Blaq Coffee Brings a Taste of Canada to Central Park Plaza
Situated in the mammoth Central Park Plaza complex near Chaoyang Park, the recently opened Blaq Coffee looks to bring a taste of fresh, low-key Canadiana to this slick and organized neighborhood.
Chen Li Xin, who consults for Blaq Coffee in Beijing to help give it some True North flair, cut his teeth with his own Blaq Sheep cafes in the West Coast Canadian town of Vancouver. That city is a major hub by Great White North standards to be sure, but one that is also known for its outdoorsy attractions and relatively mellow, down-home vibe.
Blaq proudly wears its Canuck aesthetic with framed hockey jerseys on the walls, a black-on-red color scheme, along with three tables and two counters that can in total squeeze a little over a dozen patrons in its snug interior (they also have branches in Zhongguancun, Beitucheng, and at the new Air China building on Xiaoyun Road).
The coffee on offer follows suit with that unfrilly ambiance, eschewing the haughtier artisan approach of Soloist, Metal Hands, and other in vogue Beijing cafés in favor of simpler, more wholesome varieties. Top billing on their menu goes to the no muss, no fuss “fresh brewed daily coffee” (RMB 19 for a medium, or RMB 22 for a large). Our cup came jet black and piping hot with a strong caffeinated kick that stopped short of being overwhelming – a welcome addition for customers looking for an unpretentious, quick caffeine fix in a city saturated with more uppity options.
When it comes to more stylish coffee options, Blaq bucks the trend of specialty imports favored by many a Beijing café (think Ethiopian and Kenyan options that can come with a hefty price tag). Instead, they mostly opt for cutesy sweet alternatives like Belgian chocolate mochas (RMB 34 for a medium or RMB 37 for a large), vanilla lattes (RMB 31 for a medium or RMB 34 for a large), and red velvet lattes (RMB 31 for a medium or RMB 34 for a large). The food menu shares that sugary sentiment, and is also a pretty major attribute, from the RMB 24 pumpkin pie with its cushy wholesomeness and a dollop of maple leaf-shaped icing on top to the whiskey-marinated beef panini sandwich (RMB 58), which was satisfying albeit a bit straightforward aside from the boozy flavor from the marination.
READ: Oh Canada! Canuck Coffee Chain Tim Horton's to Open 1,500 China Branches
Together, these attributes make Blaq Coffee an approachable and fun alternative to some of the more upscale options around town. Highly discerning coffee bean nerds may not find what they’re looking for here, but the low prices, straightforward offerings, and overall breezy vibe of its ambiance should make it a consideration among a wider swath of casual Beijing coffee fans.
Blaq Coffee
Daily 8am-8pm. 1-4, Block A1, 10 South Chaoyang Park Road (South West Chamber, Grand Central Park Plaza) (6508 7170)
朝阳公园南路10号院A1栋1-4号(骏豪中央公园广场西南底商)
Perk up with the Beijinger's complete coverage of the capital's café scene here.
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Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
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Photos: Kyle Mullin, courtesy of Blaq Fine Coffee
