With the opening of Mai bar, Beiluoguxiang continues to snap at the heels of its Nan-prefixed sister street in the race to be Beijing’s hippest hutong. And by ‘hippest’, we mean, of course, most poseur friendly. Yes, while the hippy deluge that initially marked the area out as one of importance to expats has seemingly abated, it’s been replaced by another awful stereotype: hipsters. With hipsters, of course, come jazz lounges; every time the lights go out on a shop selling dodgy Tibetan souvenirs, it’s only a matter of time before they reopen with a jazz lounge in its place.
Mai can be found deep in the alley, past Siif and towards the Second Ring Road, ground previously only trodden by busy locals and people lost on their way to the old Fish Nation. But it’s worth trek, as Mai’s drinks menu raises this new lounge above the competition, thanks to its huge list of expertly mixed cocktails (starting at 45RMB) with a decent old-time jazz backdrop. And thankfully, given its position somewhere around the arse-end of nowhere, the entrance is signposted, so you’re unlikely to miss it.
Sadly, the interior isn’t as welcoming. Pass into the slender courtyard within and you’ll find an L-shaped area, with a long bar and a series of tables and chairs, very much in line with the standard spartan hutong chic: a concrete floor and barely decorated walls. The only incongruous piece is a long silver couch, but otherwise Mai sticks rigidly to the tradition, right down to the depressing bathoom. Never mind– hold your breath, turn around and get right back to your mojito. Ross Gouling