After a lull in The Land Down Under, wine guru Sir Campbell Thompson is back in Beijing for good. I met him on Saturday night for a lengthy tour of the local sights. Some random observations:
Block 8 : The third-floor bar – I-Ultra Lounge – reminds me of a super-sized Centro . We headed to the rooftop bar, The Beach , where lounge areas surrounded by sand sit amid a network of elevated walkways. You'll fork out 2000 kuai for one such spot and up to 5000 kuai for premium spaces. The only free seating – or free standing , given there were no chairs – was at a large round bar in the far corner. The place seemed somewhat soulless – maybe it was the too-slick design, lack of greenery, the nasty night pollution or the fact we were the only patrons – so to be fair another visit is in order, especially since several readers have praised this place, although usually in relation to the eye candy they say patronizes it.
In any case, given the beach theme, you might expect Margaritas and Pina Coladas on the menu. They aren't. 42 Below vodka and Tanqueray gin are, but were out of stock, so we settled for Bombay Sapphire GTs at 55 kuai. I suppose the price was worth it given the spectacle of a bartender twisting the base of a tonic can into his hand, thus forming a vacuum and allowing him to pour the mixer without using his fingers (try it at home, it's surprisingly easy). By the way, best to book a table at The Beach – as we left the staff told us that every spot had been reserved for the night.
Suzie Wong : The third-floor area has been redecorated since my last visit and reaching the deck now requires a trip through the back end of the dance floor, but other than that, it was the same old Suzie. We parked on the deck and enjoyed bottled Stella as the place steadily filled with a most diverse crowd - a woman anxiously sitting alone (let's hope the guy showed up), several groups of local friends, a man out cold on a bench , the usual gaggle of older expat male-younger Chinese female couples, and so on. I've never been a big fan of Suzie Wong in general, but I've always liked the deck – earthy , nicely lit and seeming as though it's cut off from the city.
Q Bar : This night saw a light crowd, and while the music is too loud inside, the place does have its compensations – the Q Bar team is well-trained and the drinks are good . Sir C had a Lychee Margarita and engaged co-owner Echo in a discussion as to whether there should be salt (as he likes) or sugar (as many customers prefer) on the rim. I had a Horse Neck , a pleasant drink with Bourbon, ginger ale, and a long curl of lemon peel. Just before we left, a guy walked up and ordered ten Jagermeister shots . Sir C sternly described this as a blasphemous request in such a cocktail heaven and nearly beat him to death with a mint masher (just kidding). By the way, Q Bar's collection of single malts continues to grow.
The Rickshaw : A rugby had just ended and the place was packed with Aussies and Kiwis – Sir C, being a member of the former tribe, knew half the people there. It was Stella yet again.
China Doll : The second floor seethed with dancers. We struggled to the bar and decided on hydration – the fruity Ai Wan Jamaica . The patrons to our left were most happy and eclectic – one wore a suit, thick dark-rimmed glasses and a foamy farmer's hat , another had a sleeveless T-shirt and Scott Baio aura, and so on. Celebration was in the air and we speculated about a newly signed joint venture, hopefully one that will produce some kind of vacuum to suck coal particles from the air in summer andGobi sand in the winter – the latter can be used to replenish The Beach. People-watching at its finest…
Cheers : This place was also hopping, to live music. Even better, Sir C – who used to play in a band – knew one of the musicians, a guy from Madagascar . I'm not sure what they talked about it, but perhaps it concerned their two countries containing at least half of the world's weirdest creatures.
Maggies : This place was even more packed than China Doll, with men far outnumbering the women – the horror! My advice to these guys: why not just go to China Doll to meet the opposite sex? We parked outside and watched people pass while Sir C enjoyed one of Maggies most excellent hotdogs . By the way, you know a guy is drunk beyond redemption if he squints at me to see if I might be a potential “short-term” female companion. Realizing that being packed like sardines in a can with hundreds of other guys wasn't our thing, we decided against going inside and instead bid farewell and called a close to a busy but fun night…
