Beijing Boyce

Hot on the heels of a rough ride for the former owners of The Saddle (now known as Lugas), it sounds as if Shooters is having employee-landlord woes. This appeared on the bar’s Web site (thanks to AT for the tip):

Announced unexpectedly on 11th November the ownership of Shooters has changed. Just over one year after setting up the business from scratch and turning the spot around from a struggling Russian / Dumpling restaurant into what we know and love today, the proficient Caojian and Ajian have parted ways with the landlord. The landlord, a silent partner and investor in the business, believes he can run things as successfully without the support and experience of the ever popular barmen! All is not lost as Caojian and Ajian have learned a lesson or two and hope to open another bar soon, although the place and name are still to be decided.

Hmmm, that doesn’t sound good, though it would be nice to hear both sides of the story. Add this on top of the Bar Blu closure (it just reopened) and other stories, and Sanlitun North is one scary place to do business in my book.  In any case, the bartenders at Shooters are among the most efficient around, so expect them to be back in action soon. For my initial take on the place, see Shooters: They’ll Cap Your Glass.

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.

My spirits were high when Agent Red Wolf, O-Zone, Flash and I attended the November 24 Summergate wine tasting at China Lounge (150 kuai). Not only would we sample seven wines produced by the owner of Petrus, but also O-Zone and Flash import vino and would, one might think, have something useful to say. On top of this, Summergate provides tasting notes in a handy booklet that is perfect for geeks like me who arrive pen in hand.

We started with Jean Pierre Moueix (JPM) Bordeaux AOC 2003 (167 kuai), which seemed a bit sour and had a weak finish, and Christian Moueix Merlot 2003 (191 kuai), which was tastier, with strong cherry and slightly spicy aromas. The JPM Saint-Emilion AOC 2003 (299 kuai) and Pomerol AOC 2002 (395 kuai) were fine, although I didn’t find the bodies as full as indicated by the tasting notes, but the Chateau Grand Village 2001 (227 kuai) was musty and disappointing.

I enjoyed the last two wines. The JPM Chateau Plince 2001 (743 kuai) had plenty of acid, lots of ripe cherry flavors and good aftertaste. O-Zone described it as “round,” Agent Red Wolf loved it, and I thought it got better by the minute. The Chateau La Grave 2001 (827 kuai) had a consistent nose, with candy apple and fruit scents. I wrote “mouth joy” in my notes for some reason.

I was in agreement with O-Zone, who described the first four wines as “all nicely drinkable so far, but none of them have left an impression.” It may be that my amateur palate is not up to French wines, but I can’t see myself paying these prices for these wines. The same goes for the last two: while they were delicious, at about 100 dollars a bottle I’ll next be trying them when someone else foots the bill. Luckily, in this case, we tried all seven wines for 150 kuai, which was decent value, as evidenced by the crowded room.

What could be more appropriate after sampling French wine than loading up on Mexican food on Sanlitun North? First, Flash had to make a drop off at the nearby “diplomatic apartments.” We drove there and waited in the car while he went to the trunk, hauled out a box and gave it to a man who emerged from the apartments. Then he got back in the car.

Me: “What was in the box?”
Flash: [Smiles]
Me: “Come on, what’s in it?”
Flash: [Short pause] “Wine”
Me: “So why was that guy wearing a bathrobe?”

There followed a long pause. I find in moments such as these, whistling a TV theme song, such as that for Gilligan’s Island or The Smurfs, can do wonders. Given the nationalities of those in the car, Hogan’s Heroes seemed appropriate.

We headed for Saddle, which is across from Tongli Studio and enables us to order food from the new, nearby and affiliated Cox, and soon faced a table loaded with burritos, salads, cheese sticks, wings and the like. After the Summergate tasting, our palates were finely tuned, and we matched this feast with ice-cold Qingdao. As for the food, I found that the wings were a rocky marriage of sauce and meat, while the burritos were outstanding, with a hearty nose and hints of Tabasco.

We then waddled down to Shooters, where I treated Flash and O-Zone to Pink Panties (Vodka, Peach Schnapps and something I can’t recall). The experience was so compelling that we had not left and gone 100 meters from the place when both of them had second thoughts and we returned for a few more shots, including one bearing an unprintable name.

We finished the evening by visiting Opener? (see review in issue XXVII), which is in the less than inspiring Jianwai Soho complex and run by the former owner of First Cafe, where I first met O-Zone, Flash and Agent Red Wolf. The music, lighting and ambiance were subdued. With Budweiser in hand, it was a relaxing finish to an evening that spanned Petrus, Pink Panties and Bordeaux, and showed just how cosmopolitan is our fair city.

(From Beijing Boyce XXVIII, first emailed on December 23, 2006)

Stay home on Saturday night after a full day of staff training and before a Sunday in the office, or answer an SMS from Eddie O and go out for “just one drink.” I recklessly chose the latter and was soon riding shotgun on a high-speed Sanlitun pub-crawl. Here are the highlights.

