Night Talk: Four New Venues
Cheers-In
What: Boutique imported beer shop
Why: Because you adore malted grain alcoholic beverages
How much: Beer RMB 5 and up
Where: 25 Yongkang Lu, near Jiashan Lu. Tel: 6418 8400. Web: www.cheers-in.com
While our fair city is blessed with a few excellent beer bars, including Kaiba, Jackie’s Beer Nest, Boxing Cat and The BREW, Cheers-In is Shanghai’s first beer-only store. In fact, it just might be the first in China. For beer drinkers, any proper night out on the town should have its genesis here.
Founded by three Frenchmen with more of a passion for malted grain than grapes, the store is on a mission to educate locals and expats alike on the delicious diversity in the world of beer. Presently, with over 170 varieties of liquid gold from 26 countries, Cheers-In far and away represents the best location in town to supply your beer drinking needs, putting the nearby City Shop and Parkson to shame.
From Newcastle to Hanoi, Colorado to Barcelona, the selection – for China at least – is very impressive. Gems include five trappists, Jade – France’s first organic beer, five types of Japan’s Coedo, the Ferran Adrià designed Inedit by Estrella Damm, as well as a few Shanghai shop exclusives like La Chouffe and Gouden Carolus Tripel. A wide selection of fruit beers is also available for those who like it sweet.
Besides affordable prices, Cheers-In also offers free delivery for orders of over RMB 200 through their website. Check out their blog for information on newly added beers and don’t hesitate to send sourcing requests for beers you can’t find around town – should demand for a beer be high enough, they’ll look into importing it.
Angel
What: PinkHome is back with a new LGBT club in the heart of downtown
Why: Because heterosexuals are usually terrible dancers
How much: Cocktails RMB 28 - 35
Where: 1 Wulumuqi Lu, near Hengshan Lu. Tel: 400 669 1069. Web: www.angelshanghai.com
You don’t need a large neon sign to know that you are close to the newest alternative dance club in the city; just look for the long queue outside. Business at Angel, a new gay club managed by PinkHome, has boomed since opening, regularly attracting upwards of 2,000 people per night. Designed for a capacity of approximately 750 people, that can make for some packed, sweaty nights.
The venue itself, a large dance space over two levels with several smaller themed bars and seating areas to the side, is the biggest dance haven for the LGBT scene yet. Features include the Castro Lounge that caters to expats, the Fantasy Room for more intimate conversation and Teddy’s Bar that interestingly targets those who prefer to meet larger or more muscular men. The club serves regular drinks at relatively cheap prices, and also hosts the first ever in-club mini-mart for those with reserved tables or who prefer to drink by the bottle. All purchases are made with a pre-paid card, which is rechargeable at the bar.
On a typical night, Angel keeps the energy high with house music, often featuring DJs from all over Asia. Starting this month, the club will host themed parties every third weekend. Despite its rookie status and the fact that it’s still undergoing some final construction, Angel’s attendance numbers so far have already put it squarely on the Shanghai’s clubbing map.
Craft
What: Hidden away cocktail lounge that specialises in all things vodka
Why: Because you adore clear, colourless distilled beverages
How much: Cocktails RMB 60 – 75; Samplers RMB 98 – 298
Where: 2F, Donghu Hotel, 7 Donghu Lu. Tel: 139 1798 5763
For the uninitiated, Craft can be a challenge to find. Facing the Donghu Hotel’s southern building next to Wagas – opposite the street’s row of restaurants – enter the small lane on the left side of the building and go up the stairs past the teppanyaki joint. If you find yourself in front of a stairway to Club Cinderella, you’ve gone too far. Craft’s owner Jerrica Lee seems to like the obscurity – it’s the first of the many unique facets of the quirky little bar.
Craft joins Shanghai’s growing list of specialised bars as its vodka representative. Russian, Polish, Ukrainian, Scandinavian, Kiwi, American and a smattering of Western European nations all have delegates behind the long concrete bar – 34 brands in all. Together with Lee, former Manifesto bartender Adam Deverman developed the cocktail menu, and it features homemade infusions from local ingredients like teas, flowers and fruits. Best yet, for vodka noobs or people looking to get their party started, sampler ‘flights’ come in three levels of five shots each.
The bar itself is divided between the long bar and a cosier, more intimate area at the end of the room with comfy seating, candlelit tables and a fake hearth. Inspired by Lee’s world travels, the mixed bag of industrial piping, reclaimed woods and dark colours gives the space an unassuming feel. Coupled with the lounge tunes on the stereo system, Craft makes for an excellent pre- or post-dinner destination – that is if you can find it.
XTD Elevated
What: The Xintiandi landmark opens its fifth floor terrace
Why: Because there is still a lot of summer left to enjoy
How much: Mixed drinks RMB 70 – 90; Happy Hour special RMB 150
Where: The Langham Xintiandi Shanghai, 5F, 99 Madang Lu, near Taicang Lu. Tel: 2330 2288
As the Langham Xintiandi continues its elongated rollout of venues and services, the much anticipated debut of XTD Elevated, their fifth floor terrace, is finally upon us. Roughly half the size of a football pitch, the space is going for a South American/Southeast Asian tropical vibe. Seven semi-private bungalows stretch along one side, while comfy day beds and umbrellaed tables dot the rest of the patio. It’s definitely a unique space, and several corporate and fashion events have already taken advantage of the hip layout.
Mojitos are the name of the game at XTD and come in classic, ginger, grapefruit and strawberry variations. The bar stresses fruity freshness that makes for some very vibrant colours. A glass will set you back a rather steep RMB 90 or RMB 230 for a jug; thankfully the locale’s 95 minute happy hour, from 5:30 – 7:05pm, promotes a two drink and unlimited canapés deal for RMB 150. When the clock strikes five after seven, free shots are passed around the venue to mark the end of the drinking deals.
Interestingly, XTD Elevated plans to use an ordering system app for the iPad. Guests can create personalised profiles that will remember how they like their drinks made, which wine they prefer, etc. The hotel is also pushing a Sunday brunch with barbequed meats and seafood, as well salads and desserts, all paired with specially-made spirits from the bar.
