The Boulevard has generated buzz among serious “grown-up drinkers” who revel in complexities of a good whiskey and swoon at the idea of a perfectly stirred, oh-so-infused cocktail sipped in some dark and illicit-feeling bar.
Set above Bella Mia, this newest speakeasy on the block does a lot to get its ambience right. Take the creaky elevator to the seventh floor and doors open on a faux bookshelf and old-school phone. You can hear tinkling cocktail glasses and boozy laughter coming from behind. Inside awaits old-school leather couches, a pretty low-lit bar, sweeping views and – at least for our table – service with a sneer. The en vogue atmosphere is sure to draw in scenesters like flies to honey. We’re not sure about the snobby attitude.
Cocktails (starting at RMB75) include old-timey hits like Manhattans, Negronis and that macabre-sounding Blood and Sand. Drinks were passable, but we were surprised that the Manhattan bordered on cough-syrup sweetness while the Blood and Sand toed the line of too saccharine. The cherry garnish were maraschinos which sat too long in their marinade. There’s also a series of tipples like Boulevard Cocktail – which tastes like alcoholic fruit punch with its muddle of rhubarb and passion fruit. Food should be on the menus soon, but perhaps cocktail consistency should be their first order of business.
// 7/F, 10 Baoqing Lu, by Fuxing Zhong Lu 宝庆路10号7楼，近复兴中路(6474 7979)
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