To Dally in the Alley

Once an obscure hutong rarely frequented by tourists and expats, Nanluoguxiang’s recent transformation into a bustling, Bohemian alleyway is symptomatic of Beijing’s extensive pre-Olympic makeover. Located several kilometres north of the Forbidden City and east of Houhai Lake, the 800-metre long North–South street is now lined with hip cafes and bars, bargain basement hostels, funky boutiques, and a wide assortment of restaurants serving up everything from fish and chips and chicken tikka to gongbao jiding and Hawaiian pizza.

Steeped in history, Nanluoguxiang dates to more than 800 years. Once a flourishing commercial street, during the Yuan Dynasty (1206–1368), the area became popular with government officials and elites during the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties. Many of the traditional Chinese courtyard style homes they built still remain, giving the place an authentic air, and a feeling of timeless solidity that is so often lacking in Beijing’s newer, glitzier hospitality and retail hotspots.

Nanluoguxiang’s first facelift happened in early 2006: the uneven thoroughfare was levelled and paved with grey bricks, storefronts were renovated, and a stream of cafes and shops were opened. Today the area continues to thrive, with new businesses snapping up coveted spaces on the remodelled “old street,” despite rising rents and real estate prices. Thanks to a steady stream of publicity, Nanluoguxiang is now firmly established on Beijing’s tourist trail, with overseas visitors mingling with a young local crowd, trendy expats, and, of course, Chinese residents.

It is the continued presence of lao Beijingren (residents of old Beijing) and some intelligent architectural renovation that have largely made Nanluoguxiang such a successful fusion of East and West. Whereas the street’s more extensive and far gaudier cousin Houhai has sadly fallen prey to over-commercialization, Nanluoguxiang has so far managed to hold onto its charm, complete with outdoor toilets, grannies with red armbands, and men in Mao jackets whiling away the hours over a kerbside game of Chinese chess.

With its universal appeal it was little surprise when Nanluoguxiang held its first street festival in 2006. This was followed up by a second event last September, with the alley playing host to activities such as fashion shows, traditional Chinese dancing, storytelling, art exhibitions and live music. Although it looks as though this year’s event has been postponed until after the Olympics, there’s no reason to think it won’t be more popular than ever.

Night or day, late spring is perfect for a stroll down Nanluoguxiang (those who prefer a more mobile tour can always opt for a pedicab). With roadside trees regaining their leaves, Nanluoguxiang becomes almost avenue-like, as budding greenery throws dappled sunlight onto brickwork, and the various rooftop terraces become perfect al fresco hangouts for kicking back with a cocktail or two. Come evening time and the street’s relaxed vibe becomes more of an energetic buzz, as a young crowd hits the bars and cafes for a healthy dose of cosmopolitan, alcohol-fuelled revelry.

Keen shoppers will also enjoy browsing Nanluoguxiang’s ever-expanding network of designer boutiques, clothing outlets, art galleries, and antique shops, which offer everything from risqué t-shirts and exclusive green tea to contemporary brushwork and classic furniture. With taxis still plying their trade down the street (much to the chagrin of more than a few expats), you needn’t worry about getting your bulkier purchases back to the apartment.

Along with the nearby PassBy Bar, the compact yet attractive Sandglass Café was one of the first cafes to become established on Nanluoguxiang. Amidst the quirky antiques, dusty piles of books, and comfortable red couches, Sandglass is as homely as it is cluttered. With its artsy, indie vibe, stylish, slightly rustic interior, and soothing ethnic tunes, this is the perfect place to kick back and catch up on some reading over a frothy cappuccino or Long Island iced tea.

Though the Sandglass drinks list is not huge, they do have a good coffee selection, along with some cocktails that really hit the spot: check out the hot chocolate with Bailey’s if you’re in need of a little inner warmth. Sandglass is not the biggest space in Beijing, so the well-liked need be selective who they invite as things can get a bit cramped, especially at the weekend.

