Beijing Boyce

Frank’s Place had its soft opening last Thursday. With the furniture, wall art and seven taps for draft beer in place, this spot has filled out nicely. It’s a bit higher end than the typical Beijing sports bars and has ample seating options (booths, sofas, dining tables, and high and low stools), outdoor areas front and back, eight TVs (four big and four small), and a pool table. Regulars from the old Frank’s Place and those heading toward Shunyi from downtown should be happy, though it is a long haul for those who normally party within the Second Ring Road. During May, all drinks are two-for-one. The Park Grill and The Cellar, which along with Frank’s make up TRIO, will open in June. I’ll have more on these places and on The Cellar’s Club 88 in an upcoming issue. (By the way, Nhu, a spacious club around the corner from Frank’s Place, also had its soft opening. I only popped in for ten minutes, but will make a return visit and a full report).

(From Beijing Boyce XVII, first emailed on May 27, 2006)

Razed. Chai’d. Bye bye’d. Beijing’s three-meter salute to drinking – the Sanlitun beer mug — was not only a dispenser of cigarettes, gum and beer, but also a reference point for locating dozens of bars. Now it’s gone, tossed on the dust heap of history in what is already a very dusty city. Not even a cement coaster remains. As always, change is in the air and Opening Shots covers eight bar scene developments.

ONE

Crisis at First Cafe: it was long my favorite bar but cocktail quality has slid quite a bit during the past year, though the ambience remains good. With the nearby beer mug gone, what does fate hold for this cozy watering hole, especially given that its sign has been turned off for nearly two weeks?

TWO

Meanwhile, ex-First Cafe, ex-Midnight bartenders George Zhou and Echo Sun nearly have Q Bar ready atop the Eastern Inn on Sanlitun South. The place will have dim lighting, cozy couches, and jazz and blues music, with the interior and deck much more spacious than what George and Echo have before handled. The wildcard is the cocktails — their claim to fame — and whether the (quality) martinis will smoothly flow should the place hit its peak capacity of over one hundred people.

(By the way, some wonder why I so regularly write about George and Echo. In short, they epitomize everything about opportunity in China. A couple of years ago, they were out-of-town novice bartenders, learning their craft and making little money. They worked hard, built up their mixing skills, bar knowledge and a loyal following, and now have their own place. To me, that is a compelling story.)

Q Bar will fully open in early June…

THREE

… as will TRIO, with a soft opening on Friday (May 12). Near the Rosedale Park, Japanese School and Si-de Park, TRIO has a piano bar and a New York-style grill on the top floor, the new Frank’s Place at ground level, and The Cellar in the, uh, cellar. This is a major project and the big question is whether it can stick in an area that is not exactly known for nightlife. The Cellar itself is unique in Beijing with its wrought iron doors, stucco walls, arch ceiling, earthy feel and focus on wine. There will be a Club 88, with an 8888 kuai initial investment and 3888 kuai annual fee, where members receive free wine dinners and cooking classes, discounts on wine, and a 32-bottle onsite storage space (lock and key included). The top floor grill, complete with baby grand piano, seats 50, while Frank’s Place holds 110 and has a pool table, a bar, eight TVs and outdoor seating in front and back. (Thanks to investor Roger Dutton for the tour.)

FOUR

Speaking of outdoors, The Pavillion now has a most pleasant patio. Comfy wicker chairs, lush grass, serene trees — a nice spot for a few pints or bottle of wine. (The cocktails are okay, though one Mojito came with uncrushed mint and the Long Island had too much Coke. Word has it that the food has greatly improved with ex-Aria chef Richard Millar now on hand.) This seems to be the Year of Outdoor Seating. There are newcomers, such as Frank’s Place, Le Petit Gourmand, 5:19, Cafe Pause, The Pomegranate and The Bookworm (though the nearby construction is annoying); old-timers, ranging from Bar Blu, Stone Boat and Le Quai to numerous Houhai spots; and more decks, patios and rooftops coming, such as at Blue Fox.

FIVE

Glenn, we hardly knew you! My suspicions about tensions between the owners and staff at Browns turned into reality as Glenn Phelan, who joined Browns when he left Pavillion after a three-month stint, resigned as floor manager (the DJ soon followed and there may be more fallout). Look for Glenn to have his own spot in a few months. Meanwhile, investor Philip Cheung says that Browns’ Russian sidebar will open next month and that ladies’ night, on Wednesdays, will be extended from 2 AM to 3 AM (the free drinks have been cut back to a select list of cocktails). As expected, Guinness and Kilkenny prices have risen to 40 kuai, from 35 kuai, which begs the question: when will they go up again?

