Juggling a pepper shaker in one hand and spray bottle of sake in the other, we soak our skewered goodies in flavor, inhaling wisps of smoky aroma.
Wut Put – the half bar, half barbecue joint located upstairs from German restaurant 1920 – is named after the Cantonese word for ‘lively.’ Yet at 9pm on a Saturday night, the place is anything but.
We arrive to catch the scattered conversation of a party on their way out. “A thousand kuai for six of us, that’s not bad,” one man comments. “Yeah, it’s just that I’m still hungry,” retorts another. The first impressions echo popular concerns on dianping.com, which rate Wut Put portions as small and overpriced.
For us, the shop is a glamorized street barbecue stand. But instead of retrieving ingredients from a stained fridge, waiters snatch shellfish from aquariums in the back of the restaurant and plop them onto sizzling hotplates. In lieu of a street-side symphony, Wut Put moves to the beat of funky pop music.
Stacked Coca Cola crates form resourceful (though flimsy) chairs, and each table is equipped with a gas-fueled brazier, spice shakers and dice cups – because who doesn’t love a game of Chinese Liar’s Dice over briny seafood and beer?
The seafood itself is reassuringly fresh. Eight options are pictured on the menu, the best of which turn out to be the watery scallop (RMB38), rich cockle (RMB8/one, RMB38/six) and shy whelk (RMB15). Bowls of diced green onions, crushed garlic and pepper stand by as extra garnish for the greasy crustaceans.
Despite fashioning itself as a bar, Wut Put’s drink options are lamentably limited. Unless you’re down with Coca Cola (RMB8) or Tiger beer (RMB20), it’s probably better to scout out another of Jianshe Liu’s copious pubs.
Cheap, open late and pleasingly Chinese, Wut Put typifies the charm of thrifty college nights out. If you’re over 25, however, that ‘charm’ will probably just disappoint.
Price: RMB100 per person
Who’s going: Friends of the owner, local foodies
Good for: DIY barbecue, rowdy rounds of Liar’s Dice
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