Beijing Boyce

Oh, it doesn’t matter what they say in the papers
‘Cause it’s always been the same old scene
There’s a new band in town
But you can’t get the sound
From a story in a magazine…

Billy Joel, It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me

-

“The Smugglers is packed.” Never did I think those words would appear on my blog, but such was the state of affairs in Sanlitun on Friday night. I kicked off the evening with a tasting at soon-to-open Japanese restaurant Makoto (thanks to Miao Wang for the invite) and a visit to 1/5 bar, the newest component of 1949: The Hidden City. But first, the lowdown on Sanlitun less than two weeks ahead of The Olympics.

Not only was The Smugglers full but the street out front - bordered by Kai, Butterfly, and Shooters - seethed with hundreds of punters. The street at nearby Tongli Studio, where outdoor seating has been removed, saw lighter traffic although Luga’s was packed as usual.

Meanwhile, China Doll had a busy lounge, a crowded bar and dance floor, and a lineup, even before the witching hour had struck. This place has been a quick hit. By the way: 1) Expect a pat down by China Doll security at both the upstairs and downstairs entrances; 2) the place has a “no shorts or flip flops” rule; and 3) the RMB60 Gin Tonic continues to be weak, though this may soon change.

Finally, most bars on the main Sanlitun North bar strip had outdoor seating and solid crowds. Again, not one “lady bar” solicitation as I walked that strip.

On the south side, Q Bar had the atmosphere of a sauna, but I guess patrons found it tolerable given how tightly they were jammed into the place. Meanwhile, the street fronting Nanjie held hundreds of nightlife lovers, with the second-floor wraparound balcony the busiest I have seen it since the opening party.

I ended up at Tun, which had the lightest turnout of the night. I’m liking this place: the cavernous space, the high ceilings, the hutong touches, the Great Wall of China DJ booth, and, last but not least, the theme - “One World, One Drink.” Tun has excellent potential as an events venue.

Even better, its Friday night ten-kuai drink special makes “I’ll buy the next round” hard to resist, so I parked with music scene acquaintances RT and DM. The latter expounded on the need for “a great dive bar” in Beijing, what he describes as a “lowdown, last call, no hope place.” With its rough and ready fixtures, signs proclaiming “ignorance is strength” and “protect your daughters,” and a diverse and sometimes dubious clientele, the former Sunset Bar & Grill once served that niche, says he. I am hoping he takes up my offer to expand, in writing, on the “great dive bar” theme.

Anyway, I started the night at Japanese restaurant Makoto, which will open in China Central Place on Tuesday (RSVP-only until August 15). Some items I sampled might be too subtle for my rough tastes - these include “cucumber mint ‘noodle’ salad’” and “tomato tartare with bean salad.” But others I did like, including: the tempura (the prawns remained juicy inside); the sea scallop on pork belly and potato puree, with cubes of spiced apple around the sides (an interesting mix of tastes and textures; and the fresh ginger. Makoto is large, with seating at both tables and at cooking stations, and a lounge that looks nearly finished.

As for 1/5, I now know what 1949: The Hidden City considers to be “old school” music - The Stones, The Beatles, and Billy Joel (hence the quote above). The building was formerly a factory for making the blades on meat-slicing machines. Now the first floor is dominated by an island bar - with a soft arm rest - about ten meters long. Expect dark wood, leather, and cream paint, and what feels a bit like a hotel bar but with the added luxury of views of a pleasant courtyard. The upper floor includes private areas and two dancing poles. RMB39 and up for beer, RMB49 and up for drinks; expect a friendly but aggressive staff.

Note: I’ll soon have the Saturday and Sunday night parts of the weekend wrap and will also begin running my Olympics bar picks this week.

Some notes from recent journeys about town.

1.
Known for tasty tapas and a relaxed atmosphere, Mare on Xindong Lu is expanding.

2.
Just west of Mare, on Xingfucun Zhonglu, lies Sunset. This place is dark, dingy and dirt-cheap (RMB100 for 14 shots of some beverages) and will please those who pine for Beijing dives. I’d suggest this spot forgo table clothes, which look like they just survived a food fight, and stick to linoleum. (Unfortunately, a rumored ‘baijiu quarters’ game didn’t materialize Sunday and thus denied us some unintentional humor.)

3.
At least as of the weekend, Maggies remains closed.

4.
Ritz-Carlton Hotel’s Italian restaurant Cepe gets high marks for décor (cozy, warm, glimpses of the kitchen) and service (from handling reservations to keeping wine glasses full), but lower ones for food (note: the prices are my guess-timates, since I forget to grab the invoice).

The Portobello mushrooms with shrimp and baked eggplant puree consisted of four mushroom caps, two small shrimps, the puree and a tiny salad. While the mushrooms were meaty, I found the dish anemic and - given its size - outrageously priced at RMB140. The caviar with tuna tartar and seaweed (RMB175) came off as too fishy, while the codfish with green lentils (RMB200+) saw the vegetable overwhelming the fish. The gnocchi (RMB175) fared best - a sizable portion, with a nice mushroom sauce and Ricotta, though it could have used a bit more zip.

Cepe offers an extensive wine list that is conveniently segmented by wine style, rather than grape variety or country. We had Dr. L Riesling (RMB450), which went well with the fish. Wine starts at RMB318 a bottle. Our bill totaled RMB1435 - a bit pricey for what we got, to say the least.

5.
Q Bar now offers food, with just over a dozen items on the menu, including chocolate mouse, mini-bagels, and prunes and other items wrapped in bacon.
6.
I have returned to Ciro’s since my first unfortunate visit. This time The Cellar Rat and I parked at the bar, where, to our surprise, there is no service charge. Two sizable pours of Sacred Hill Sauvignon Blanc (RMB45) did us proper and the bartender did a decent job. The only suggestion - the vertical neon tube, in the glass-fronted fridge, gives off far too much glare. That should be easy enough to fix.

7.
I pray for many things - more peace, love and understanding, less pollution, a World Series for the Cubs, a trip to Boracay, and for The Bookworm to put some padding on its wooden door. Listening to that thing slam more than a dozen times an hour interjects a major annoyance into otherwise enjoyable visits. Seriously, I think three or four pads - like those that go beneath chair legs to reduce drag - would do the trick, and for a few kuai at that. I doubt I’m alone in loathing that door, as I noticed several people near me squinting every time that thing slammed shut.

8.
Based on the emails I get and other sources, the number of fights - and particularly foreigner vs. local brawls - has been on the rise in Sanlitun over the past year. Imbibers beware.

9.
If you love neon, then you’ll be in ecstasy once the new club south of Revelations (ex-Browns) and east of The Regal Club (that massive KTV-whatever that my friend says looks something like “The Ministry of Truth from a Shrek movie”) opens. My peak through a crack in the still-unopened doors revealed neon on the ceiling, neon on the walls, neon on the floor, and… neon in the halls. Meanwhile, the club on Gongti North called Success (with dollar signs for letters “s”) when I arrived in Beijing has gone through several reincarnations and is now known as Armaini (no typo).

10.
I’m guessing that of the foreigners I know who smoke in Beijing, over 75 percent puff on Zhongnanhai, with an inclination toward the 0.8 brand. How did this start? Do newcomers choose Zhongnanhai because they see others smoking them? Is it something about the packaging? Couldn’t someone get a Master’s thesis out of this?