Sweet Sophistication - Beijing’s Best Cocktails
Shaken or stirred, nothing warms the blood like a perfectly mixed cocktail. Dedicated to keeping your blood from freezing, Agenda scoured the town and came up with a list of the capital’s best cocktails.
Frangelico
Take a break from the bitter cold and visit the northern part of Italy with a Frangelico, a sweet blend of hazelnut liqueur, limejuice, sugar and vodka. The lime adds a delightful citrusy contrast to the sweet warm depth of the Frangelico – a dulce retreat from the Beijing winter. RMB 35. 2/F Sun-Thu 6pm-2am, Fri-Sat 6pm-4am. Sanlitun Houjie, Chaoyang District. (6416 4549) 朝阳区三里屯北街3.3 服装大厦南侧
Pisco Sour The Chilean and Peruvian
Pisco Sour is imbued with the aroma of muscatels, a hint of lemon juice, and house-made bitters, rounded out with an egg white which lends the drink its signature creaminess. RMB 70. Apothecary Tue-Sat 7pm-late, Sun 6pm-late. 3/F, Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Beilu, Chaoyang District. (5208 6040) 朝阳区三里屯北路81号那里花园3层
Cosmopolitan
A treat for the eyes as much as it is for the mouth, the mini-Cosmo popsicles – a mix of Grey Goose vodka, Triple Sec, cranberry liqueur, and cranberry juice – served atop a large dahlia-lit cube of ice. RMB 100. Centro Daily 24hrs. 2/F, Shangri-La’s Kerry Centre Hotel, 1 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District. (6561 8833) 朝阳区光华路1号嘉里中心饭店1层
Grapefruit Gimplet
D lounge’s take on this classic cocktail, plays with texture, using the requisite London dry gin and pressed lime, but sweetening it up with Korean grapefruit marmalade. The addition of ginger and apple puree lends the perfect amount of heat to the mix. RMB 65. D Lounge Daily 8pm-late. Courtyard 4, Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District. (6593 7710) 朝阳区工体北路4号
Dirty Martini
If you like your martini dirty, this delectably cloudy concoction is sure to tug at your heartstrings. Cocktails are RMB 30 during happy hour (daily beginning at 3pm). Fubar also holds a monthly one kuai drinks special on the first of every month. RMB 50. Fubar Sun-Thu 6pm-2am, Fri-Sat 6pm-4am. Behind Stadium Dog, Gate 10, Workers’ Stadium, Chaoyang District. (6593 8227) 朝阳区工体东路工人体育场东门内10号进口
Manhattan
Not many bars in Beijing can make a good Manhattan, but Kanetaka Daiki knows how to do this classic cocktail justice – his interpretation is strong, urbane and simple. Glen Daily 5pm-2.30am. The Hidden City, Courtyard 4, Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District. (133 1126 1949) 朝阳区工体北路4号院
Moscow Mule
Ichikura revived the drink conceived in the 1940s that kicked off the vodka trend in the Western world. Ginger-infused vodka, ginger ale, and lime served in a ridged copper mug. RMB 50. Ichikura Daily 6pm-1:30am. 2/F (entrance via stairs at south wall of Chaoyang Theater), Chaoyang Theater, 36 Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District. (6507 1107) 朝阳区东三环北路36号
Bittergourd Cocktail
Chinese-inspired innovations are nothing new at the Opposite House, and we strongly suspect that their new line of cocktails, featuring unique flavors such as bittergourd, are the cause for their loyal following. RMB 70. Tue-Sat 8pm-3am. B1/F, The Opposite House, Bldg 1, Sanlitun Village, 11 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District (6410 5222) 朝阳区三里屯路11号三里屯Village1号楼瑜舍地下1层
Raspberry Sky
Made with raspberry vodka, fresh Thai lime, cranberry juice and white sugar, Q’s candy-colored cocktail is fun and brimming with flavor (RMB 50). It’s sweet and slightly tart, not syrupy in the least bit. Try Q’s 2-for-1 Martini deal every Wednesday 6-11pm. Q BarDaily 5pm-2am. Top floor of Eastern Inn Hotel, 6 Baijiazhuang Lu, Chaoyang District. (6595 9239) 朝阳区百家庄6号三里屯南路逸羽连锁酒店顶楼
Apricot Old Fashioned
This Old Fashioned isn’t quite so old-fashioned. The double-twist here is that the apricot-infused bourbon is offset by a dash of smoky ten-year Laphroaig. An orange twist garnish further enhances the fruity hints of the apricot. RMB 65. Twilight Mon-Sat 11.30am-2.30pm, 6pm-2am. 3/F, 0102, Bldg 5, Jianwai Soho, 39 Dongsanhuan Zhonglu, Chaoyang District. (5900 5376) 朝阳区东三环中路39号建外Soho5号0102单元3层
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Article from Agenda, issue 70, Dec 30-Jan 12. To read more from the most recent issue of Agenda, download the PDF here. To find a copy, contact our distribution department at distribution@agendabeijing.com with an idea of where you work, live or play and we'll tell you where you can find one near you.
