Let the Surreal CBD Duo Whisky and Coffee Bend Your Mind
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The Inception-esque bookcase which curves all the way up the wall and across the ceiling at Duo Whisky and Coffee should
serve as a clue that what lies within this CBD venue is slightly out of
the ordinary. Settle in the main room, and you'll be served standard
coffees from around RMB 30 in a fairly ordinary café, but investigate a
further, and you'll come across a secret door which leads to one of the
most stylish cocktail bars to open in Beijing this year.
Step behind the bookcase at Duo, and enjoy one of the CBD's prettiest bars
Behind
the door lies an a-typical "T" shaped island seating area where the
staff ready drinks behind the bar before passing onto patrons who sit
facing one another. Aside from its offbeat shape, the island also
impressed with its dark stained, rippling wood.
The "T" shaped seating area gives Duo a unique vibe
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The
bar alcove is bright and inviting, especially when compared to the rest
of the moodily-lit space, while three VIP rooms are located adjacent to
that main bar area. The effect is a mind-bending unfurling of options
that would never be apparent if you confined yourself to Duo's snug café
area.
Duo has a strong selection of whiskeys
Aside
from a few dozen whiskeys (from Japanese to Scotches to bourbons,
running the gamut of years and prices) the bar also serves a handful of
woozy cocktails. Our RMB 110 Charcoal Café cocktail took a while to
prepare but was worth the wait thanks to its hearty Laphroaig Quarter
Cask whiskey and piquant mix of Kahlua, Cointreau, and orange bitters.
Duo's cocktail menu has a number of refreshing, woozy treats, including this coffee cocktail
Tasty
as that drink was, it didn't quite stack up to the complex flavors of
Beijing's very best cocktail bars like Janes and Hooch, Mao Mao Chong,
or Infusion Room – especially true given the RMB 110 price tag. Lighter
alternatives include the Playa (made with rum, fresh passion fruit,
sugar, and lime), the Coco (raspberry vodka, passion syrup, fresh
grapefruit, Rosadoli honey, and lemon), or the Lichee Lady (vodka, fresh
lemon, lychee juice, and red wine).
The cafe and bar doesn't look like much from outside, but Duo contains hidden multitudes
All
those drinks are priced at RMB 110, which is admittedly steep, but
sadly standard for the area (neighboring Frank by Ala House, for
instance, charges even more per cocktail). However, Duo's playful design
and convenient location make up for its other shortcomings and help it
stand out as one of the CBD's best lounges yet.
Duo Whisky and Coffee
Daily, 9.30am-6pm (café); 7pm-2am (bar)
A103, 13 Xincheng International, Jintong West Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区金桐西路新城国际13号A103
156 0055 6632
READ: Dengshikou Provides a Fresh Port of Call for Slow Boat and a Return to Their Taproom Roots
Photos: Uni You
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