Dogtown

What: A walk-up bar with exquisite Mexican inspired eats

Where: 409 Shanxi Bei Lu, near Beijing Xi Lu. Tel: 186 1614 7679

Why: For unique craft beers and homemade snacks at affordable prices

Down the tidy, tree-lined strip of Shanxi Bei Lu, a new bar makes its dazzling appearance on the pavement. Although it initially appears 
to simply be a hole in the wall, Dogtown is promising to be one of the hottest places to hang out this summer.

Last month, Adam McLean and Dave Seminsky, both partners of Sumerian (the coffee shop next door), made
the well-timed decision to expand and take over the neighbouring storefront. Its name, “Dogtown”, is inspired by the skateboarding culture of Santa Monica, and the partners aim to bring something of the laid-back West Coast vibe to Shanghai’s streets. The alfresco concept works brilliantly in this toned-down neighbourhood, and it is an idea that whole-heartedly celebrates good food, good drink and good company.

Moving away from the upscale nightlife of Shanghai,
 this small place offers a homey environment; an ideal place to catch up with friends while sipping on some of their carefully selected craft beers. “We don’t have fancy cocktails here,” McLean admits, but he insists that the craft beers are their selling point.

As well as their three draft beers - San Miguel, Stella Artois and Brooklyn Lager - a special Dogtown Tea (RMB 40) is also served on tap. During preparation, the tea is left to brew in the sun for a whole day before being mixed with fresh lemonade and vodka. The final touch is a daring dash of grapefruit bitters to balance out the sweetness of the drink. The result? A cool, refreshing tea with just a cheeky hint of vodka.

At present, Dogtown stocks a total of 15 craft beers, starting from RMB 30. We recommend trying beers from Brewers & Union (all priced at RMB 45); the Steph Weiss beer has a light-bodied, velvety-smooth texture that was perfection on our palates. But, to make things easier, Dogtown also suggests drinks to complement each food item on the menu.

The menu itself is refreshingly simple. Sam Norris, who
is the frontman when it comes down to the food, is both chef and creator of the menu. After seeing his good friend, Norris, cooking up Jamaican food at various events, McLean invited him to bring his seemingly endless talent for cooking in small spaces to Dogtown. What makes the tiny kitchen at Dogtown so special is that they prepare everything by hand.

Norris was busy in the kitchen when we arrived, toasting onions for the salsa we were about to try. “Nothing comes out of a tin here, if you know what I mean,” says McLean. “Everything we do is made from scratch.” And while the food is fresh and honest, it isn’t overpriced.

To kick things off, we started on the Chicharrones with spiced salt (RMB 20), which was paired with Berne Amber Lager (RMB 45). This crispy, light snack (essentially, pig skin) was seasoned with a mixture of spices, producing a rich flavour that was in turn neutralised by the bitterness of the beer. Next, we moved onto the tostada with Baja fish and homemade chipotle mayo (RMB 40). For this snack, the suggested pairing was Dogtown Tea (RMB 40). The tea perfectly complemented the beer-battered fish, which we saw being made right in front of us. Our personal favourite though had to be the tacos with pulled pork and salsa (RMB 45), which were the real coup-de-grace.

For all of this – the drinks, the food and the atmosphere - you can’t help but leave Dogtown with a promise somewhere in your mind that you’ll be back again very soon.

Opening hours: Tue-Sun, 12pm-11pm