by Marianna Cerini
In a sea of Starbucks and Paris Baguettes, Soloist Coffee is a tried-and-true standby for the more indie-minded, caffeine-addled literary nerds out there. Branching out from its original 798 location, the venture’s second outpost can be found in the rapidly gentrifying area of Dashilar, at the south end of Tiananmen Square, where it opened a few months back alongside a slew of hipper-than-thou shops and businesses. It fits right in while putting on a splendid show of strong brews, great bakes and light bites.
The venue itself – a two-storey industrial-looking space with a handy outdoor seating area – is neat and unintimidating, boasting a rustic décor of bare wooden tables, vintage knick-knacks, exposed bricks and a couple of decorative fixie bikes (one stuck on the wall – oh, what a waste) that wouldn’t look out of place in a corner café in Williamsburg, Brooklyn or East London’s Shoreditch.
The whole setup is decidedly trendy but not excessively pretentious. Dorky laptop loiterers and tourists in need of a pit stop could happily while away a few hours in here without having to mingle with too many fashionable twits. If you’ve made the trip all the way down here to Qianmen, it’s worth staying for a few hours, anyway.
Upon walking in, a moreish, addictive aroma of Arabica wafts up from what looks like a laboratory, a series of glossy roasting machines and patiently-dripping sieves providing coffee to match any palate. It’s to coffee what high-end whisky bars, like Glen Classic, are to scotch and bourbon.
The idea is to offer a memorable experience for coffee connoisseurs and Soloist does so using state-of-the-art utensils, as well as holding coffee-making workshops that could revolutionize your morning brew forever.
An Ethiopian Aramo (RMB55) is worthy of true aficionados. Extracted to a rich, almost crisp syrup, it’s a powerful and robust slow-drip blend that needs neither sugar nor milk. A foamy cappuccino (RMB40) is smooth and straightforward, full-bodied and naturally sweet. Similarly, espressos (RMB30) are bold and chocolatey, with rich hazelnut and nutty notes. If you don’t know your cappuccino from your cafetière, expertly-trained baristas are happy to dispense suggestions.
Sure, these cuppas are a tad pricier than other Beijing cafes, but in return you’ll enjoy some seriously top-notch concoctions often lacking elsewhere. And should all that caffeine need balancing, a small range of homemade cakes – think cheesecakes and chocolate brownies (RMB30-35/slice) - offer a solid, indulgent treat.
And if you’d rather shun coffee entirely – although why would you? - Vedett (RMB30) and La Chouffe (RMB35) are also available, as are fresh juices and tea (both RMB35). If you value beautiful beans and expert brewing, Soloist is definitely worth making the trip south for.
// Daily 11am-8pm, 39 Yangmeizhu Xiejie, Meishi Jie, Xicheng 西城区煤市街杨梅竹斜街39号 (5711 1717)
Photo: Noemi Cassanelli.
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