Beijing Boyce

Pretend this photo was taken in Shunyi instead of downtown and that Karl Long is touching a steaming plate of fish and chips instead of a pink balloon and you get an idea of what you'll find at Paddy's Pit Stop.

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The newest jewel in the Paddy’s crown will officially open this Friday in Shunyi: Paddy’s Pit Stop, sibling of Paddy O’Shea’s and Pomme O’Shea’s, will hold a pub-warming party from 5 PM until the beverages are gone. Karl Long, part of the team behind the Pit Stop, writes that one house specialty will be fish and chips, also available for takeaway.

This is part four in the “must tries” series that asks people in the bar and restaurant business to give us their top food and beverage picks. This time up: Karl Long of Paddy O’Shea’s, the current holder of the “best bartender” title in Beijing.

What is the ‘must try’ food at Paddy O’Shea’s?

We have the privilege of having the choice of standard pub food as well as Indian food from the restaurant upstairs. Our new chef has improved our pub food significantly and I would recommend the beef patty served with chips and gravy. For a semi-Indian option, the curry chips are very popular and are great beer food.

What is the ‘must try’ drink at Paddy’s?

People generally come to Paddy’s with one thing on their minds: beer and women (well, maybe just beer). Although we do have a full cocktail menu, I would definitely recommend a good old pint of Guinness. The happy hour price is RMB39, from 3 PM to 8 PM, and nothing is better during the winter months. (The only thing better than a pint of Guinness… is eight pints of Guinness.)

What are three ‘must try’ items at other places in Beijing?

White Nights do some great deals on bottles of vodka, none of the names of which I can pronounce, but it is always a great night there and I love their red caviar.

I’m a big fan of spicy food, so I tried Spice Spirit in the Village and enjoyed it, and the Sichuan restaurant at the end of Nanluguoxiang is always good for a bit of head sweating.

Finally, if I want to get out of town but not too far I like going to the Green Cap Bar where they also do an excellent pint of Guinness. Pat the bar man is a funny man.

Many might consider it impossible for Irish bar Paddy O’Shea’s to upstage its recent Night with the San Diego Chargers Cheerleaders, but the lads and lasses there are going to give it a go on Thursday night by celebrating Arthur Guinness Day. The festivities will include a giveaway of 100 pints of Guinness as well as the musical magic of Robbie Hennebry. The party starts at 7:30 PM…

Plan: To have a few drinks and finally watch the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. Reality: Had a lot of drinks and missed most of the ceremony again. Such is life and I did have some fun during last weekend’s Olympic Flashback that ended up involving Paddy O’Shea’s, China Doll, Fubar, George’s, and Gung Ho Gourmet Pizza Factory, and raised ~RMB4000 for the charity CAI. (A modest sum but OK given I organized the bulk of the event in 36 hours. If only I had come up with this idea a week earlier, it might have raised RMB4100.) I already posted about the Futathlon and here are five more photos from the weekend.

We started on Saturday night with mixed drinks at Paddy O’Shea’s, which sold the most beverages, under the watchful life of Major Tom.

We then moved to China Doll, which made a special banner for us. The rain meant we couldn’t use the sky deck but also meant more people in the lounge and on the dance floor.

On Sunday night, we started at at Fubar, which held the Futathlon and made Fu Wa cocktails.

Then headed over the George’s, which raised the most money as we sold the donated Gung Ho pizzas here, too, to drink martinis, watch the opening ceremonies, and eat some…

pie!

Thanks to Paddy O’Shea’s, China Doll, Fubar, George’s, and Gung Ho Gourmet Pizza Factory, the team at CAI (especially Will “The Wallet” Hsu), and the contestants in the Futathlon (Gordon, Maggie, Shane, Will, and Kirby). As for the opening ceremonies, I’m going to have to borrow a DVD player, plug in my TV, get a couple of beers, order a large pepperoni pizza, and watch it at home. Don’t tell me how it ends…

Karl Long before the World Cup...

