The Beijinger 10th RBCA: Meet the Personalities – Kenn Bermel
With voting ongoing in this year's the Beijinger Reader Bar & Club Awards, we look to the eight nominees for the Personality of the Year award, asking them for their take on the best the city has to offer.
Today, we quiz Kenn Bermel, manager at Brussels Bar and Restaurant.
On the Best Cafe
I'd go with Moment. I've spent a lot of time there and I like their food, and I like the atmosphere.
On the Best Hutong Bar
There are a lot of places I like and I have quite a few friends with hutong bars so this isn't easy... You know I think I'm going to go with Mao Mao Chong on that. There are a ton of hutong bars that I like, but I like that they're creative – they've got cool ideas – but they're not pretentious, you know what I mean? I feel like they have these cool ideas, but they're also cool people.
On the Best for Outdoor Drinking
I've got a weird answer for this one: I like Plan B. I don't even think they're on the list, but I like that they have a real grill outside there. And the space isn't huge or anything, but it's pretty nice.
On the Best Rooftop
I still like Q Bar's. I like the layout of it and I like the way it's isolated.
On the Best Sanlitun
Honestly, it's a tough one - there are a lot of good options, but I don't get out too much, even within Sanlitun!
On the Best for Live Music
I like Yugong Yishan. I think they do a pretty good job with it. As far as the acoustics and the atmosphere go, it feels like a live music venue. Rather than a place that also serves as a live music venue, they focus on getting it right.
On the Best Local Craft Beer
I'm gonna go for Slow Boat. Full disclaimer: we sell Slow Boat, but we sell it because I like it. And again, cool people.
On the Personality of the Year
This is another tough one because I know everybody on the list... I think I'll pass on that one!
On the Best Bartender
It's a toss-up between a few people, but I'd go with Paul Mathew from Flamme and various other places. He's like the bartender and kind of defines what a good bartender should be.
On the Best Place to Impress Visitors
A pretty new place – Janes and Hooch. Again sort of that thing about Paul being a defining bartender, I think Janes and Hooch really is a bar. I think the decor, the atmosphere and the drinks are spot on.
On the Bar of the Year
I've actually put a lot of thought into this one. For me, Bar of the Year should be something that sort of defines what happened during that year, and it's not just because we're up for it, but every previous year, I've felt like there was a really obvious answer and this year I'm like 'I don't know.'
On the Best Survivor
I'd have to go with The Den. I realize a lot of bars have been around a long time, too, but I feel like The Den has basically been the same concept forever, and it's barely changed in years. It still has pretty much the same staff!
On the Best Sports Bar
I'm gonna go with Cu Ju, I think Badr has got a very keen eye on sports, and also he doesn't seem to have a cultural bias. I'm sure it's his international background, but if you tell him like 'hey, do you have the game on?' he knows exactly what you mean. He's really sports focused.
On the Best Cocktails
This used to be a real easy one cause there wasn’t much out there, but now everyone's doing really great stuff. Erm, I'm gonna go with Janes and Hooch again.
On the Best for Whiskey
It's a tough one for me, I like whiskey a lot but normally I don't like the style of a whiskey bar. I don't feel comfortable in a 'whiskey bar' environment. I'm just a normal blue collar guy, y'know?
On the Best Wine Bar
Pretty much the same answer; I'm no wine aficionado!
On the Best Beer Selection
I honestly wish I could say myself, but I think El Nido. They've got a really great selection.
On the Best Quiz Night
Another tough one cause there's a lot of good quizzes out there, but I actually used to have a lot of fun at the Kro's Nest quiz.
On the Best Shuangjing
I like both places [The Brick and Plan B], but I'm gonna have to go with Plan B. Trevor's a great guy and whenever I get the chance to get up there, I do.
On the Best Place to Bring a Date
I prefer to go somewhere a little quieter. Really it depends on the girl! But I'd say Janes and Hooch.
On the Best Place to Find a Date
For the same reason that I'd bring a date to Janes and Hooch, I'd go with somewhere with an environment more conducive to meeting people, somewhere like Migas. Lots of different types of people. Age range and different people. I think everyone can have fun there. A good place to meet people.
On the Best Decor
There's a lot of places that look great, but I don't hang out in them!
On the Best Happy Hour
I'd have to go with Flamme. Actually, I'd go ahead and say Flamme for daytime drinking, too.
On Favourite Hidden Gem
This would be The Taco Bar. I have a friend who's a classically trained chef and she came to me ecstatic saying how good this place was and how we needed to check it out.
Vote for Kenn in the Best Personality category of this year's the Beijinger Reader Bar & Club Awards here.
*Full disclosure: Badr Benjelloun works for True Run Media as Chief Technology Officer.
