Sanlitun 三里屯
This wild, expat area full of shopping malls, bars, and restaurants, is a big night scene in Beijing. My hostel, the Sanlitun Youth Hostel, was a seven minute walk away from Sanlitun Village, so I was able to walk there every night to meet up with friends in the area. While the Sanlitun Village is built out of modern glass and metal, making it sharp-chic, the "bar street" (that is what locals call it when giving directions to taxi drivers) is more of a crowded, drunken scene of smoke from the 串儿 (Chinese barbecue), beer from those who lack the balance to keep it in their glass, and ladies whose miniskirts don't turn out to be the best idea after 5 or 6 glasses of their alcohol of choice.
This bar-restaurant in Sanlitun was a staple of my four days in Beijing as it seems to be a staple of my friends' lives in Beijing. From burger heaven, to bar night, to pre-gaming, this classic bar with its wooden patio lends itself to all night-owl needs. The burger wasn't half bad, either.
Bitte Pita
Right above First Floor is an open, well lit Israeli restaurant specializing in hummus, pita, and falafel. Get your falafel with the extra hummus--I made the mistake of getting my falafel plain, and the hummus really could have moistened it into the perfect late-night snack. For 25 RMB, though, I could have kept going back.
Annie's
Also near the Sanlitun area, this Italian restaurant doesn't look very special when you walk in, but its homey feel and hearty dishes are surprisingly satisfying. I can't say the ravioli I had was earth-shattering, but the tomato cream sauce was smooth and rich, and the service was attentive and friendly. The friend who brought me there says it's her favorite restaurant, and after she took me there I could see how it might become a top-contender for Italian night.
The Stumble Inn
Although the location is great--right in Sanlitun Village on the second level--I would not rank The Stumble Inn as a top choice for a night out. It's great if you want to have a beer (of which they have many) and watch any number of sports games, but the ambiance wasn't as alluring as that of other places I visited in Beijing. Maybe it's because I am not a beer-and-sports gal.
My friend took me to his favorite restaurant, the Union Bar and Grille, which serves brunch in the morning on weekends and holidays. My french toast was massive. When the trough-like plate came out with four slabs of french-toasted, sugar-coated bread, I knew they were doing breakfast American style. However, slathering the already sugar-frosted top in extra butter and maple syrup (which was fake, though I didn't expect it to be real in China) was more an antidote to the dry toast than it was to add flavor. Breakfast was enjoyable as we sat at the quiet bar, eating good food, sipping our drinks, chatting with the manager, and watching funny photos displayed on the flat-screen TV.
Atop Nali Patio is a wooden deck that comes alive at night as people start to lounge on the cushions and flat beach couches and dance around with cocktails in hand. The music that Migas played the night we were there included a lot of swing--both remixed and original--so people were dancing, twisting, and swinging every which way. It was a nice surprise to hear well mixed tunes rather than typical club techno. The open air also helped the music dissipate, so we were able to escape the blaring music by taking up a far-removed lounge chair to chat with friends at a normal decibel.
My first night out in Beijing my friends took me to a That's Beijing publicity party. As my introduction to Beijing I was able to see just what the city had to offer, not in terms of sights, but in terms of people. While many foreigners were speaking Chinese, Chinese people would often respond in English. Though not every guest was bilingual, the diversity of language and country background was a pleasant surprise. The magazine also hosted a few events, including a blindfolded wine tasting, in which I somehow became a volunteer. By sheer luck I was able to guess 2 of the 5 wines presented, but a French contestant came in for the win. The whole thing was just for amusement purposes, and a few of the Chinese contestants, when asked to identify the wine, responded either "I don't know" or "red".
Agricultural Exhibition Center
I was lucky enough to grab an extra ticket to an art preview party in the Agricultural Exhibition Center, which is (conveniently for me) a 5 minute cab ride from the Sanlitun area. The first image that greeted me was of a flying Mercedes, bejeweled with glittering wings fashioned from what looked like aluminum. As we walked into the white tents, free wine in hand, I was overcome with a sense of joy as I walked past piece after piece of stunning work. While my friends who are living in Beijing did not share in my wonder, I was taken aback every time I saw a person go around me instead of in front of me as I aimed my camera to take a picture, or people chatted in quiet tones instead of shouting. Everyone was elegantly dressed, politely mannered, and there for the same reason--to enjoy art. And enjoy it I did.
