CITYLIFE / Bars & Cafes |
Make you go batty(China daily)Updated: 2007-04-03 10:36 The World Cup Cricket series moves into the Super Eight phase forcing many cricket-crazy expats out into the wee hours. Competition hosts the West Indies together with England, Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Ireland and Bangladesh will play each other in the coming weeks leaving many supporters bleary eyed for work. Because the matches push through to 5am, there are not many 24-hour venues open to cater for this sporting throng. Except for those crusty old all-nighters, the Goose and Duck and The Den. Firstly The Den. This two-storey bar/club is a Beijing institution and has played host to many 24-hour party people. The Den's crowd is mostly expats and its restaurant serves European and Asian fare with pizza and hamburgers being a popular choice. Its faded orange-red walls and wood panelled interior creates a cosy atmosphere and there is a traditional bar, bar tables and regular tables to cater for everybody's lounging needs. With the cricket World Cup in full swing, The Den is worthy of your attention for the final half of each match, however for the beginning of each fixture, cricket fans have more options. The Pavillion is a clean and cheerful venue in which to go batty. Opposite the west gate of the Workers' Stadium, Gongti Xilu, it has a 90 wine cellar, 40 scotches, range of cigars, Guinness and leather sofas. Franks is another sports bar worthy of consideration. It features a clean, light, comfortable wood-paneled interior and no frills patio area. It's open until 2am and is located in Jiangtai Lu, west of Rosedale Hotel, Lido area. For the full slog try the Goose and Duck at its new venue. Nice beer and great food served in a spacious seating area. It also has a 24-hour licence and you can watch away until the sun starts to rise. The new G&D offers the same selection of pub grub, with dishes ranging between 15-115 yuan and will keep you fuelled for all the big hits of the tournament. The "soft-opening menu" proffers 19 varieties of beer ranging from 15-40 yuan a bottle, while cocktails cost 25-50 yuan. The Den |
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