While his English is fairly non-existent, owner Tony Bao may approach customers to show off some impressive photos from his regular trips to West China and possibly try to peddle a CD of the latest in Kazakh ethnic dance music. Note: What sounds great in the Sandglass may not translate well to your apartment!
 

Luogu / Drum and Gong Fusion Restaurant

Address: 104 Nanluoguxiang

Tel: +86 10 8402 4729

Hours: 10 a.m.–12 p.m.

Price: 100–150 yuan (two people)

www.luogu.net

About 200 metres north of the Dianmen Dongdajie entrance to Nanluoguxiang, the Luogu Fusion restaurant is a favourite haunt of tourists, expats and locals. Serving up good value Asian fusion cuisine with an emphasis on Sichuan (spicy) flavours, Luogu's dishes are prepared with local ingredients, and are sometimes combined with western cooking techniques to give surprisingly tasty results (check out the gongbao jiding pizza).

Since one of the owners of Luogu is a long-term English expat, the restaurant has a very laowai-friendly environment, with a fully bilingual menu (plus some French) and friendly, helpful waiting staff that can all speak at least a little English. Dishes are also rated in the menu according to their spiciness. Perennial favourites include the steamed grass carp (36 yuan), stir-fried beef with vegetables (32 yuan), chicken curry (34 yuan), and special Yunnan mushrooms (26 yuan).

One of Luogu’s best features is its cosy second-floor terrace, which really comes into its own in the spring and summer. Start off with a couple of al fresco iced Tsingtao beers, and then sample some great Chinese food overlooking distinctive tiled rooftops and a bustling street scene below. When the weather's warm, reservations are recommended, especially on Fridays and over the weekend.

Sandglass Café

Address: 1 Mao’er Hutong (opposite 88 Nanluoguxiang)

Tel: +86 10 6402 3529

Hours: Noon–1 a.m.

Price: Less than 100 yuan (two people)

tonybaolei@gmail.com

Winner of numerous restaurant awards, Mirch Masala has a reputation as one of the best restaurants to sample authentic Indian cuisine in Beijing. The owner, a native of Delhi named Daya Shanker, has lived in Beijing for nine years; he opened the current Nanluoguxiang venue in 2006. With an emphasis on refined yet creative Indian cuisine, the menu incorporates both traditional classic favourites and original new dishes that apply Chinese flavours with an Indian twist.

Located in the middle of Nanluoguxiang, Mirch Masala’s art deco interior, friendly waiting staff and reasonable prices make it a good place to get your weekly curry fix. There is a different, great-value set lunch every day for 38 yuan. House specialties include chicken tikka masala (35 yuan) and rogan josh (35 yuan), and for those with meat and cream on the mind, pick from a wide range of dishes, including various chicken and lamb curries, and shrimp dishes from Bengal. Spiciness can be varied according to personal taste.

Mirch Masala is also a good place for vegetarians, with a wide range of tasty meat-free dishes, including sag paneer (homemade cheese cooked in fresh chopped spinach at 30 yuan), tarka dal (lentils cooked in butter and topped with fried onion and garlic for 20 yuan), and aloo sag (fresh mushroom, potato and spinach cooked in spices and herbs for 25 yuan). There’s also a great range of naan breads from 8 to 12 yuan, and beers range from 12 yuan to 25 yuan.

Mirch Masala

Address: 60–62 Nanluoguxiang

Tel: +86 10 6406 4347

Hours: 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m. / 5–10:30 p.m.

Price: 100–150 yuan (two people)

www.mirchmasala.com.cn

Owned by long-term British expat Dominic Hill, Plastered’s T-shirts have gained fame and popularity with both locals and tourists for their kitschy, ironic designs based on everyday Beijing imagery. High quality T-shirts for men, women, and kids feature such logos as the old 1.20 Xiali taxi rate sticker, illegal street signs for reselling old drugs, subway maps and tickets, and the Chinese characters for gongbao jiding.