SIX

Efforts to duplicate the Centro phenomenon continue with one high-end hotel recently launching Champagne and another expected to open a bar this summer. Palms threw its hat into the ring about six months ago, though it was quickly tossed back. Champagne might want to resist describing itself, in its adverts, as “fast becoming the hottest place in the city for Beijing’s social elite,” because if one of my visits was any indication, those elites number less than a dozen. It would be much more useful to study Centro‘s excellence in effectively welding great location with calculated and sustained marketing.

SEVEN

I recently wrote that Beijing’s cocktail scene was stumbling down the proverbial stairs. In hindsight, it might have been a case of “one step backward, two steps forward.” Q Bar is about to open, Garden of Delights serves up excellent Mojitos, Centro has upgraded its cocktail list, master mixer Marc van Bever has returned to Beer Mania (luckily that cast is on his ankle, not on his wrist), Jackie at Browns is sharpening his skills (Agent Red Wolf gave the Mojito a thumb up), Modern Nomads has those Chinggis vodka Martinis, and so on. Things do seem to be looking brighter.

(From Beijing Boyce XVI, first emailed on May 11, 2006)

The three-floor TRIO is set to open in about two weeks, with a New York-style grill on top, the new Frank’s Place at ground level, and The Cellar down below. The latter is intriguing, as torch lighting and live jazz are promised, with wine club members getting storage space for their personal collections. / ASC Fine Wines marks its tenth anniversary next week and deserves a tip of the hat for its work in bringing the good drop to China. / Rumor (and I hope this is true) has it that Cafe Pause, partly owned by Palette Vino’s Stefan Fleischer, may start holding wine tasting events. By the way, Palette will have a Tempranillo tasting on April 22 (7:30 PM) and a “Premium Wines from Australia” tasting on April 28 (8 PM) at its Shunyi store (100 kuai for non-members; email irene@palettewines.cn to RSVP or for details). And Palette finally has a website (www.palettewines.cn)! / Daniel VanderHave has left Palette to become a brand manager for wine at Jebsen. / John Bull Pub features “Steals and Deals” on Friday (April 21). “Check out our bin ends,” writes proprietor Frank Siegel. Whites are available from 90 kuai to 300 kuai; reds are available from 75 kuai to 250 kuai. No corkage from 6 to 8 PM. / Pinot Noir lovers, East Meets West (EMW) wines is teaming up with Aria for the Gibbston Valley Wine Dinner on April 27 (688 kuai per person). Clausio Heye of New Zealand’s Gibbston will be on hand for the five-course dinner by Aria Chef Andrew Mckee. / Montrose has 50 percent off on select wines at its Kerry Centre shop, April 21-23 (www.montrosechina.com) and Ethan Perk is writing a wine column for Lifestyle magazine. / I went to two wine tastings over the past two weeks. One was by ASC at The Pavillion, and the other was by Summergate, at Bento & Berries, and I’ve yet to transcribe my notes from either. I’ll have these as well as more on the Bento & Berries (Kerry Centre) wine selection next issue.

(From Beijing Boyce XV, first emailed on April 21, 2006)

