Bar Constellation in Shanghai

Bar Constellation No. 2
33 Yongjia Road near Maoming Nan Road
Shanghai
TEL: 86 21 5465 5993

My buddy Jimmy from Beijing drove 18 hours to Shanghai. Greg suggested to us to check out Bar Constellation for an after dinner drink. Looking from the outside, it already screams out how posh this place is. This is yet another old mansion that turned into a nice bar lounge in Shanghai.

The inside is nice, wooden panels, large bay windows and swirling staircases gave you the vibe of a luxury living room of some old mansion. The whole place is also very dimly lit. Behind the short bar, there is a large display of their huge liquor collection. The waiters are also neatly dressed with the classic white shirts, black pants, bow ties and vests. They seated us downstairs at the back where there is a couch and a few chairs.

Looking at the drinks list, I will have to say it has the largest scotch collection I have seen in China so far. It ain't cheap, however, with prices starting about 100RMB an ounce. If you are craving for a Lagaluvin or an Oban in Shanghai, this place got what you want. There is also a large collection of whites and reds to select from. A few people ordered the house red, which is a Chilean Santa Rita, which is decent for a modest 50RMB.

In a place like this, especially with waiters dressed like they know what they are doing. I usually order my favorite martini, which is a Tanqueray 10 martini stirred with a twist. I said this a few times to make sure the waiter understood what I meant and everything seemed to be fine. A few minutes later, he came back with a martini with an olive. Usually I am not super picky, but for a fine setting liked this, and the price that I was paying, I expected a bit more. Greg decided to grab this drink and so we tried again; this time, we told them specifically how to make it in details. A few minutes later, the drink came, Tanqueray 10 martini stirred with a twist. Good, but with a closer look, there is a bonus olive in there along with the twist. I guess the bartenders there had it ingrained in their heads that a Martini MUST have an olive in it, or else it's not a martini at all. Anyhow, exhausted of explaining and complaining, I picked out the olive and downed the drink.

A few of us also ordered a few scotch for tasting. Make sure you use words like "NO ICE" instead of "Neat" to avoid confusion. There is also an upstairs with couches for private conversations away from the crowd, and no photography is allowed, so I wasn't able to take more photos. The music volume can be turned down slightly to accommodate conversation without shouting.

To sum up, Bar Constellation is a decent place to hang out when you feel like spoiling yourself with expensive drinks. A great collection of Scotches is also there whenever you have the craving for it. I would suggest, however, to stay away from the mixed drinks and stick with poured drinks, like scotches, wine or beer.

A few photos:

Barco at Soho

Barco
42 Staunton St., Soho, Central, Hong Kong
TEL: 852 2857 4478

A few weeks ago, while going out with several friends, we strolled by Barco. It was completely packed and we failed to get seats, so we left. Finally, after hitting the Catch, it was just around the bend, so we decided to drop by. On the outside, Barco looked like an Italian Bistro type of place. The night we went, it was already quite late, around 12AM and it wasn't that packed.

First impressions, smokey... literally, smokey. I was drenched immediately with a thin coat of tobacco smoke like running into a cigarette bonfire. The bar was relatively empty and there might be only a couple of people smoking but the smell was definitely aged through time.

The interior decoration was quite modern. The round edges of the bar and the teak coloured furniture reminded me of danish modern designs. The shape of the bar is more of a square than a rectangle, which gives you a feeling of roominess. The bar is also more lit than most, which gives it a more bistro feel. Barco is divided into two sections: the entrance area consists of a bar and several high bar tables and chairs; the back has several couches for smaller parties.

I have to say the interior design is done quite well and the overall feeling is very comfortable. The washroom is hidden so discretely that you can hardly find it! The night I was there, I had a pint of Hoegaarden and San Miguel. The bottle selection is the usual Tsingtao, San Miguel, VB, Boddingtons etc. The music was alright and the volume was bearable for conversation.

Beside the smokey conditions, I think Barco is quite a comfortable place to hang out.

The Catch at Soho

The Catch
65 Peel St., Soho, Central, Hong Kong
TEL: 852 2548 1717

My active hours at Soho are typically around 10ish at night, I walked by The Catch, on Peel just north of Elgin many times. Looking in from the outside, it reminds me deeply the traditional bars in Manhattan. Unfortunately, out of the many times I walked by, it was quite empty, so I was hesitant to go in. Finally, two weekends ago, I was out with a couple of buddies that I haven't seen in a while, and decided to grab a pint there.

The front door were these classic sliding glass doors, plain looking but elegantly marked with a clear gold printing saying, "The Catch". As I walked into the slightly dimmed room, on the left was a long bar with stools and the right has several round bar tables. The atmosphere, furniture and setting is totally like an old Manhattan Public House in the 1930s. The white honeycomb tiled floors is another additional touch to that theme.

The place is decorated with many objects that would suggest the title of the bar. I was back again last weekend for a small birthday gathering and the birthday girl particularly enjoyed those photos of the different fish on the wall. Along with those photos, the interior is also decorated with many bird cages of various sizes and arranged randomly all over the restaurant.

The on tap selection is limited to Erdinger Weisse and Kronenberg 1664, which is not bad for the area. Compared to the beer selection, the wine list is quite extensive and you can easily find something that you might want.

During the day, according to reviews, this place is a hustling and bustling tapas restaurant. The reviews were also quite good but I haven't had the chance to try out their food yet. The service was also excellent and the staff were helpful and talkative.

The only small complaint would be the music, on both occasions, it was playing some super 1980s stuff which I think was quite out of place for the setting. The volume was perfect, however, for casual conversations. Besides the choice of music, I think The Catch is an excellent location to host small intimate parties, grab an after dinner drink or catch up with old friends over a few pints.

A few photos:

Beijing Underground Rock Scene

D-22
242 Chengfu Lu, Haidian, Beijing
TEL: (10) 6265 3177
http://www.d22beijing.com.cn/

Since its opening in 2006, D-22 had become one of the capitals for Beijing's avant guard rock scene. I've heard a lot about it and finally had the chance to check it out. It is situated around two of Beijing's biggest Universities: Tsinghua and Peking. The slightly run down entrance reminsce the divish style of its kind in the West. You have to pay a small cover to get in, typically around 40RMB (30RMB for students).

As you walk in, the whole place is dark but you can spot the center stage right away. There is a long bar with stools on your left and some small tables and sitting room on your right. A small tiled dance floor by the front of the stage is available for those who want to move with the music. There is also a second floor for those who want to view the performance from above. The interior gave vibes of a dive with its painted walls and a handful of poster of bands that played there before. The setting is very relaxed and the atmosphere is always filled with some anticipation on what is going on next. The clientele is a mixture of foreigners and young local students seeking for a night of good music.

The drinks are modestly priced at 15RMB for a pint of Beijing Beer. The night I was there wasn't overly packed but there were enough people to fill most spots. The owner, Michael, was also there that night, enjoying the music while downing a few drinks. Back home, I do hit these places for shows from time to time and I have to say that D-22 is quite authentic. The bands that played here is a mixture of foreign bands as well as local bands from Beijing, Xian and the rest of China. As for any new and experimental bands, the quality is really hit and miss. I think it's best to check out D-22's website for who's playing before heading there for the night.

D-22 is a great venue to check out Beijing's underground rock scene.

A few photos: