to them), but sometimes I want a classic.  My usual pizza delivery order is a large pepperoni from Buona, which brings them quick and tasty (they are as good reheated as they are fresh from the oven). I see that Gung Ho has pepperoni pizza on the menu, so I will put it to the Buona Test and report back.

Of note:

• Promotion: The deal is two-for-one pizzas until the end of July.
• Food: The price is right, with medium pies starting at RMB40 and large ones at RMB55, while salads and pastas start at RMB30 and RMB40.
• Drinks: Soda is RMB5, Corona is RMB15, iF Juice is RMB22, and Blue Star and Leffe Blonde beer is RMB25. A bottle of Grace Vineyard Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon from China is RMB120, while New Zealand Merlot or Sauvignon Blanc is RMB150. A thought: If gourmet is the angle, why not offer more wine options or suggest pairings?
• Hours: The place will be open from 11 AM to 12 AM, which means those with the munchies after midnight will have to get their pizza fixes at The Den, The Tree, or elsewhere.

Going up is Flamme.

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Plenty of projects in the works on the third floor of Sanlitun Village, already home to Blue Frog, Union Bar & Grille, Oriental Kitchen, Ganges, and Hatsune, among others. They include:

• The new Mosto project, which will be in the space just south of Element Fresh. On the beverage side, expect a focus on wines by the glass.
• The new Stumble Inn, which will take over the two floors vacated by Double Coffee. The project has faced a few delays but word is it will open around mid-July. The team includes Glenn Phelan and Shane O’Neill from the former Stumble Inn on Lucky Street.
• Queen’s Konditorei (see this post), a massive  two-floor Russian joint that covers that includes a bar, wine area, dining spaces on two levels, and a café.

Another project, one that is slated to open this month, is Flamme in the former Peppe’s Pizza space. The first floor will hold the main dining area, with the second floor dedicated to event space. According to a source at Flamme, the team putting it together includes Jeffrey Powell, who had been involved with The Orchard, Tube Station, Kro’s Nest, and Element Fresh, among others, and, Paul Mathew, who is consulting on the drinks (click here for his five favorite bars in Beijing). Dev Raturi, formerly of Meat & Wine Company, will manage the restaurant, says the source.

But what does RandomK(e) drink, Pete?

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Pete “The Ayatollah of Rock n’ Rolla” DeMola over at We Live in Beijing suggests that Beijing bars and clubs could boost booze sales by creating drinks named after and representative of the bands they hire to play. Some of Pete’s picks:

• Carsick Cars: “An initially off-putting cocktail that is an acquired taste. While it not be memorable at first, after 15-or-so servings, it will probably grow on you.”
• Nanwu: “In accordance with their traditional Chinese instrumentation laced with smoldering blues, a “No South” would be shots of maotai served in delicate porcelain cups.”
• Rustic: “Home brew distilled in a trash can in rural Hebei. Recommended ingredients include Blue Star beer and fennel with dashes of erguotou and fermented cabbage.”
• 24 Hours: “Anything bold and laced with caffeine, like a Red Bull and vodka.”
• Wu & the Side Effects: “A potent tequila-based cocktail that will knock the drinker on their ass for three (or more) days.”

See here for the full list.

A few of my own:

• Black Cat Bone: One Bourbon, one Scotch, one beer. Wait, make that two Bourbons instead of one. Or even three.
• DH and the Hellcats: A Bloody Mary made with a triple dose of pepper vodka, a bunch of dried peppercorns as a garnish, and a swizzle stick that opens like a butterfly knife.
• Ian Burns: A pint of Stella with a single drop of bitters.
• The Verse: Given the number of people in this band, should involve a rack of shooters.

