RESTAURANT REViEW: The Night Life of Sanlitun

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If you're looking to unwind at night in Beijing, you might try the many small international cafes and bars that are hidden away on the avenues and side streets of the Sanlitun embassy district. There's quite a swinging scene going on here, and a decided absence of karaoke.

You'll find dozens of hang-outs in this district, each catering to a slightly different crowd. If this is your first night on the town and you want to get an overview of the scene, I'd recommend a walking tour. One of the first places of interest is the San Francisco Brewing Company, located in the Asia Hotel. It's a very modern pub, all glass and chrome, where you can get a good hamburger as well as watch movies in English which they show each night on their large-screen TV. Unfortunately, the Brewing Company is expensive -- you will pay more for your hamburger than you would in San Francisco, and I personally find the atmosphere without charm.

If you're in the mood to see a movie in English in a more interesting setting, I recommend that you come to the Owl Cafe, a small and charming two-story building that looks a bit like an old English inn. Walk upstairs and you will not only get a good movie -- we saw "The Rain Man" the night we stopped in -- but also what may be the best pizza in Beijing. The room is cozy, the food delicious, and everything is a good deal cheaper than the San Francisco Brewing Company.
If you're ready to party, you can choose your destination or simply wander from bar to bar, for they are all close together. You might start at Nashville, which is down the alley a bit, a saloon which specializes in Country Western music and is packed full of an interesting mix of Westerners and locals. The night we stopped by, there were three local guys playing guitars, doing a fair imitation of old Eagles' tunes from the '70's. Like the other bars in the area, the atmosphere is friendly and informal; there seems to be a regular clientele in these places who know each other well and enjoy one another's company.

Probably the most popular spot on the alley is Minders Cafe, where there is live music as well on the weekends, and an even denser, smokier crowd of ex-pats and locals. The cafe is very noisy; a warren of small, dimly lit alcoves and you may have trouble finding a place to sit. This seems to be the place for singles to meet each other, play darts, and shout at one another above the music. We had a good martini at the Minders, though they used black olives rather than green ones -- but, hey, at this point of the evening, who cares?

Beijing is home to a fascinating international community, people who have come here for a variety of reasons from all over the world. As you wander among the cafes of the Sanlitun district, you will have a chance to get a peek at this crowd at play, and join the party.

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