Leon Lee Returns Triumphanlty to the Capital Cocktail Scene with CDB

Joey Knotts, Contributing Editor | Aug 28, 2021 11:30 am | Add a comment | 297 reads

When Janes and Hooch closed in late 2019, it seemed we were saying goodbye to the last remnant of Leon Lee’s craft cocktail legacy in the capital. Lee, whose resume also includes the distinction of former managing editor of this very publication, rose to international renown as a barman after founding Apothecary (and later, Janes and Hooch), which served Nali Patio until 2015.

After the closure, Lee hopped over to Taiwan, where he continued to dabble in entrepreneurship and passion projects – namely fermentation, a craft that he picked up in his hometown of San Francisco – but, demonstrating the pulling power that Beijing has on its one-time residents, he couldn’t help but dream of returning to open another cocktail bar – a single-room type spot that would be bursting with life. Not in Sanlitun this time however – it would have to be away from that bustling neighborhood, yet central enough to be convenient.

At last, that dream has manifested in the form of CDB (Cocktails and Dessert Bar). Situated in the unassuming location of Liufang Nanli, about a twenty-minute walk north from Dongzhimen Subway Station, visitors take an elevator to the second floor where they are greeted by a host and seated under the unfinished ceiling that preserves some character from the old building, all while most of what’s under the ceiling combine woody comfort with tasteful abstract art.

In the center of the space sits table of wines – the wine menu is predominantly burgundy with a selection of natural wines that go easy on the “funk,” focusing on overall quality rather than the intense sourness that’s become so popular recently.

As you might expect, the drinks are superb. The summer cocktail menu (which ranges from RMB 98-108 per glass) is a good mix original creations and twists on classics, with most tending to focus on summery flavors rather than the taste of alcohol. For instance, among the low-ABV option, the Paloma Por Mi Amante combines the strawberry of the por mi amante with the grapefruit of the paloma for an extra-refreshing sip. There are also a couple of mojitos to satisfy those who crave the familiar, but rather than rum, they’re made with either gin or cognac. As Lee puts it, “When people come in and ask for a mojito, we’ll give it to them, but at least they won’t leave without having tried something a bit different!”

Among the bar’s specialty cocktails for the current season, whiskey lovers will have to try their sours – the Clarified State of Mind offers a fascinating variation on the New York Sour with lemon, cane, whey, orange bitters, and topped with a French wine that settles obediently atop the drink for a glass that’s as photographable as it is sippable. Another good whiskey choice is the Strawb-oulivard, made with strawberry-infused Campari and sweet vermouth.

The drinks cover a lot of bases, but it’s clear that each has been well thought out and perfected through experiment. “I really embrace that American spirit of just going back in and continually improving something until it’s the best that it can be,” Lee muses.

The latter part of the menu includes a few “strong” drinks for those who like them that way – for example, the Tropical Old Fashioned, which is hardly old fashioned at all with tastes of vanilla, chocolate, and coconut mist, all of which makes it one of the best drinks to pair with the chocolate pecans.

Speaking of the snacks, the food menu is as much an essential part of the experience as the drinks. “For me, food and drink are not meant to be separated,” says Lee, who will tell that drinking without food is a phenomenon found only in the most recent annals of human history. The menu he’s prepared, though, is far from traditional, embracing an almost tapas-like philosophy to snacking.

Items like the peppery fritters, roasted pork belly lettuce wraps, and New Zealand mussels with toast will fill you up at dinner time, while those who come in later can still pick at red wine and brows sugar mushrooms, citrus-marinated olives, and black truffle pate.

But you simply can’t visit this bar without trying the desserts, which are done like no other bar in the city. In fact, they’re prepared behind the bar by Lee’s business partner, Micheline Star winning dessert chef Olivia Zheng.

You can’t go wrong with the Chocolatechocolatechocolatechocolate (unless you’re allergic to chocolate, that is), and the yogurt mouse is also an excellent way to finish off a hardy meal. Watching them being made is also good time if you happen to be sitting at the bar.

But interestingly enough, many customers come and switch back and fourth between the snacks and the desserts. It’s not how your mother taught you to eat, but like with everything else in this bar, it’s a heck of an experience.

As for what's next, the bar is still a work in progress - eventually it will also occupy the first floor of the building once renovations are completed, and a higher-end cocktail and wine lounge is nearly ready on the third. But until then, a visit to the second floor is already well worth the trek.