Paddy O’Shea’s has received a lot of praise for its performance during the World Cup. Yes, many others places did a good job, but to me and to a lot of people I talked to this Irish pub best captured the spirit of the event, from the bagpiper playing “Cup of Life” to the rowdy crowds, from the Anyone but France special to the use of vuvuzelas for their natural purpose–chugging beer. As a final 2010 World Cup post, I interviewed manager Karl Long about how things went at Paddy O’Shea’s and what he did with my Ghana flag.

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On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being pretty bad and 10 being Thierry Henry, how evil are vuvuzelas as noisemakers?

When the bar is busy it’s okay to have the odd vuvu sound amidst the crowd, but when it’s empty and someone brings in one they bought for six kuai at the Silk Market and thinks it’s hilarious to blow it during lunch time,  that’s when it gets Henry’esque. By the way, given his recent move to the New York Red Bulls I wonder if Henry has done his research on the Irish population in New York . Go soccer!

In contrast, how good are vuvuzelas for chugging beer?

Excellent. Just be sure to stand clear of the top of it in case of back draft or premature finishing (ahem). They are also very useful for pouring petrol from a canister into your car, which I discovered yesterday. (I wouldn’t fancy being the next to have a beer through that one.)

What three countries brought out the most supporters to Paddy O’Shea’s during the World Cup?

In terms of numbers, I’d have to say the English brought the most people for their team’s short-lived life in South Africa. And to their credit, they get to the bar long before kickoff and enjoy the atmosphere and build up, singing some of their lyrically ingenious songs (e.g. “‘I’m English till I die, I’m English till I die [repeat, repeat].”)

Spanish fans also turned out in droves also but a lot closer to kickoff time than other fans. But when in the bar, they certainly made the most noise. And also brought the most physically talented female fans. And stole the replica World Cup from the bar. But I don’t blame them.

Third place goes to the very colorful USA fans who produced the best chant of the event: “Fuck, shit, cock, ass – USA!” Brilliant stuff. And they really were good value except when sneaking in cans of Budweiser to chew open and pour on themselves.

The Germans were turning out crowds until the Embassy discovered football at the quarterfinals and dished out free beer during the game. Who can beat that?

Special mention for the ‘funnest’ crowd saw a tie between fans from New Zealand, who were the only team in the World Cup not to lose a game, and Mexico, who are just crazy (and they beat France 2-0).

Which game inspired the best atmosphere at Paddy O’Shea’s? How about the worst?

The three games with the best atmosphere include the final, of course, when Paddy’s was a sea of red. England vs USA was epic and amusing, and also Germany vs Argentina, when the song “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina“  followed every efficient German goal and created a great atmosphere.

The worst game I recall was when CCTV decided to show up for the Slovenia vs Algeria game (despite me telling them to come for the later Germany vs Australia game). It was pissing rain and there were only about 40 people in the bar and the game was like watching paint dry. But yet they were asking, Where are all the real Slovenian and Algerian fans? I told them to try Slovenia and Algeria.

How did the Anyone but France campaign turn out?

Four goals against = 48 beers
One red card against = 6 beers
Four yellow cards (i think) = 12 beers

So it cost 66 beers. Well worth it. It was all in good fun and fair play to the French supporters who saw the funny side of it and were rewarded with shots. Bit of a sad performance from their team though — twas like they even felt they didn’t belong there.

What were the top three selling beers during the World Cup? Did it change depending on which teams played?

Our bucket deals went very well, especially at the outside bar, so Tsingtao and Sol were the top two beers, with Carlsberg coming in number three  (a lot which we’re still cleaning off the floor/ceiling/underwear after the final). The Mexicans drank a lot of tequila, the Spanish a lot of rum and coke, and the Chinese a lot of ice water (kidding).

What are the three funniest things that happened at Paddy O’Shea’s during the World Cup?

Ooh, thats a tough one. I guess the delay in the commentary from the new satellite channel for most of the first round games could only be called amusing. Everyone watches a goal go in and then seven seconds later the solitary commentator is screaming ‘”It’s a goal!” and people are saying, “Yeah, we know.”

During the French versus Mexico game, completely at random, about eight Irish guys who were on holidays in Beijing turned up to the bar in ABF (Anyone but France) T-shirts which were apparently readily available on sale in Dublin for 5 Euros. Very funny.