The artistic genius behind Plastered’s designs, Dominic claims the Chinese capital gives him everything he needs to work with, commenting, “In Beijing, every time I turn the corner, I find something fascinating. Then I love it. I love the people. I love the city. I love the feel of the city. I love the look of the city. So it’s very easy for me on the creative side to come up with new stuff. Because everyday I see stuff that I will stick on a T-shirt.”

In addition to T-shirts, Plastered offers mugs, ashtrays, stickers, calendars, posters, and framed badges with the shop's most popular designs, which make great souvenirs and holiday presents. Plastered also sponsors an occasional hutong catwalk show and promotion party, with models sashaying down the alleyway clad in Dominic’s latest creations.  

Plastered

Address: 61 Nanluoguxiang

Tel: +86 13910205721

Hours: Mon.–Fri., 1–10 p.m., Sat.–Sun. 10 a.m.–10 p.m.

Men’s T-shirts: 98 yuan–150 yuan

Women’s T-shirts: 98 yuan

Kid’s T-shirts: 88 yuan

www.plastered.com.cn

This small, kooky boutique shop, which has been open for nearly a year, is located close to the northern, Gulou Dongdajie entrance to Nanluoguxiang. Run by owner and designer Leon, an outgoing Beijinger who speaks English well, this pint-sized retail outlet offers a range of good value cloth-based products, including patterned table cloths, T-shirts, eco-friendly canvas bags, toys, and cushions. There are also some great women’s shoes from Zuo Fu You An (左福右安).

All of Cloth Art’s products feature designs by Chinese artists, and make excellent souvenirs, kid’s presents, or gifts for friends. In a side room (it wasn’t clear whether this was a separate shop) are some nice paintings, notebooks, calendars, and tissue paper-based traditional Chinese artwork. Check out the pencils made from recycled paper.

Cloth Art

Address: 10 Nanluoguxiang

Tel: +86 13901358059 / 10 6400 4212

Hours: 10 a.m.–10 p.m.

http://leon-vision.spaces.live.com (Chinese only)

Located two-thirds of the way down Nanluoguxiang (from the Dianmen Dondgajie end), Saveurs de Coree, which opened nearly two years ago, is the alleyway’s first and, so far, only Korean restaurant. This stylish and sophisticated bistro has built up quite a reputation amongst Beijing’s Korean food lovers, offering authentic and nutritious Korean dishes in a contemporary setting. The owner, Kingtai, spent some years in England, and speaks fluent English, French, Mandarin, and Korean.

Saveurs de Coree is probably the classiest dining experience along Nanluoguxiang, with a light menu that’s heavy on subtle flavours. Most of the food is also wholesome: Kingtai points out that none of the restaurant’s dishes use MSG, and they’ve also deliberately reduced the salt, sugar and oil content. There are also a range of options for vegetarians.

Popular Saveurs de Coree dishes include the kimchi hobak (Korean kimchi in a sweet pumpkin boat: 38 yuan), the fantastic bulgogi (beef marinated in pear juice for a couple of days: 68 yuan), and the light-as-air dooboo boochim (crispy fried tofu with onion sauce: 18 yuan). The latter is very popular with vegetarians. Apart from the a la carte menu there are also some reasonably priced set menus from 38 yuan (four courses) to 78 yuan (six courses).

Like the Luogu Fusion restaurant, one of Saveurs de Coree’s highlights is its rooftop terrace, where diners (and drinkers) can soak up the hutong atmosphere in the afternoon or evening over iced cinnamon tea or a bottle of ginseng-flavoured baekseju. The restaurant gets busy on Fridays and at the weekend so reservations are recommended. Most of the staff speaks at least a little English.

Saveurs de Coree

Address: 29 Nanluoguxiang

Tel: +86 10 6401 6083

Hours: 11 a.m.–11 p.m.

Price: 200 yuan–300 yuan (two people)

www.saveursdecoree.com.cn