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See also:

• The Pete goes on: DeMola’s picks Beijing’s five best live bands
• The Pete goes on: DeMola picks Beijing’s five most promising bands
• Top five watering holes: Pete DeMola

Eight photos from a weird night at Fubar, where Canada Day converged with DJ Man Boobs and a two-hour one-kuai drink special. Before we get to the photos:

• Fubar had not a single patron save yours truly when the two-hour one-kuai mojito martini special started at 6 PM. Less than 90 minutes later, the place seethed with thirsty customers, and I would guess the bartenders now suffer from tendinitis from mashing mint for somewhere between 400 and 500 drinks. Busiest of the four one-kuai drink nights so far. Thus, as a handful of people have noted, not everyone could get a drink within two minutes. But who knew that many Canadians would show up. (Almost everyone was Canadian, right?)
• DJ Man Boobs from Vancouver provided Canuck tunes, from the Bare Naked Ladies to Bif Naked to Burton Cummings to three of my favorite Pursuit of Happiness songs to–and only he knows why he went south–Hall and Oates.
• Fellow Canuck Danni went McGyver and brought clams, tomato juice, and the like so we could make makeshift Caesars. We lacked some items, such as Worschestire sauce and horseradish, but had celery salt, Tabasco sauce, and more. Experiment one, with bartender Seven hand-shaking the clams worked best, with the shreds of meat providing texture. Experiment two, using the blender — not so good. In other words, you gotta shake those clams.

On to the photos…

JD sent in this photo of an establishment with the “d” logo of D Lounge, near the 3.3 building, and says a workers said the place is opening tomorrow, which would be today. Anyway, I’m watching the Ghana-Uruguay game tonight, then going for breakfast, and then recovering, so probably won’t be down there, but if anyone has more info on this place, please let us know…

The former Rickshaw space in Sanlitun South is not only getting a fresh look, but also will be home to a lot of fresh seafood. Led by Gaby Alves, the team at SALT in Lido is re-opening the space as Terra, a cevicheria and bar within the next two weeks. It marks Alves return to Sanlitun after leaving Alameda on the north side several years ago.

Ceviche is a style of cuisine in which seafood is marinated using citrus; its origin has been attributed to numerous places. Terra, the Latin word for earth, will offer about 20 ceviche options along with other items on the menu, says Jennifer Eden, who handles public relations for the operations. She notes that this type of food can be quickly prepared. Terra will also stock a range of wines, many of them chosen to pair with the seafood, as well as craft beers and cocktails. Patrons can expect a complete revamp of the Rickshaw layout and decor. This includes the outer wall, which was removed and will sport a glass facade.

Ana Esteves will head the kitchen, while Andrew Vile will manage the restaurant. Terra will be open from 11 AM to 1 AM, with the kitchen closing at 11 PM. I will update when a firm opening date is set.

We can dream...

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Hey Hosers,

Today is Canada Day, so like if you hail from the Great White North but live in Beijing, why not get out and have some fun, eh? What else are you going to do? Sit on your chesterfield at home and watch Beachcombers reruns?

Some of us plan to beaver-back on the one-kuai Mojito Martini night that Fubar (map) holds the first day of every month, like today, July 1. I can already hear some knobs out there saying, “Take off! No way can I get tasty Mojito Martinis, from 6 PM to 8 PM, for a single kuai each, let alone get them within a minute or two of ordering.” Like, you can.

And because manager Chad Lager is the biggest Justin Bieber and Celine Dion fan of all time, he asked DJ’eh Man Boobs* from Vancouver to provide the tunes. Expect plenty of musical poutine, including Helix, The Pursuit of Happiness, Allanah Myles, Rush, Neil Young, Alanis Morissette, The Tragically Hip, Stompin’ Tom Connors, Snow, Rhymes with Orange, and maybe even Mitsou, since “Bye Bye Mon Cowboy” is bilingual and that’s what it’s all about.

And word is the country’s largest hockey puck will be on display (to be confirmed).

So, 6 PM to 8 PM if you want to join the Hoser Happy Hour and pretend those Mojito Martinis are Caesars, and later if you want to hear some good music. Like Helix. Feel free to wear your Roots sweater, Winnipeg Jets jersey, toque, or other relevant wear.

* This name is self-chosen. Alternatives included DJ Hoser; DJ Wears a Baseball Cap but Never Backwards; DJ Ten-kuai Tsingtao; DJ Join My Petition to Have the Canadian Citizenship of Celine Dion Revoked; DJ Two-Four; DJ The Ballad of Wendel Clark; and DJ Voice-over.