And again, I’ll have to mention the “fuck, shit, cock, ass, USA” chant from the Yanks as one of the funnier moments. It’s aimed at U.S. keeper Tim Howard, who suffers from Tourette Syndrome. But it was good watching parents leaping for the ears of their innocent kids who were joining in the chant.

Those GongTee guys selling the T-shirts, they were always hanging out. Did you at least get a cut of the profits?

I’m a businessman, I always get a cut of the profits. Let’s just say I’ve got my wardrobe for the next 32 days sorted.

I gave you a Ghana flag and it disappeared just before the team lost its quarterfinal game. Why did you hide it?

Jim, you’re right, your Ghana flag went missing but your forgot to mention the GHANA flag you gave was so small that it looked like you cut it out of a pop-up atlas book for kids. That could be a spin-off story. Perhaps a Uruguyuan stole it after their shock victory. But in all honesty, the search is out for your flag and as soon as I find it I’ll let you know. Cheers for the interview and now on to finding satellite that will show the Premiership next month.

... and after.

Yep, he had a hand in it...

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During this contest a few months ago for 15 pints of Guinness at Paddy O’Shea’s, I noted that pub manager Karl “Who’s Your Paddy” Long would have some France-related specials for the World Cup after that Thierry Henry hand ball dashed the hopes of Ireland. Long sent me the details of his Anyone But France (ABF) promotion today. Put your name in the hat at Paddy’s ahead of games involving France and you could win draws for the following:

• A dozen beers for every goal scored against France
• Six beers for every red card against France
• A cocktail for every yellow card against France
• A beret, wheel of Camembert, and signed Henry poster for every time Long does an Edith Piaf impersonation

The ABF promotion is in good fun and Long says he will give out some shots to those who wear French jerseys during games. He notes that Paddy O’Shea’s will be able to handle two games simultaneously as it will be using Kamat’s upstairs during the World Cup.

See also:

• World Cup contest: Win 15 pints of Guinness at Paddy O’Shea’s

• We have a winner: 15 pints of Guinness at Paddy O’Shea’s
• All about placement: World Cup venues (2006)

Long was among those who wigged out because of the game.

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My Irish friends remain angry that the French team and not their own is in the World Cup after the ‘hand of Henry’ play. My take: The organizers knew the Irish would have rolled to massive victories and destroyed not only the morale of every other team but also the future of the sport. It’s kind of like how you can’t have Karl Long, owner of Paddy O’Shea’s, on Dancing With the Stars — nothing could ever beat that. At least that’s my conspiracy theory and I’m sticking to it.

Despite the injustice, World Cup 2010 will go on and the aforementioned Long is offering  readers of this blog a chance to win 15 pints of Guinness.

How to enter? Leave a comment and tell us which two teams you think will make the World Cup final and the score. Then check back next Monday to see who is the winner of the draw. (Hint: The answer is  Ghana 2, Italy 1.) The deadline is 5 PM, Friday, April 16, and there is a limit of one entry per person.

Also look for Paddy O’Shea’s to offer some specials during the World Cup. Word is the bar will have a draw for six Irish Car Bomb shots every time a team scores against France, as well as three pints of Guinness for a red card and three shots of Jameson for a yellow card, again, against France. Word also has it anyone wearing a Henry jersey gets a discount on Kronenberg draft.

Long re-enacts the hand ball.

Paddy O’Shea’s (map) is holding a contest during May that should appeal to every warm-blooded [insert nationality here]. The pub calls it the “Guinness drinking world championships.” The idea: When you drink a pint of Guinness,  the staff asks your nationality, and then puts a tick beside your nation’s name. The country standings are updated daily.

The patrons of the winning nation will be rewarded with a free keg of Guinness at Paddy O’Shea’s at month’s end. And, it goes without saying, see their names go down in history. Expect a similar contest in June, that one focused on Stella.

(Note: A pint of Guinness at Paddy O’Shea’s is RMB55, though you can grab one for RMB39 during the happy hours from 3 PM to 8 PM).

