Tea, Whiskey, and Napoli 'za: Shuangjing Newbie The Mixing House More than Lives Up to its Name

Unlike most tea drinkers, Jerry Zheng rarely starts his day with a cup of Earl Grey. Instead, he uses those beloved British leaves to get the party started – mixing them with gin, Disaronno Amaretto liqueur, Laphroaig whiskey, and a squirt of lemon juice for a cocktail that he dubs The Explorer (RMB 70). And that's by no means the only offbeat concoction that the owner and chief bartender has come up with at his newly-opened Shuangjing adjacent venue, The Mixing House.

Zheng says that tea-infused cocktail is aptly named because it has "three layers to explore: a smoky taste when you first sip it, followed by an almond flavor, and then the Earl Grey aftertaste, which makes for a great combination."  

While The Explorer is admittedly tasty, The Mixing House's best drink is its Hot Smoky Margarita (RMB 70). Its gently smouldering taste crackles like a cozy campfire, thanks mainly to its house-made chili tequila. The cocktail is rounded out with Laphroaig whiskey, Triple Sec, lime juice, and lapsang souchong syrup, all of which prevent the chilies from ever becoming overpowering.   

Unfortunately, The Mixing House's Kiwi Mojito (RMB 70) falls short of the heights reached by The Explorer and the Hot Smoky Margarita. This bright, emerald-shaded mojito was far too sweet for my taste, reminding me more of a slushie in terms of flavor and consistency. Despite my misgivings, Zheng remains fully committed to the bevy. He says that, unlike typical mojitos, his rendition features Beefeater gin instead of rum, along with blended kiwis, passionfruit and mint, which all give it an especially strong flavor. When readying this drink, Zheng also refrains from what he sees as a cardinal mojito sin: diluting it with soda. He says: "It's a very fruity drink with a good combination of fresh ingredients. I make it especially for the ladies."

Zheng built up that confidence and creativity as a bartender at The Malt and Twilight before opening his own location, D&M, with Apothecary alum Vincent Guo in 2013. Running D&M out of Shuangjing made Zheng fall for the frequently overlooked neighborhood, so much so that he decided to open The Mixing House even further off the beaten path, in the Lecheng Haoli Gongyu apartment complex near Jiulongshan subway station.

"I like to open bars in community areas," Zheng says. He wagers that dwellers in Lecheng Haoli, Pingod, and other central south haunts are thirsting for quality local watering holes, rather than venturing to yet another new venue in the ever overstuffed Sanlitun area.

Meanwhile, some patrons may be amazed to find a quality cocktail bar in this sleepy locale, and others might be even more surprised by Zheng's offbeat combination of ingredients. But The Mixing House's biggest shock of all comes courtesy of its kitchen. The venue has a startlingly sturdy assortment of pub grub like teriyaki chicken wings (RMB 58), fresh mushroom salads (RMB 48) rife with generous portions of cheese, and – best of all – chewy Neapolitan-style pizzas (RMB 88) loaded in mouthwatering Prosciutto ham, the latter of which is big enough to serve two hungry patrons. These dishes are by no means groundbreaking, but they are much tastier than the blandly fatty fare served up at far too many Shuangjing eateries, let alone bars, as of late.

From the beverages, to the eats, to the digs, every aspect of The Mixing House defies expectations. Clearly Zheng knows how to mix up more than a mere drink.

The Mixing House
Daily, 6pm-2am. 103, Bldg 6, Lecheng Haoli Gongyu, Chaoyang District (5774 4649)
朝阳区乐成豪丽公寓6号楼底商103号

Photos courtesy of the venue, Kyle Mullin