Bao Jian Cocktail Bar Is a Hidden Hutong Oasis
After a Friday night commute on Beijing’s chock-a-block Gulou Dajie main drag, turning onto the dark and sleepy Baochao Hutong feels like entering another universe. From there, popping into Furongji restaurant is yet another drastic change in scenery, thanks to the restaurant's bustling crowds and energetic ambiance.
And you're still not at your destination yet: ask the rushed Furongji staff about Bao Jian, which is hidden at the back of the restaurant, and they’ll take a moment away from the throngs of eager customers to whisk you inside the dimly lit and refreshingly quiet cocktail bar.
Read: Furongji Serves Modern Dim Sum on Baochao Hutong (Just Don’t Call it Fusion)
A well-curated indie electronica soundtrack (think Caribou and Sbtrkt) permeate the space, which is an excellent getaway for couples who’ve finished their meal at Furongji. The decor is equally chill, from the tastefully simple wooden paneling, brick archway, tall pleather stools, and an emerald green granite bar.
The decor’s simplicity carries over to the drink menu. For instance, Bao Jian puts a fresh spin on the omnipresent gin and tonic (RMB 80) with a splash of Wuyi Mountain Oolong tea, a Fujian brand renowned for its fragrantly sweet leaves. The offbeat flavor of that extra ingredient, along with the above-average Kew gin (a niche organic brand that proves superior to the more widely used Beefeater) and 1724 tonic (as opposed to the lackluster Watson's cans that too Beijing bartenders buy from local shops) all make for a refreshingly flavourful cocktail.
They also turn the old fashioned (RMB 70) on its ear by swapping in Dark Chairman’s Reserve Rum instead of the cocktail’s usual whiskey. Its spicy dark rum clashes colorfully with bitters stirred into the mix.
It’s a short and straightforward list, compact as the bar's floor space (which has room enough for half a dozen stools at the bar and a couple of tables opposite). All that, along with the engrossing acoustics, understated design, and hidden entryway makes one visiting this backroom bar feel relaxed, comfortable, and at home, which is appropriate for a venue whose name roughly translates in English to “private room.”
Bao Jian Bar
Tue-Sun 9pm-2am (closed Mondays). 63 Baochao Hutong, Dongcheng District (off Gulou Dongdajie)
东城区宝钞胡同63号
Still thirsty? Check out our review of the neighboring DaliDali cocktail bar here.
More stories by this author here.
Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
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Photos: Courtesy of Bao Jian