Downtown Irish pub Paddy O’Shea’s is taking over management of Shunyi-based bar and restaurant The Pomegranate, according to the latter’s weekly newsletter. Pomegranate owner Mike Hall cites the increasing amount of time he is abroad as the reason for the move. The Pomegranate opened more than three years ago and hosts a nice array of events, both weekly (quiz nights) and annual (Rynostock).

In related news, Glenn Phelan recently left Paddy O’Shea’s as manager, with amicable differences cited as the reason. Phelan is a veteran of the bar scene, with stints at The Pavillion, Browns, and Frank’s Place, and will no doubt soon be popping up in a new venture.

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The Beijing outlet of wine bar chain Enoteca closed for renovations almost as soon as it opened a few weeks ago in The Place, but the vino is again flowing. Enoteca offers about 100 wine options, food, and good views of that massive sky screen.

Paddy O’Shea’s has joined the brain-teasing brigade by holding a weekly quiz every Wednesday at 8 PM. Each round will see prizes, ranging from a RMB300 gift certificate to A-Che to RMB1200 worth of “golf simulation” (you’ll need to ask Paddy’s Gleann Phealan about that one). The top five teams will reap their rewards in beverages.

The bar previously known as L’Etage, just around the corner from Le Bistrot Parisienne in Tongli Studio, is under renovation and will re-open as Second Floor. I’ll have more on this soon.

China Doll (3.3 building) will start a happy hour on July 14 – expect two-for-one cocktails from 6 to 9 PM.

The Shunyi outlet of blue frog is open from 10 AM until late (management informs that the mall doors close at 10 PM and thus patrons need to be inside Europlaza by then if they plan to stick around). The Sanlitun outlet is “coming soon.”

Gleann Phealan at Paddy O’Shea’s said about 35 Canucks were on hand last Sunday to watch the NHL playoffs. If you want to watch an early morning game, let Glenn know ahead of time at glenn@paddyosheas.com.

Not that the NBA playoffs matter any more now that my beloved Raptors are out, but The Rickshaw has been showing those games that it can pick up by satellite.

UPDATE II: The Rickshaw was able to show the Hornets-Mavs and Suns-Spurs games this morning, so it appears that games listed here as being on either bensports 1 or ESPN are available. That would mean the Detroit Pistons-Philadelphia 76ers (7:30 AM) and LA Lakers-Denver Nuggets (10:30 AM) are available tomorrow. (For audio streaming, go to the “scores” on ESPN and click the “listen” button for each game – you need to sign up for this feature, a process that takes about 90 seconds. Thanks to Chad at The Rickshaw for figuring this out for me.)

UPDATE: It is 8:20, I’m at the Rickshaw, and we have been treated to baseball, motorcycle racing, a dog show, and snippets of the Hornets-Maverick game, but no Raptors-Magic. Not sure if the Suns-Spurs game will be on.

Gleann Phealan is showing the playoffs of that well-known Irish sport – NHL hockey – at Paddy O’Shea’s. He is getting the games via the Internet and says the images are good.

The four conference semifinals hit the ice starting Thursday morning our time. Here’s the slate Glenn sent. (If you plan to go, I suggest shooting an email to glenn@paddyosheas.com to inspire Glenn to get out of bed for a bunch of hockey nuts.)

Game 1
- Thursday, April 24, 7 AM and 10 AM
- Friday, April 25, 7 AM and 10 AM

Game 2
- Saturday, April 26, 7 AM and 10 AM
- Sunday, April 27, 8 AM

Turning to the NBA playoffs, Rickshaw manager Chad Lager and I stayed up until 3 AM Monday morning in the hopes of catching the scheduled Toronto Raptors-Orlando Magic and/or Denver Nuggets-LA Lakers games. No dice. Chad managed to get two games yesterday and fingers are crossed for tomorrow morning’s Raptors-Magic (7:30 AM) and Phoenix Suns-San Antonio Spurs (9:30 AM) games.

