Nali Patio Newbie The Black Moth Takes Flight With Lofty Cocktails

Many of The Black Moth’s cocktails will leave you feeling uplifted and heaven bound. Opening earlier this fall at Nali Patio, this trendy new venue is staffed by bartenders from Hong Kong, features plenty of surrealist artwork on the walls, and even boasts a mural specially designed by none other than Dominic Johnson-Hill of Plastered 8 (which depicts a gorgeous winged back creature dodging a horrible flyswatter totting fellow, before ascending peacefully to the moon).

And while all those elements have helped the bar take flight (it was absolutely jammed packed with eager attendees during its opening party in late September), what really makes the places soar is of course the concoctions that the bartenders splash in your glass. Among the best is the osmanthus rum sour cocktail (RMB 85), which has a generous portion of osmanthus infused white rum, mixed subtly enough with homemade osmanthus syrup, lemon and a frothy egg white, to give it a lightly, “just right” tart flavor that never becomes overpowering – as impressive a feat as a pilot sticking a smooth landing at dizzying speeds.

Other highlights include the cucumber daiquiri, cumin gin sour, and honey and chamomile bee sips, all of which boast complex, distinctive flavors.

However, just like any ambitious, eyes to the sky daredevil, The Black Moth can’t help but occasionally crash and burn. That Icarus-esque moment comes courtesy of the black truffle cocktail (RMB 120), which is more unbearably bitter than the acrid smoke of a wrecked air craft. Despite its disastrous flavor, one can’t help but admire the staff’s attempts to mix unique ingredients like black truffle infused bourbon whiskey, Rosso (that’s apparently sweet but nearly sweet enough to adequately balance the bitterness), vermouth, and chocolate bitters. Indeed, any artisan that shoots for the moon, and occasionally misses, is infinitely more admirable than a dull bartender that always plays it safe. Such a misfire is especially forgivable at The Black Moth, considering the stratospheric success of the other drinks on offer.

The Black Moth
Daily 7pm-late. 4/F Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Beijie, Sanlitun, Chaoyang District
北京市朝阳区三里屯北街81号那里花园四层

This article originally appeared in the Nov/Dec 2016 issue of the Beijinger, which you can read here via Issuu, via the PDF here, or in hard copy at all of your favorite venues across town.