I'd Tap That: Sneak Peek of Luga's New German Bar

With a number of successful (not to mention unsuccessful) restaurants and bars to his name, Luga is a Beijing Food & Beverage legend. So when a colleague informed me that his new Taps German bar and grill was open, I wasted no time getting down to the basement of Luga's Villa to check it out.

Taps eschews the traditional Bavarian brauhaus vibe for a more modern look that suggests a New York pub. In the interest of full disclosure, you should know that I've never been to an actual New York pub, so I mean that only loosely. All that to say the decor is classy.

Dedicated drinkers will be happy to know that the bar already has three tap-equipped tables up and running and plans to have a total of seven taps across five tables. I'd put money down on the likelihood that the two-tap tables, which seat up to 10 people, are going to be a big hit. Beer duel, anyone?

Five imported beers are on tap at the bar and the tables: Germany's Radeberger, Paulaner, Gaffel and Eibauer plus Denmark's Carlsberg. According to the staff, Taps is the only place in Sanlitun serving Paulaner on tap.

If you're lucky enough to be sitting at one of the tap tables, you can either purchase beer five liters at a time or just help yourself and then pay for what you drank when you're done. The bar also plans to offer multi-use 20-liter "keys" at a 10 percent discount for the self-serve taps. Alone in the bar on a Monday afternoon, my first thought was, "That's a whole lot of beer," but I'm sure my opinion would quickly change on a Friday night with a table full of friends and bonhomie.

Food on offer is standard German fare: sausages, schnitzel and spätzle (noodle casserole). Other items of interest include meatloaf and platters of cold cuts and cheese. I tried the bratwurst plate (RMB 65), which came with two tasty sausages, a hefty scoop mashed potatoes, sauerkraut and a lovely gravy that I would pour straight down my throat if this were a world without consequences. Sadly, my therapist tells me it isn't.

In the name of research, I also tried a pork schnitzel on a bread roll (RMB 28) off their bar food menu. It was pleasant, though a tinge too chewy.

Taps has more than a hundred seats inside and another sixty-odd on the outdoor deck. There's plenty to be excited about here in terms of food, drink and atmosphere. Based solely on my first impression, I won't be drinking alone here for much longer.

Taps
7 Sanlitun Houjie (10m from northwest corner of 3.3 Shopping Center), Chaoyang District
朝阳区三里屯后街7号(离3.3购物中心西北角10米) (6415 6901)