After enjoying a heart attack on a plate – that would be deep-fried camembert followed by a load of meat and carbohydrates – with Special K at Schindler’s last night, we popped into Paddy O’Shea’s, the Irish bar headed by man-about-town Gleann Phealan, whose previous gigs were at The Pavillion, Browns and Frank’s Place.

Paddy’s offers a high ceiling, an L-shaped bar, and dozens of stools on which to park and enjoy a pint or watch a game of pool. It’s a bar – plain and simple. I had a pint of Kilkenny (Guinness was maeyo: I hear numerous places are short due to problems at Customs) and tried a shot of Irish single malt (nice stuff!)

Paddy’s will be able to swing open its facade of windows in nice weather to make the place even more spacious. The ‘disco’ upstairs officially opens December 7.

By the way, Shamrock lovers will be pleased – such images abound. So many, in fact, that I plan to help the bar and cover a few of them with stickers and posters of Ireland’s* most famous band ever – The Bay City Rollers.

More on Paddy O’Shea’s soon.

* I still need to confirm the nationality of the band members.

The winter chill shall soon be upon us, so I met friend and fellow wine lover, The Cellar Rat (TCR), at Apertivo on Tuesday night to relax on the patio and fuel up before going on a walkabout. The Cappuccino (20 kuai) was tasty, the personal-size salami pizza (25 kuai) a decent snack, and the place moderately full, a good showing for a Tuesday after a weeklong vacation. (Note: I dropped into Apertivo last Friday with Eddie O and Jolly and also enjoyed a drink there, the only downside being the frequent beeping horns, shrieking car alarms and grumbling motorcycles on the facing street that would work so much better if it were pedestrian-only.)

TCR and I finished our beverages, tied our shoelaces, and headed out. Our first stop was L’Etage, around the side and on the second floor of Tongli Studio. It appears the place has changed hands, become a wine bar, and started selling bottles, mostly French labels, imported by its new owner, who we were told supplies numerous French restaurants. The bottle prices seem reasonable and the place is comfortable enough, especially the snug side balcony fitted with about a half-dozen tables for two, though the open window of Taniwha just above it means loud music is your likely companion as the night wears on.

The Smugglers, across from Kai and Butterfly and backing onto The Tree, is, like Shooters nearby, a step or two above the average cheap Qingdao dive. The decor is simple – stone floors, wooden tables and chairs, a basic wooden bar, and walls plastered with colorful posters and prints. The layout consists of numerous rectangular rooms designed for a dozen or so patrons, with the bar squeezed into a space near the center. It’s a bit of a labyrinth and might be a decent stop for friends seeking a few drinks, though the excess of hard surfaces suggests it will be noisy. According to the a sign, a bottle of Grolsch will cost you 15 kuai.

China Doll was empty, not surprisingly given it was early on a Tuesday, so we headed to the main Sanlitun drag, though not before TCR noticed a broad banner above Tongli’s entrance reading: “Severely blow to the drug-related crimes.” I haven’t been harassed by a single drug dealer in this area for more than four months. Is a criminal element running rampant beneath my nose because I look too square for them to make a pitch? Or is it hidden amid all those underage drinkers that infest the area on weekends?

Anyway, we continued our walkabout and passed that new white building south of 3.3, which will house Project H (more on this to come), and headed north to Bocata. This place looks cozy from the street and doesn’t disappoint up close. The large sand-and-stone patio is partly protected by shrubs, modestly lit, and furnished with 18 tables that each seat two to four people. An elevated and fairly wide deck provides good views of the street while inside there are ten small tables. This place shares the same owner as Tapas, though this menu is focused on soups, salads and sandwiches. The drinks list features cocktails at 30 to 45 kuai, including tomato and vodka lemon at 42 kuai and honey, rum and vanilla at 45 kuai. Coffees are 18 to 28 kuai and the place offers a few German beers I’ve not before seen (sorry, I forgot to write down the names).

We next headed north to Dine and Wine. Along the way, we passed Cappuccino. I’ve been once and think my lack of patronage might be linked to an allergy induced by the profusion of neon and lighting on this place’s façade.

