Xinyuanli's Dandy Room Dresses Its Cocktails (Like its Dapper Clientele) to the Nines
Much like James Bond, Jay Gatsby, or Rick Blaine, Xinyuanli's Dandy Room might initially remind you of a bygone era. Surely you know the period – when rigid, well-dressed men would congregate impunity-free to sip on stiff, no-fuss cocktails and bemoan the one thing they couldn't seem to control: the unruly women in their lives.
Thankfully, times are changing and you don't need to be a misogynist, a Hollywood wannabe, or even a man to enjoy a fine suit and a strong drink. Dandy Room – and, like many Beijing cocktail lounges, the predominantly chic female crowd it attracts – are a testament to such.
The new sartorially-inspired bar was born when the owners of Dandy Dandy, renowned for its tailoring work with Chinese celebrities, wanted to spoil their VIPs with a lounge and a drink after their fittings. However, they decided to open the space up, which is lucky for those of us who don't fit the "high-rolling tuxedo" type, offering creative cocktails that strike a fine balance between style and approachability to the masses. Chalk that deft balance up to Dandy Room barkeep Jerry Xin, who honed his craft for years at veteran Sanlitun bar D Lounge before heading up this new venture.
Dandy Room's concept follows suit (har-har) with Dandy Dandy in numerous ways. The drink menu is inspired by a fabric swatch book (and looks like it too, with pinstriped and checkered fabric pages between the drink lists). One of the bar's walls, meanwhile, is affixed with suit cutting boards. Best of all: the Navy Jacket (RMB 110, pictured at top) even gets the tailored treatment itself, handsomely fitted with a dark blue hand warmer with a few dapper brass buttons sewed on for good measure.
The drink itself is a twist on the gin and tonic, and is light and tart, with a sweet finish, making for a refreshing summer drink. The "navy" in its name alludes to the cocktail's Royal Dock Navy Strength Gin base, a rarer and higher grade alternative to the Beefeater that lesser Beijing bartenders rely on for gin and tonics. It's rounded out with White Coco liqueur, freshly squeezed lemon, soda water, and basil leaf garnish, for a refined and well-balanced mix. While the price might seem steep, for better or for worse it's what we've come to expect even from less refined cocktail bars in the area.
Be sure to also try the RMB 100 Irish Linen cocktail. It comes in a squat glass jar encased in a pouch made of the feather-soft fabric from which the drink takes its name. The cocktail's Jameson Berry Bitters (which are scarce in Beijing; Xin got them through his connections at the famed Dublin distillery) are beautifully fruity and tart. Coffee liqueur and Amaro are added to the proceedings, the latter giving the cocktail a refreshing herbal finish.
The fun presentations and knowledgable staff make this lounge worth a visit whether you can afford to get fitted for a suit out front or not. If nothing else, Dandy Room allows us to loosen our ties and pretend to live among Beijing's swankiest, if only for an evening.
Dandy Room
Daily, 7pm-2am. 1/F, Shop 103, 63 Xinyuan Street, Chaoyang District (157 1008 2858)
朝阳区新源街63号1号楼底商
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Photos: Uni You, Dandy Room
