Fancy New Cocktail Bar Spring Sprouts up in Shuangjing

Upon opening, Spring has set itself apart from the neighboring bars in Shuangjing – for better or for worse.

It's not a pub, nor a low-key bottle bar, nor is it even like Bronze or Ashen or some of the other snazzier spots in the neighborhood. No, Spring (which opened officially on August 26) is trying to position itself as even fancier than the other cocktail and whiskey bars on the Tianzhijiaozi strip.

A teppanyaki chef works in the corner near the entryway, sizzling up some beef. Bottles of steeply priced scotches sit on little glass-encased tables like artifacts at a museum (RMB 20,000 plus price per bottle, we were content to leave them there). Some (thankfully) more reasonably priced whiskeys like Hibiki could be ordered for RMB 80 per glass, and a range of cocktails were on offer in the RMB 80-100 price range. Hardly any of those drinks were specialty cocktails though. Though the list is long, it mostly consists of standards like old-fashioneds and Manhattans (both RMB 90) and RMB 80 martinis, Negronis, and mojitos.

The rare exception is their eponymous cocktail, made with a special white grape that's practically exclusive to China. At RMB 100, the Spring concoction is a decent value, with its fruity sweet flavor and lightly refreshing consistency, though it lacks the complexity and textures of similarly (or slightly steeper) drinks at more innovative Sanlitun or Gulou speak-easies (not to mention Ashen or The Mixing House, both of which are but a stone's throw away).

Spring's lighting – which borders on the fluorescence found on the set of an '80s flick – and its sleek furniture and decor seem to be based on the exorbitantly priced, glass-encased whiskey bottles. That means, for now, this lounge will mostly appeal to top-tier Chinese locals looking to splurge and impress their friends. Worse still: the quality of the drinks and the atmosphere, while solid, aren't groundbreaking enough to give it the air of exclusivity that'll draw elite patrons from other parts of town.

There are perks though. The staff is very friendly and skilled. The teppanyaki table is a bold, unique touch. And if a few more creative specialty cocktails are added to the menu, then other, more run-of-the-mill booze enthusiasts will be more likely to drop in and enjoy a posher atmosphere than they're likely accustomed to. Granted, this bar is only a few days old, so hopefully they can ease these growing pains before long – otherwise, they'll be missing out on all but the very upper crust of Shuangjing dwellers.

Spring
Daily 4pm-3am. East end of Tianzhi Jiaozi strip.
北京市 朝阳区双井东柏街东侧

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Email: kylemullin@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @MulKyle

Photos: Courtesy of Spring, Kyle Mullin