Popular bartenders George Zhou and Echo Sun left Midnight bar two weeks ago, following a run-in with management, about six months after they left First Cafe, following a run-in with management. It’s a serious situation for those who enjoy quality cocktails. Echo continues to manage Cafe Pause in the 798 art district, while George is doing consulting. Their next moves are eagerly awaited. / Dawn breaks after even the darkest midnight and new bartender Alex at 10-kuai Qingdao joint Phil’s is a ray of sunshine. He can mix up a tasty Mojito, Bloody Mary and Long Island, the latter coming with a splash of Grand Marnier and impressing finicky Agent Red Wolf. Alex is usually (no guarantees) behind the bar on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights, the latter best avoided given the rowdy all-you-can-drink-Qingdao-for-30-kuai crowd). / Cajun cooking and wasabi together at last? Chef Dan Segall, whose photo is a mainstay in Beijing’s English-language magazines, has left Hilton Hotel’s Louisiana Restaurant and next month will join the Japanese-focused kitchen at RBL. / John Bull Pub is holding “entry-level” wine tasting on some Fridays (6 to 8 PM), with takeaway bottles at 80 kuai or less. Chilean, Australian and Chinese wines have been featured. Call 6532-5905 for details. / This could be the year of outdoor eating, drinking and reading in Beijing. Owner Alex Pearson gave me a tour of Bookworm‘s new rooftop garden, which has a flagstone path, seats 48, and should be open by today. (By the way, given how loud and crowded the Bookworm is at times, how long before someone–Alex herself?–opens a similar spot elsewhere?). Alongside favorites such as Bar Blu, Steak and Eggs, Stone Boat and numerous Hou Hai spots, Bookworm joins newcomers Le Petit Gourmand, Frank’s Place, 5:19, Pomegranate, Browns, Pavillion and others in the great outdoors seating competition. / Pavilion will add an extension in order to add a Mediterranean restaurant. Richard Xavia (ex-RBL) and Richard Mills (ex-Aria) are consulting. On one hand, the shift is understandable as about-to-open Frank’s Place will siphon some of Pavillion’s sports-loving patrons (Frank’s Place investor Roger Dutton and Pavillion proprietor Russell Probert were once co-owners of the old Frank’s Place). On the other, this smacks of yet another attempt to bring Shanghai not only to Beijing (see RBL), but also to an establishment that already lacks focus and staff training (example: the numerous occasions when no employees on hand were able to work the TVs). / As for Dutton, he says Trio, which will house a New York-style grill, the new Frank’s Place and the wine-centric The Cellar, should be open by early May. Nicole Pang has been hired as part of the PR and marketing team. / No frowns at Browns as the large empty space meant for tequila and Whisky rooms has instead been quickly finished to handle overflow from the main area. The place was packed to the gills on St. Patrick’s Day. My biggest gripe after a dozen visits: the music. My advice: forget the muddled DJ sets and instead put in a “Funky 80s Hits” CD, hit random play and let people have fun. (For more on Browns, see We Got Mail.) / Wine whiz Ethan Perk writes that the new Schindler’s, on the old Riverside Cafe site, is hopping, even on a Tuesday night at 6:30: “They were packed, not a seat in the house.” / Shunyi is starting to blossom. An upcoming that’s Beijing map lists more than 100 shops, restaurants and bars in the district. While Shunyi is still a bit light in the latter two categories, Palette Vino, Jenny Lou’s and Pomegranate are leading the way, and the first fixed location for caterer Harry’s Kitchen is apparently set to open. / Sequoia Cafe has a tasty 30-kuai chicken pita and salad combo at lunch. The place delivers, but if you order by fax, follow-up by phone, as the machine is sometimes off. / Finally, if an afternoon spent listening to 1950s German folk songs sounds like fun, try Cafe Pause in Dashanzi. You can slowly go mad while using the free wireless.

(From Beijing Boyce XIII, first emailed on March 24, 2006)

A lot is made of the growing number of clubs on Gongti West Road, which has risen from zero to ten in less than a year, and includes Babyface, Cargo, Angel, and numerous copycats. How can these places survive? Perhaps, it’s because they are going after young, moneyed Chinese – the “Chivas and green tea club” – a rapidly growing group.

More troubling is the increasing number of players seeking a chunk of the moneyed expatriate market – not exactly the fastest growing demographic – especially those opening multifunction establishments. Just opened: Browns, a British-style pub that will add adjoining sake, tequila and vodka bars; just re-opened: icehouse, a blues bar attached to a high-end Japanese restaurant and a lounge; soon to open: Trio, a three-floor facility with a New York-style grill, the new Frank’s Place, and The Cellar. I’ve already indicated to some of the investors in these multipurpose places that I think they are a bit mad. They have assured me that the feeling is mutual (and several claim to have proof to back up their assertions.) But, when you add in other newcomers, such as The Pavillion and The Pomegranate, and older establishments ranging from John Bull Pub to Big Easy to Suzie Wong to Centro, one wonders if there are enough patrons to go around. I started breaking down some of these places – including Browns, icehouse, Trio and Pavillion – into pluses, minuses and questions marks in order to get a grip on who has the best chance of surviving. Since I’m already running over this issue and since I just got to Shanghai and will be running around doing research (translation: meeting friends and checking restaurants and bars), I’ll pick up on this theme next issue.

