The Place
After three months’ success with fusion destination Magpie, the same parent company launched Woodpecker this June in the little labyrinth of the new Shuiwei housing project, freshly painted and ready for the nightlife crowd.
The smokehouse prepares all its locally-sourced meat on site, amazing given the size of the space. There’s room for just over 50 inside, mostly on a second floor that houses the single-stall restroom. Expect a wait, especially if the guys make good on a promise of a monthly block party.
The Food
Chef Francis, recently of Glass Hammer during its brief glimpse of culinary glory, guides the kitchen toward taste-of-home Southern comfort foods: Kansas brisket (RMB35/100g-RMB140/500g), Memphis ribs (RMB50-100), fried okra, biscuits and gravy, collard greens, succotash and more. Meats are served simple in 100, 250 and 500g portions, all sides are a very reasonable RMB10 and the kitchen mixes up their own range of sauces. (Beware the vinegar punch of the tongue-numbing Carolina Gold.)
Sliders (RMB55) come three to a plate, delivering succulent pulled pork in a sweet Carolina BBQ sauce atop airy buns with just the right amount of crunch. Cornbread is a big tender pancake, with mashed corn for moisture inside. Collard greens feel authentic: bitter antioxidants against savory bacon fat.
The Texas barbacoa lamb (RMB45-150) is our favorite of the proteins, with excellent slow-cooked layers of fat and meat. The semi-sweet notes of the deep, dark sauce do well to balance the gamey realness of the sheep.
Right now there’s only Vedett (RMB35) on draft, and it’s liable to sell out in these early days. They feature a couple bottles but, sadly, none of the local brews. Choose from Juleps (RMB25/330mL) or a 5L bucket of spiked punch (RMB300) from the barmaster shared with Magpie.
The Vibe
There’s the feel of an eager hustle here, with solid elements (meat, slider buns, sauces) still looking for firm footing logistics-wise (wait time for the orders, layout that leads to crowding). For such a new place, that makes sense. With a central location in the revamped Shuiwei neighborhood and an eagerness to interact with the community, we expect this will all be smoothed over in time.
Price: RMB75-200
Who’s going: Shuiwei barhoppers, nostalgic Southerners
Good for: smoked meats, friendly vibes
Nearest metro: Fumin (Exit D), 11 minutes
See listing for Woodpecker.
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