Check Out Jing-A Xingfucun's New Digs
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After a month-long hiatus, Jing-A has reopened their Xingfucun location, much to the delight of neighbors who were left temporarily without their chief watering hole, and just in time for a few days of holiday drinking to boot.
The venue has returned with modest but welcome renovations. New flooring lines the main hallway, and the restrooms – which any beer drinker will know from experience are an essential fixture in a place like this – have received a total makeover.
The main barroom remains largely familiar, though with a new series of framed photos and posters lining the back wall. But the most dramatic remodeling is in the rear, where the venue's famous on-tap cocktails are served. New furnishings and a large mirror give the space a whole new character, and it’s been redecorated to the taste of Beijing's underground music fans.
As you head into the nook that leads to the rear exit, you’ll spot a new trove of whiskeys visible in the wall. The collection is for the bar’s brand-new menu of highballs. In sharp contrast to the highballs you might find at a Yakitori bar, however, these are made creatively with bourbon over Scotch.
Besides the classic (RMB 60, with Mitcher's), the Jasmine Highball (RMB 60) is made with tea-infused Jim Beam, while the Spiced Highball (RMB 60) uses cinnamon-infused bourbon and a bit of strawberry for a result that's quite balanced toward the spice with just hint of the fruit. For something a tad stronger, the Bullet Highball (RMB 70) includes Mr. Black coffee liqueur and is certainly the richest of the foursome.
Whiskey drinks like the Spiced Highball (left) are available alongside the classic on-tap cocktails
In celebration of the ongoing Burger Cup, the reopening has also brought with it an all-new menu of burgers, including the Stout Bacon Cheeseburger (RMB 85), which the brewery has thrown into the ring as its champion for the competition, and which was previously only available at their Liangmaqiao location. There's the Fish Burger, made with a crispy fried swimmer in the style of fish-and-chips, as well as a veggie burger (RMB 60) that gives the competition a run for their money with its portobello mushroom and marinated tofu base.
Fish-and-chip fans will love the Fish Burger
Of course, there are always new beers rolling through, and if you're looking for something to sip through the holiday, you can't go wrong with the Oktoberfest Lager. They've even brought back a keg of the Fifth Ring Red, a caramelly red ale that's likely to last but a couple of weeks. Longer term, funk seekers will want to try both the Straight Out of Hohhot, a tea gose made in collaboration with Inner Mongolian brewery Maha Nine, as well as Jing-A's own [Untitled] IPA #3.
It's been a hectic year for the brand, with multiple openings across town, but this remodeling is far from signifying break time. Keep an eye out as Jing-A launches two new breweries in the 798 Art District and Wangjing in the coming months.
Images: Joey Knotts, Jing-A
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