Have Yourself a "Rum Rhapsody": Tiki Tipples to Try in Beijing
The sun is stoking the heat of summer, bearing down on the capital and making any walk outside during the day when that ball of fire is high in the sky an exercise in patience: patience to get from one cool place to the next, patience until the next glug of cool water, or perhaps, patience to wait for a stronger beverage – a sweet, refreshing rum cocktail.
Let’s not just go for a mojito or a daiquiri, though; how about a step up to a Tiki drink? First created by one Ernest Beaumont Gantt (aka Donn Beach, aka Don the Beachcomber), in the 1930s, Donn's “rum rhapsodies” combined multiple fruit juices, syrups, and – of course – rums, to create complex, easily-drinkable, deceptively-strong concoctions that eventually took the US by storm.
From the halls of Donn Beach’s Don Beachcomber Café, Tiki spread. It was soon picked up by others like Victor Bergeron – who gave himself the moniker Trader Vic and created a multinational Tiki bar empire that still stands to this day – and yet more bartenders and business owners in faraway places, eager to cash in on the craze.
Eventually, Tiki developed into more of an experience than just drinks, with food, restaurant décor, and more promising to take patrons to a somewhat problematic (when looked back upon today) reimagining of paradise in the South Pacific. The Tiki phenomenon would last until the late ‘70s and encompass food, drink, art, movies, television, and even apartment complexes—then, it all disappeared.
Today, Tiki has seen a comeback of sorts, with drinks like the Mai Tai and Zombie cropping up on cocktail menus here and there. Slowly but surely, thus, Tiki bars have also made a comeback, and the drinks can even be found in Beijing’s premier Tiki bar, Tiki Bungalow, which first opened in 2017.
There’s still much to be found beyond TIki Bungalow, so while we’ll mention them on this upcoming list of rum laden libations to be imbibed in Beijing, we’re also delving into all the other places where Tiki – and rum drinks inspired by Tiki – can be had.
Migas Mercado
This popular CBD nightlife spot is no stranger to creative drinks, and their play on the Piña Colada is no exception. The Puerto Rico (RMB 90) takes rum, coconut, and pineapple – the original basis of the aforementioned Colada, which itself was created in Puerto Rico – and throws passion fruit into the mix to lend a slightly sweet and tart twang to the drink.
Migas Mercado
7/F, China World Mall, 1 Jianguomen Waidajie
朝阳区建国门外大街1号国贸商城7层
Hours: Daily, 11.30am-2am (1am in winter)
Phone: 010 6500 7579
Plan B & Confidential
On the drinks menu of this Shuangjing neighborhood spot, a claim is made that the Painkiller –known on the menu as the Plan B PK (RMB 70) – is thought “by some as the world’s most refreshing cocktail.” Plan B does this claim justice by dialing up their Painkiller recipe – originally dark rum, coconut, orange, and pineapple – with white rum, Malibu, lemon juice, and grenadine syrup.
At Confidential, the bar hidden behind a fake barbershop near Plan B, they’ve Tikified the daiquiri and rechristened it the Tropical Daiquiri (RMB 78). This is accomplished by swapping out lime juice for lemon, simple syrup for blackberry syrup, and, because you can’t have too much fruit juice in a Tiki cocktail, they’ve added orange and pineapple juice to liven it all up.
Plan B
2-012, 22 Intl Art Plaza, Pingod, 32 Baiziwan Lu (east of Today Art Museum and behind 7/11)
朝阳区百子湾路32号苹果社区22院街艺术区2-012（今日美术馆东侧）
Hours: Daily, 11.30am-11.30pm
Phone: 010 5826 4575
Confidential
2-72, 22 Intl Art Plaza, Pingod, 32 Baiziwan Lu
朝阳区百子湾路32好苹果社区22院街艺术区2-72
Hours: Daily, 6pm-2am
Phone: 182 1057 7732; 138 3816 2979
Gate of the Nine Dragons
Gate of the Nine Dragons is at once a museum of modern Chinese history and hidden bar, art space and nightclub, all neatly packaged in an old courtyard house on Dongsiliutiao. Filmmaker and owner Laurence J. Brahm has gone all out to highlight this with his own version of Tiki, one playing into the historical elements of the building, his love of old kung fu movies and ties to martial arts, and a nod to his home state of Hawaii. On a menu with a story for each drink, Brahm recommends the Triad Boss (RMB 69), made of white rum, banana juice, and coconut; and Lotus Ladies (RMB 69), of black rum, summer fruits, and other things…
Gate of the Nine Dragons 寻找功夫九龙门书院
9 Dongsi Liutiao, Dongcheng District
东城区东四六条9号
Phone: 010 8401 8886
The Local Bar & Grill
It might be hard to believe, but The Local has an impressive menu of Tiki cocktails that stay true as possible to the drinks’ original recipes. Owner Kenn Brummel is passionate about rum, and when telling us about this list he bemoaned the fact he didn’t bring more back with him when returning from the US.
This passion plays out well in the Fog Cutter (RMB 65), a creation of Trader Vic’s that adds in gin, cognac, and a dry sherry float alongside light rum, almond syrup, and various fruit juices. The second worth mentioning is Don the Beachcomber’s Nui Nui (RMB 80). This one is simple yet deadly, combining a nice pour of dark rum from Guyana with spiced syrups, citrus, and allspice dram – a Jamaican liqueur made from allspice berries.
The Local Bar & Grill
1/F, 101, Southeast of Zone E, Bldg 80, Courtyard No. 4, Gongti Beilu
工体北路4号院80号楼E区东南侧第一间101一层
Hours: 11-2am
Phone: 010 6591 9525
Tiki Bungalow
A list of rum rhapsodies isn’t a list of rum rhapsodies without mention of the Zombie – a cocktail of four different rums and spices crafted by Don the Beachcomber in 1934. Limited to two per person on the original Don Beachcomber menu, the Zombie’s potency has propelled it to legendary status. There’s no better place to get a Zombie (RMB 110) that stays true to the original than at Tiki Bungalow. Theirs gets a bit of help from a homemade falernum liqueur plus a sprinkling of nutmeg for added spice.
Tiki Bungalow & Cocktail Bar
46 Fangjia Hutong (entrance behind building to left of Peiping Machine)
东城区方家胡同46号
Hours: 7pm-2am (Mon-Thurs & Sun); 7pm-3.30am (Fri-Sat)
Phone: 131 4101 5937
READ: Keep Your Glass Half-Full and the Heat Half-Empty With Beijing's Best Summer Drinks
Images: Unsplash, Kipp Whitaker, courtesy of the venues
