Labaratory: A Successful Cocktail Experiment in Dengshikou
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The mad scientists have lured you down an eerily quiet hutong near Dengshikou subway station, past rows of glowing beakers in the foyer and into their lair. You’re not the only guinea pig in this experiment – in fact, once inside, you'll see dozens of Chinese patrons chatting away and knocking back cocktails at the newly opened, well off the beaten track Labaratory lounge, (laboratory + bar, geddit?) which is just as busy as its counterparts in more popular neighborhoods like Sanlitun.
The bar is located in a sleepy alley near Dengshikou subway station
Another shocker awaits you upon opening the menu – the pages are blank. At least until the bartender hands you a special flashlight that lights up the invisible ink. Are these geeky flourishes all a bit silly? Of course, but in a good way that rejects the stuffy self-importance of so many other cocktail bars flooding the market as of late. The Labaratory team thankfully stops just short of going overboard with the scientist concept (the staff members don't don tacky lab coats, for instance), and the key to pulling off ambitious, cheeky themes like this lies in the drink recipes, which are fortunately on point. The chemist-like staff distill, age, and ferment ingredients with ease, making for complex, well balanced and unique drinks.
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Step inside and wonder whether you're at a bar or a mad scientist's lair
This is high-quality stuff, and matches the caliber of the Tease by CreatureS restaurant with whom they share a space. Both businesses are located in the Stey co-living space, a cozy setup which allows the teams to collaborate on food and drink pairings and promotions. While we were impressed with Tease’s creative twist on South East Asian eats during a recent visit, Labaratory is every bit as satisfying.
The science theme extends to the bar itself
Their RMB 98 Botanicum cocktail, for instance, is made with distilled rice gluten, the juice from Peruvian apples, and Latino apple rum for a light and refreshing mix. Meanwhile, their Frankenstein's Drink (also RMB 98) is made with a heftier mix that includes Coffee Soya Vodka and Pandan Syrup. Anyone looking to splurge can try the delicious and quite creative, but frankly overpriced RMB 140 The Smokin' Butcher. It's a bittersweet cocktail made with bourbon aged in an oak barrel until it's supple and complex. Its mix is rounded out with sugary sherry, citrus oils, and herbs, along with a dash of bacon fat. That last ingredient might sound like a bit much, but it gives the cocktail a savory quality that’s flavorful and memorable.
Be sure to try the light and refreshing Botanicum cocktail
Before serving up these new concoctions, Labaratory founder Eric Chen worked at Shanghai’s equally creative (and science-oriented) cocktail joint Botanist from 2016-17, and at Alchemy bar in his native Taipei before that. Bar manager Tou Tou Chang, also from Taipei, won third place at the esteemed Diageo Reserve World Class Taiwan (theworldclassclub.com) competition in 2017. Her CV is rounded out by stints at Shanghai’s The Bunker by Flask and back in her hometown at bars like Closet and Woo Taipei.
Thanks to Chen and Chang's well-rounded backgrounds, abundant creativity and sly sense of fun, Labaratory is a successful nightlife experiment in an otherwise dull neighborhood.
Read: 23Whisky Cocktail Bar: A Creative and Unassuming Boozy Gem in the Lido Rough
Labaratory
1/F, Stey, 15 Baishu Hutong, Dongcheng District Dongcheng District (sharing the space with Tease by CreatureS)
东城区柏树胡同15号Stey王府井1层
(010) 8635 5364
Photos: Courtesy of Labaratory
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