Can Shuangjing’s Wind House Huff and Puff Its Way to Speakeasy Glory?
Chicago, eat your heart out. Anyone who’s endured a winter in Beijing knows our capital is truly deserving of the “Windy City” moniker, making the recently opened Shuangjing cocktail and whisky joint Wind House an aptly named haven from Beijing’s bitter gusts as the weather continues to cool off.
The bar certainly sets itself apart in terms of ambiance, forgoing the elegant, throwback trappings of most Beijing speakeasies in favor of a far more laid back vibe more befitting a sports bar. Electronic dart boards, a bit screen projector, eight tables, and 10 booths comprise much of a sprawling space that dwarfs most Beijing cocktail spots that are nooky and intimate instead. The bar itself also features less prominently in this joint, be tucked off to the far right side adjacent to the seating instead of taking center stage.
That doesn’t mean that spirits shelf doesn’t impress. Windy’s vast, Paul McCartney's Wings worthy logo shades space with shelves stocked primarily with whisky, a quite decent selection that comprised mostly of single malts like Glenmorangie Nectar d'Or (RMB 100 per glass or RMB 1280 per bottle) and 12-year-old Tomatin (RMB 80 per glass of RMB 980 per bottle), the priciest being 21-year-old Balvenie (RMB 170 per glass or 2180 per bottle), though most of the offering are half as cheap as that costliest item.
The cocktails, though, are another matter entirely. The priciest, the “Dope” whiskey-based cocktail, is a ridiculous – even by recent Beijing standards – RMB 180. The “Sorry babe” rum-based concoction and “WeChat” vodka-based cocktail both run at RMB 120 each, both still being steep for many discerning customers, but par for the course in this ever more costly capital of ours.
The “Guess u like” at RMB 100 is more reasonably priced. And when we found out it was tequila based, our alchy tendencies left us more than a little tempted. Using fairly standard Jose Cuervo as its base, the cocktail also featured a smarter of passion fruit Monin cocktail syrup and a squeeze of the real thing that the bartender sliced for us on the spot, leaving a lingering aroma. It made for a tart and citrusy drink that was amply woozy thanks of course to the high alcohol content of its spirit. Not the most intricate cocktail we’ve had in Beijing by any means, but it was succulent and aptly made and more than did the trick.
Wind House certainly boasts enough promise to lift the proverbial sails of many a patron, from the friendly and capable service and its convenient location next to the gargantuan new Hopson mall to its decent spirits list, sturdily made cocktails and low key ambiance. If the prices of many of the drinks could match the sporty, everyman vibe of the decor (we’re thinking the just south of RMB 100 wares found at Q Bar rather than the RMB 100 + found at many a glitzy Beijing speakeasy) then Windy would be able to truly bellow all the assertively, but for now they’re coming along commendably for a new spot, but are still puffing a bit shy of their full-fledged potential.
Wet Your Whistle With the Beijinger's Coverage of the Capital's Cocktail Scene here.
Wind House
Daily 8pm-Late. B101, Unit 1, 2nd Floor, Building 11, No. 20, West Dawang Road, No. 20, Heshenghui North Side Road
西大望路甲20号院11号楼1层2单元B101(合生汇北侧马路)
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Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
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Photos: Kyle Mullin, courtesy of Wind House
