Consider it kimchi power: Saveurs de Coree, which ranked among the few foreign eateries on Nanluoguxiang back in 2006, will return to the area just a few months after it closed due to landlord-tenant issues. Owner King-tai Chow should have this courtyard restaurant, just off the main strip in Ju'er Hutong, open within a week. The venue has three dining rooms with six to 30 seats each, exposed roof beams, and furniture and art that blend traditional and modern touches. Chow says patrons can expect to find many of the dishes - from hearty stews to street favorite dukpukki - made popular at the original spot. He also just opened adjoining retail shop Seoul Express, with Korean noodles, juices, candies and more, and has a Korean BBQ restaurant about 500 meters up the street.
It might not be on the scale of Heaven Supermarket but fellow Sanlitun establishment Cheers! Wine Shop and Bar is a new source of cheap vino. The two-week-old venue, between Sanlitun Village North and Japanese cocktail bar Kurua Kura, has wines that start at 29 yuan per bottle, with 10 options under 70 yuan, and hail from Germany, Chile, Spain, France, and elsewhere. Those seeking quantity can do the buy five, get one free deal, while those who prefer to guzzle on the spot can try wine from 10 yuan per glass. The wines are imported by Masueger Quality Wines, which also sells nonalcoholic Swiss drink Rivellla for 25 yuan per bottle. This is the fifth Cheers outlet in Beijing.
Gulou area bar The Box marked one year in business with a burger-eating contest and four hours of free draft last Sunday afternoon. P.J. Yeomans emerged from a pack of 10 competitors to finish a massive burger, fries and drink in 2 minutes and 24 seconds. The Box has seen some changes in the past month as Arthur Hagopian, who popularized the place as a "Canadian bar," is no longer involved. Owner Paca Lee is changing the menu, with the new lamb burger with goat cheese and spices being especially promising, and has changed the sign and decor. Look for Hagopian to open a new bar.
Another home-brew operation, Slow Boat, has sailed into the Beijing beer scene. Slow Boat Brewery had an American-style pale ale, made by beer maker Dan Hebert, on hand at The Bookworm last Friday for a Foreign Correspondent Club meeting.
Longstanding Chaoyang West watering hole Black Sun Bar is under new management and will have a re-launch party this Friday from 7 pm with several kegs of free beer and complimentary shooters and drink specials. Don't expect any major design changes yet, with a source calling the place a work in progress, though the toilets have been upgraded.
Black Sun plans to start a Tuesday quiz night, Wednesday ladies night and Thursday sports night. Revolution bar is doing decent pub grub just west of Yashow Market in Sanlitun: the options included baked potatoes stuffed with bacon and sour cream (10 yuan), Korean rice dish bibimbap (25 yuan) and marinated beef with lettuce wraps (35 yuan). Owner Xiao Ming has a daily happy hour from 2 pm to 8 pm, with 10 yuan off all drinks and a daily special. And Royal Smushi House is now open in the former Butcher's Steakhouse space - "smushi" is a portmanteau of sm?rrebr?d, an open-faced sandwich, and sushi, says floor manager Roy Yang, who previously worked at The River Club. The venue includes a colorful café on the first floor, which will do breakfast and lunch, and a more intimate upscale restaurant and bar upstairs, open from 6:30 pm daily. Expect a menu with everything from lamb and sausage casserole to Tibetan yak tartar.