The Tree: With good portions of metro-sexuals (designer leather jackets mandatory), sporty types (“dress” sweatshirts mandatory), twenty-something women (heavy makeup mandatory) and groups celebrating who knows what (mugs of Qingdao mandatory), and with a dash of old-timers thrown in, The Tree is an anomaly in this student-heavy section of Sanlitun. The Tree has a nice Whiskey collection, with more than a half-dozen varieties of Bowmore and Macallan, as well as Talisker, Glenfiddich and others. (Note: It’s impossible to read the Whisky price list glued to the wall behind the bar, so a few copies for the customers would be nice.) Twelve-year-old Macallan is 50 kuai, 15-year-old Balvenie is 70 kuai and, on the cheaper end, shots of Jim Beam and Jack Daniels are 25 kuai. Fun times trying to match up Whiskey – or Belgian beer – with The Tree’s tasty pizzas.

Shooters: This place is fast becoming my favorite quick stop. Eddie O and I ordered two Qingdao at 9:30 PM and received a bill for a jaw-dropping 10 kuai. This caused him to spurt out “that’s almost grocery store prices!” He then grinned, clapped his hands three times, and pumped his arms up and down as if they were pistons. (This latter act was entirely appropriate given that he works in the car industry.) Previous visits to Shooters gave me chaperone-like symptoms, but this night saw patrons of all ages and reminded me of the early days at Browns. The music was eclectic, covering The Bee-Gees, Run DMC, Clint Black (?), ABBA and some mid-90s rock. The staff was friendly and efficient, with a “we’ve seen everything” attitude. The shooters came fast and furious as the place was bustling. Fun times again. (Note: How long before that giant pitchfork mounted on the wall is a prop in a tiff involving a drunk and/or jilted lover? Should it happen, how long after that before this place creates a commemorative shooter in honor of the victim? Just asking…)

Taniwha: We looked in, spotted only two patrons (playing pool), and headed across the hall to Cheers. Last issue I called this place Taniwhy, but now I’m leaning toward Taniwhatswrong or Taniwhawful. It is early days yet for this bar, but one hopes the management makes some changes so that we can soon call the place Taiwhanderful.

Cheers: They have Wild Turkey. They have a good happy hour. They have live Xinjiang music. One problem: when there aren’t 100 bodies in the place to absorb the sound of the drums, it is LOUD. Twenty minutes of brain-piercing snare was driving me near migraine territory, so we fled and headed to…The Dark Side…otherwise known as…

Mystique: I made my umpteenth prayer that bartenders at these kinds of places spend less time tossing bottles behind their backs, to each other, and off disco balls and into cocktail shakers, and more properly mixing the liquids within into a palatable drink. The martinis (40 kuai each) were watery, and the olives had pits, as Eddie O and I (painfully) discovered. Fortunately, the olive pick came with a sparkly bit of ribbon that distracted me from my abused molars. Other “highlights” of the visit included the subtitled karaoke-type videos playing on TVs near the bar and the high percentage of women dancing to their reflections in a shiny wall fronting the dance floor (really, who could resist an extremely long version of an Eminem song mixed to background noise from Space Invaders).

By the way, no one on staff could understand “Where’s the toilet?” in English, forcing me to act out my needs, after which the staff bent over backwards to direct me to the loo. I can see the manager leading that training session:

“Listen up, staff, when directing people to the bathroom, make them seem as though they are kings or queens heading to the throne, and what awaits them is a royal flush. As they approach, make a small circular motion with your arm as though you are winding it up, and then smoothly thrust it forth, hand extended, palm up, toward the toilet, leaning every so slightly forward as you smile widely to underscore your eagerness to serve. Okay, let’s practice that a few times and then get back to tossing bottles behind our backs…”

Shooters: We needed some mouthwash after those “martinis” and headed back to Shooters for a Qingdao. The place was still bustling… the pitchfork was still on the wall… The Knack was playing… “Come a little closer, huh, a-will ya, huh? Close enough to look in my eyes, Sharona”…

Side by Side: As Eddie O and I headed down the main strip of Sanlitun South, maneuvering around “lady bar” touts, beggars and fake CD sellers, a place called Side by Side caught my eye. Actually, the band inside caught my ear because it was playing Joan Jett‘s “I Hate Myself for Loving You.” *This* looked promising. As they say, looks are deceiving and we lasted one over-priced Qingdao (35 kuai!).

Browns: This place was comfortably packed and the Wild Turkey generously poured. We regained our breath, I made some notes and, given that I had a date with the office the next day and that Eddie O teaches free English classes on Sundays to his neighborhood peeps, we did a final gumbai and headed home.

In the former locale of Moscow and just up from Kai, Shooters is rising up the hit list of favorite cheap bars – with a bullet. The place may not win any design awards, but is a cut above the competition, with a kind of mini-Browns feel. It has a bar, dance floor and seating downstairs, with sofas upstairs. Eddie O described it as “rough around the edges, but good.” Those over 25 may experience chaperone-like symptoms.

The handy laminated menu lists about a hundred shooters at 10 kuai apiece as well as pricier shots, cocktails and beers. (Note: As with all cheap drinks, you take your chances in this town.) I tried the passable Duck’s Ass (Bailey’s, Kahlua and white rum) and Baby Ruth (vodka, amaretto and peanuts). The Big V (dark cacao, blue cacao, vodka) was surprisingly good and I had a second. Eddie O stuck to Qingdao. Given the prices, drinks, location and ambience, this place will be a winner.