Dengshikou Provides a Fresh Port of Call for Slow Boat and a Return to Their Taproom Roots
With 50 seats and 20 taps, the new branch of beloved Beijing craft beer brand Slow Boat is as intimate and chic as its three-floor Sanlitun counterpart is sprawling and rugged. With its played-down design featuring little more than its slanted white walls, floor-to-ceiling windows, benches and tables, the most striking feature in this new Dengshikou space are the brilliant blue tiles that back the bar, evoking the sea on which this proverbial beer-filled boat sails.
The packed space when we visit is a strong indication of the high demand for trendy craft beer in this quieter south-lying, Wangfujing-skirting neighborhood. Those patrons likely stopped by for the same satisfying brews that got them hooked at Slow Boat Sanlitun or their original taproom which lay a stone's throw north of here until its untimely bricking-related demise. There's the Monkey’s Fist IPA (RMB 45) and Zombie Pirate Ale (RMB 40) as well as newbies like the Nutella Milkshake Stout (RMB 60) and Koh Chang Saison (RMB 45). More exciting still is the Sampan Sour: Thai Curry, which is (for now) exclusive to Dengshikou and strikes a delightfully unique balance between spicy and sour.
What really makes this latest Slow Boat location worth a visit, however, is the scrumptious new grub on offer. The Hooper’s Revenge burger (RMB 88), which is stacked with lusciously salty hunks of corned beef along with a juicy beef patty drenched in a tangy sauce, is simply astounding and one of the best additions to Slow Boat's already excellent burger canon. While its price may feel as indulgent as its ingredients, it’s hearty enough to justify splurging on once in a while.
This south-end taproom also has an exclusive grilled vegan burger (RMB 48) made with marinated oyster mushrooms, as well as a No Cheese Cheeseburger (RMB 50) that lives up to its name, switching in tomato for dairy. The burger list is rounded out with old Slow Boat favorites like the Dongfu Doufu, the blue cheese topped Anxiety Burger, the Lao Thai Thai, and their 2016 and 2018 Burger Cup-winning Fryburger.
Other highlights on the Denshikou-only menu see Slow Boat branch out into mouthwatering appetizers like Italian cold cuts (RMB 72), a Catalan sausage platter (RMB 68), and kimchi chicken wings (RMB 70), along with homemade corned reuben rolls (RMB 45), grilled squid esquites (RMB 51), pork pepitas skewers (RMB 45), and RMB 35 county fair Oreos (i.e. deep-fried Oreos with grilled peach).
It's not all unhealthy either, with "greener" options including grilled chicken and pineapple and grilled salmon and raspberry salads (RMB 52 and 61, respectively), as well as the delicious Thai Vegan Chop Salad (RMB 48). The latter is both filling thanks to fried tofu cubes as well as satisfying for its gently bitter peanut dressing and crunchy veggies like red cabbage and bell peppers.
It's these exclusive and expanded menu items that not only make Slow Boat’s latest branch a welcome addition to Dengshikou, but also a draw for patrons from across Beijing; especially those hankering for the more intimate experience that their original Dongsi taproom allowed.
Slow Boat Dengshikou Taproom
Daily, 11am-midnight. 105 Shengyuanhui, 157 Dongsi South Street, Dongcheng District (135 2188 3051)
东城区东四南大街157号圣元荟105
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Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
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Photos courtesy of Slow Boat, Kyle Mullin