(From Beijing Boyce XI, first emailed on February 23, 2006)

Beijing‘s bar scene is picking up, with Browns, Midnight and The Pavillion all recent and welcome additions. I have a feeling that Trio, to open late March, will join them. Roger Dutton, a former partner in Frank’s Place (Beijing’s oldest non-hotel bar until it was chai’d a few months ago), is part of the team behind the three-story, 700-square-meter Trio near Lido Hotel. The top floor will hold the Park Grill, a seventy-seat, seventies-style New York grill and piano bar (Roger mentioned “steak” and “lobster” thrice during our talk). The main floor will have a newer and bigger Frank’s Place with garden areas in front and back, meaning summer barbecue fun.

The most interesting place, though, is in the basement: The Cellar. Roger writes, “Descending the stairs from the entry foyer the visitor should get the feeling of entering an old wine cellar. It will have brick arches, stucco and heavy wood, with torch lighting.” There will be a “cellar club,” with each of the 90 members getting 30 to 60 bottles worth of storage space (not sure of the club fee). Members may bring their own vino or purchase it wholesale from the club. (Note: Only ASC wines will be sold.)

There will be live jazz as well as “wine dinners, auctions, master classes and socials for those that have a love for the drop.” French, Italian and Spanish provincial food and cheeses and other tapas are to be served. New Zealander Chris Adams is the GM. Look for Frank’s Place to open in late March, with the grill and cellar shortly after. Trio is between Pine Hill Korean restaurant and Il Casale Italian restaurant.

(From Beijing Boyce X, first emailed on February 10, 2006)

When Frank’s Place (between The Den and City Hotel) closed a while back, its two partners went separate ways. One opened The Pavillion two weeks ago while the other is completing a 1400-square-meter monster of a bar, due open in January, near Lido Hotel. Last issue, I included random observations about The Pavillion’s opening night. I’ve since returned thrice, including trips with Agent Red Wolf and Agent Hidden Dragon, and can provide a fuller report.

The Pavillion has done an excellent job with layout and decor. It has large and comfy leather chairs, a faux fireplace, two stand-up bars, various cubby holes, a glass-walled wine room and a forest out back (spend a few moments looking at it and feel your blood pressure drop). It’s a bit too spic and span, but character will come in time. The staff is friendly, the service is solid, and one hopes the employees can walk the fine line between friendliness and obtrusiveness, a little known skill in this town.

In any case, Agent Hidden Dragon liked the Champagne (Laurent Perrier; RMB78 per glass) and the decor, but thought the music was “too common.” Agent Red Wolf also liked the decor (“it’s like a five-star hotel lounge”) and the spring rolls (excellent presentation, though pricey at RMB45), although she didn’t find the Americano cocktail strong enough and thought the martini sub-par (I gave it a sip and she was right). She also thought the music “too old” and “not sexy enough.” Let’s face it, RW is a hard agent to please, but she did have a point: it was odd to be reclining in luxury in the early eve and listening to ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” and Prince’s “1999.”

This mismatch is reflected elsewhere in the Pavillion and suggests the place is still finding its identity. Let’s take a couple that arrives, sits by the fireplace and orders a nice bottle of wine. How happy will they be when, 30 minutes later, the music cuts out and the TVs come on, high volume, with the pre-game analysis for a rugby game? What is the Pavillion? A sports bar? A wine bar? A restaurant? A cigar lounge? A dance club (there was live band on opening night)? All of the above?

The other issue is clientele: Based on my visits, the target market appears to be over-35 expatriates with decent salaries. I’m guessing the new bar in Lido, not to mention other establishments, are targeting the same crowd. Given the finite number of moneyed foreigners, are there be enough to go around or will The Pavillion have to seek patrons from elsewhere? In any case, it is a welcome addition to Beijing’s bar scene and definitely worth a look. It’s just across the street from Babyface, about 10 meters to the south.

Two final notes: 1) Last issue I griped that the The Pavillion lacked a foot rail. The proprietor, Russell, said they didn’t like the rail they ordered and will get another one. Fair enough. 2) The Pavillion plans to have barbecues out back once the weather warms up and this should be an excellent place to sit back with some food and drinks.

(From Beijing Boyce V, first emailed on December 1, 2005)