Pioneering Japanese Bar Ichikura Shows Off New Tricks
Before Beijing’s current cocktail and whiskey lounge explosion, where there seems to be a new mixology joint popping up every other day; before Beijing bars began snagging spots on the coveted Asia’s 50 Best Bars list; and long before standards for alcohol and atmosphere, along with overall prices, began quickly shooting skyward; before all that, there was Ichikura, and it’s still going strong at Xinyuanxili years after so many of its contemporaries have come and gone.
When it opened, the trailblazing Japanese lounge was regarded as one of Beijing’s first proper mixology and whiskey joints. As Jim Boyce (founder of the BeijingBoyce.com and GrapeWallofChina.com blogs) wrote in 2015:
A decade ago, when stocking 10 bourbons, scotches, and single malts qualified a place as a 'whiskey bar', Ichikura had at least 100 and its shelves now hold over 500 different kinds of alcohol. Add in the cozy layout, good cocktails and low-key vibe and Ichikura represents a sedate getaway from the city's hustle and bustle. You can go, have a cocktail or two, try a whiskey you've not had before, and end up chatting with bar-goers from a half-dozen countries. It's one of the best bars our city has seen.
This helps explains Ichikura’s longevity at its original Gongti location, the despair that ensued after that joint’s sudden closure in 2015, the buzz from its triumphant return at a new Gongti location in 2016, more despair when that site closed, and now the joy at another reopening at Xinyuanxili’s Shang complex a few months back.
This Xinyuanxili location is similarly intimate and cozy as its previous incarnations
Despite all the time that’s passed, the trends that have come and gone, and the rent hikes and restrictive regulations which make it so much more difficult to run a bar now than when owner Koji Kuroki opened the first Ichikura, the bar is doing as well as ever at Xinyuanxili. That success is in part helped by its foot-traffic-generating neighbors like the new Boxing Cat Brewery, and established, beloved restaurants like Bottega and Q Mex Taqueria. Much has changed for Japanese owner Kuroki, who studied at Tsinghua University and longed to bring a bit of his homeland’s nightlife to the Chinese capital. As he tells the Beijinger: “I wanted to open a bar in Beijing because there weren’t any good ones then, so I worked at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel in Tokyo to study bartending before returning to Beijing to open Ichikura.”
I wanted to open a bar in Beijing because there weren't any good ones then, so I worked at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel in Tokyo to study bartending before returning to Beijing to open Ichikura.
Kuroki certainly made a big impression at the time. But does Ichikura still have what it takes after all these years? When we stopped by the newer Xinyuanxili location, the softly-lit spot was buzzing with patrons, mostly couples, at the bar and nearby tables. At a glance, one menu item jumped out at us: the Liquid Nitrogen Kiwi Caipiroska. Consisting of Gray Goose vodka, crushed kiwi, lemon grapefruit juice and simple syrup, we couldn’t resist trying it if for nothing else than to figure out what the resulting drink would look like. Without giving too much away, owner Kuroki adds liquid nitrogen to a bowl of mashed kiwi, creating huge plumes of vapor, and in the process, making what is essentially a slushie for adults. The cocktail's fruity, sweet, and refreshing flavor teamed well with its soft, smushy, kiwi-chunk-flecked texture and was mixed with such care that you could barely taste the alcohol.
The Liquid Nitrogen Kiwi Caipiroska
If you're looking for something more conventional (which let’s face it, is most of us most of the time), then Ichikura’s regular cocktail menu also won’t disappoint. We'd recommend the delightfully tart Smoked Robroy (featuring Jonnie Walker Black, coffee-infused sweet vermouth, and vanilla bitters) or the dizzyingly strong and sour Ume Margarita (also RMB 100), the pickled Japanese plums in its title being a prominent ingredient along with Don Julio Anejo tequila, Cointreau, and lemon juice.
And the whiskey menu is arguably even sturdier, including Japanese malts likeSuntory Yamazaki (RMB 160 per glass, renowned for its delicate and well-rounded flavor) and Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt (RMB 100 per glass, with a deft balance between maltiness and fruitiness), alongside dozens upon dozens of highland single malt scotches ranging from RMB 100-200 per glass, Islay single malts, and more.
With the creativity of the cocktails, the deep whiskey bench, and its convenient location, Ichikura still has lots going for it in an increasingly competitive mixology scene overstuffed by newcomers. And while many of those fresh-faced rivals have adopted the wood grain and soft lighting concepts that Ichikura was once at the forefront of, this old dog at least has enough new tricks on the menu and behind the bar to keep it relevant in a market where longevity is at an absolute premium.
Daily 8pm-late
Jinshang Shouceng, 20 Xinyuanli Xili, Chaoyang District
朝阳区新源西里西20号楼金尚大厦
183 0139 1087
Photos courtesy of Ichikura
Do you have what it takes to be a True Runner?
Scan/Extract the QR code above to check out our current job openings.
Want to know what awesome events are happening in town? Scan/Extract the QR code above to get the list of our Editors' Picks.
Got something to sell? Looking for a job? Or probably your soulmate? Then scan/extract the QR code above to visit our Classified Ads.
Always something fresh
Scan/Extract the QR code above to follow us!
Tap on the cover to access the latest print issue.