We made a quick stop to check out progress on Paddy O’Shea’s, the bar being opened by Gleann Phealan From outside, it looks airy, has high ceilings (I’d guess 12 footers), features an L-shaped bar that would be even nicer if a few stools were pulled up to it (and I was on one of them), and includes in its décor… hmmm… shamrocks. Well, I was excited up to that point.

By the way, Paddy’s is beside A-Che, where I have thrice dined and thrice regretted it. Luckily, this place isn’t in some U.S. states where three crimes of a certain type will see one tossed in jail for life (I’m not sure if sub-par food and service is one of them, but it should be under consideration). Mind you, I have had a few okay Mojitos there. Perhaps the secret is to stick to the liquids.

Anyway, our goal was W Dine and Wine, and we finally made it. We parked at the small bar (seats three) and checked the wine menu, which lists about 80 different bottles as well as, by the glass, three red and white (30 to 60 kuai) and a sparkling (65 kuai) wine. The place is long and narrow, with a subdued décor of modern white and black furniture and grey curtains. It falls on the right side of the line dividing elegant and pretentious, though it is a bit tame for my tastes.

TCR and I each ordered a glass of wine (the staff quickly changed his after giving him the wrong pour) and enjoyed the free eats – a selection of salami paired with un-pitted black and green olives, onions and peppers that carried a salsa and, according to TCR, refried bean flavors. Though perhaps not the best match for wine, these snacks were gratefully received, as was a second helping provided without our asking. Nice.

He’s had management positions at The Pavillion, Browns and TRIO (Frank’s Place) during the past two years and now Gleann Phealan will soon be heading up his own place — the Irish bar Paddy O’Shea’s. Glenn took time out of his busy schedule of personally testing the new beer taps and answered a few questions.

When is the bar opening and what kind of layout can patrons expect?

The new spot is on two floors with each one approximately 190 square meters. Ground level will have the bar, covering two walls, as the main focal point. We are trying to avoid that tacky Irish Pub look that you find in so many cities around the world and to keep with the traditions of back home, to make it homey and warm where the focus is on de-stressing and having a good time. There will be plenty of sports - we’ll have four plasma screens and a digital projector.

Good advice would be to leave the business cards at home since this is a place to go after work and relax, and there is a snug for a quiet chat.

The second floor is more upbeat and has a sixties yet modern feel going on. The rest is a surprise!

The soft opening is targetted for early October.

What’ll you have on tap?

Guinness, Kilkenny, Beamish, Carlsberg, Boddingtons (the supplier tells me all the kinks are fixed, we will see) and Stella Artois . So, six in total.

You’ve worked at Pavillion, Browns and TRIO – what have you learned about Beijing bars?

How to get the best out of the staff. I have to put my hand on heart and say the Chinese crew is the best I have worked with. If you show a little care for them, you get so much in return.

Ex pats! Fickle, impatient and fussy for sure, but looking after the basic needs of good service, value for money and a friendly smile seems to keep the wide range of expats happy. Not too many bars are doing it here!

What’s been the toughest challenge in opening the bar?

Three things – the government, the government, oh, and yeah the government!

You once almost lit me on fire with a flaming Lamborghini – does the guilt still gnaw at you?

Sorry Boycey, I was never guilty to begin with. Remember, it was almost. Next birthday I will get you for sure!

Mingle opened in the basement of Margherita, around the corner from Tongli Studio in the building formerly housing The Bund.

Joop Shen, who’s bouncing about the Beijing bar and club scene faster than a Xiali cab changes lanes – note: he’s held positions at China Doll and The Bank in the last six months – is involved, though this is a cozier fit and it will be a challenge to keep a lounge feel given the temptation to take advantage of the sound equipment no hand — we’ll see if Joop can work his magic with the staff, theme and layout.

Another bar nomad, Gleann Phealan – The Pavillion, Browns, and TRIO (Frank’s Place) – will soon be running his own gig as Irish bar Paddy O’Shea’s is projected to open next month near A-Che and Dine and Wine. Look for an interview here with Glenn later this week.

Sir Campbell T informs that a new bar called White Rabbit opened in Nurenjie on Friday night. Time enough to visit this weekend there was not, so I’ll aim to check this one out in the near future.