1912 Bar Sreet

[Aussie Mike]

This complex on Huang Shan Lu and Huai Ning Lu has about 12 bars.

So far, Benjamen's "Tang Bar" is open, opulent is a word to describe it.
It's typical Chinese not unlike 88 or Pheobe but nicely done.
The upstairs VIP area is plush.
This bar is near the end of" "B section which is East of Huai Ning in the centre mall

The Blue Marlin is also open, it has 3 floors but only 2 are open now.
Opulent fits for this bar as well, introduce yourself to Taffy the Marketing man.
The BM is located in the A section, West of Huai Ning, towards Da Shu Shan.
It's behind the SPD Bank in the centre mall.

Other bars will open soon but the official date is 30th Sept.

[Andy72]

they told me tonight was some sort of official opening as well..

anyway, i think i'll go there to have a look, worst case trying Ben's place!

Map:

http://maps.google.com.hk/maps?q=1912%2B%E5%90%88%E8%82%A5&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=31.843313,117.220109&spn=0.010791,0.011373&fb=1&gl=hk&view=map&cid=15144043171064702349&brcurrent=3,0x0:0x0,1&t=m&z=16&vpsrc=6

[Mateus]

Hear of any opening specials? 

[Andy72]

no sorry..
it might be i have heard wrong.. but tonight i got time and next week i'll be away for some time.. so, it's my own special! 

[Aussie Mike]

The Lavazza Coffee shop is worth a stop, damned good coffee there, I also sampled their spaghetti cabonarra, small serve at 40rmb but delicious. They have some nice wine as well.

More on Lavazza

[Aussie Mike]

The Madrid Club is well worth checking out.
It's the location I nearly took but they have done an amazing job on the decor.
As you enter, there is a big spanish bar to sit at or a lounge while you wait for a table, it's busy.
The restaurant is excellent, no cash spared setting this place up.

The Spanish Chef there was preparing some interesting dishes, pity I didn't get to sample any of those.
The Spanish wine selection there goes all the way to the the roof.

I'll eat there another time. I've got to try it.

[Andy72]

The Spanish place owner is a Chinese that lived a loooong time in Spain (friend of a friend) even getting Spanish passport!

The chef are young, Spanish yes, but not that experienced: do not expect too much artistic creations, but in Spain anyone can cook the basics..

Anyway it was recommended to visit..

A pity in general that after 21:30 it is difficult to find any place that serve food, except a small cafe facing the main road..

Anyway, soon I'll check more as well there!

[ElinJonsson]

with those prices, you really cant expect that much artistic creations. And they both have michelin star experience and have spent many years in san sebastian, also known as "the capital of gastronomy" amongst food journalists and foodies in general.

They are getting great feedback from the customers, so it looks like its a hit!

[Andy72]

don't misunderstand me!!

i'm sure the food is great.. i actually hope to try it asap!!

it was a comment from a person working in restaurant as well: the chef are young, and making good experience..

anyway many places in spain have top level gastronomy!

besides, i think that nay spanish restaurant in hefei would get great hit, with people able to cook decently some real spanish food!
i mean, any foreign restaurant with decent chef would great top hits, especially from our laowai community!

and if the chef look also typical spanish, they would get good hits by chinese girls as well   

[ElinJonsson]

yeah, Im the girlfriend of the souschef, and I dont think the headchefs gilrfriend would appreciate that comment haha   
tranquilo, hope to see you around the club some time!

[Andy72]

gracias chica!

i thought so, from your reply, that you were somewhat related..
anyway the attentions bring customers.. your boys don't have to do anything more than flip the deep brown eyes ;-))
and stay behind the kitchen stoves, to avoid mas problemas 

i sued to live with spanish people.. i miss real spanish food, that's why i'll pay you a visit after my "national" holidays

[kaibo 开 博]

The first time I went down to 1912 I was somewhat impressed by the architecture. However, on my second visit last night I think the place is poorly lit, lacks colour & appeal & is erring on the side of an extravagant rip-off. As we know, the prices of drinks in those places are already premium priced. But when they demand you pay 1,000 yuan for a table, even though we had 10 male foreigners with strong thirsts in our group, I say boycott any bar that asks for table fees. The name of the rip-off - The Blue Marlin - of course a bar.

I went to the first Blue Marlin in 2007 in Suzhou. It was really tiny but has now gone national as a franchise bar.  We met 'Taffy' - the national marketing manager - & Mike stated he would do a deal for foreigners. Well Taffy, you stuffed up dude - you failed to communicate to your 'plebian' staff. The guys who ventured down there last night are known to be the biggest drinkers in foreign circles around Hefei & will probably not venture back down there again. If they did, I would be pissed off. In my mind, those kinds of establishments should get one chance only.  I promptly told the young shithead who called himself the 'manager' that I know his boss from Suzhou & you won't be seeing any of our crew back down there again. I strongly advise any young crew - don't pay the table prices anywhere - if they want your service they provide a table at no cost or you should walk out uttering expletives like I did. Anyway, that's my line, I hope you can send the same message to them.

By the way, we went back to a place called the Tang Bar following that. They said they wanted 300 yuan for the table & I stated to her, "bullshit, we pay nothing or walk." She agreed but we all ended up hanging off the bar anyway. At the end of the day, don't give them your hard-earned cash for a table because you pay through the nose for drinks.

Cheers!

[Dangermouse]

Was thinking about heading down to have a look at this bar street sometime this week. From what im reading and hearing, it's a place not to spend much time in.
As far as the  table fees <Kiabo>  thanks for the heads up I too would have looked at them and after the starting "WTF!!" also would have told then ( politly of course ) to please go forth and muliply with yourself
The drinks are going up all over and its to be expected, but no way am i going to pay to sit at a table The amounts the forigners drink in any bar, dosnt mean we should expect special treatment, but charging to sit down??  I dont think so!!
Any Chinese having the same problem or is this little rip off being pushed to us expats more

Will still have a look-see and judge for myself but reading thins tread i will be very weary of where to go and what to expect.

Interesting to hear others thoughts and opinions on all thats happening down there
Take it , it can be a great night out, but im feeling more people are thinking they been ripped off at the end of it?  am i wrong or are a few poor comments clouding my judgement?

[kaibo 开 博]

Like any place you can weasel your way in there & get some favour. The boys from EF go to Tang Bar. Ben who also has a cocktail bar on Jinzhai Rd looks after them with fake Chivas or something. They all want table money because rents are high I suppose. I didn't mention the 120+ decibel sound systems in most bars either. They are beyond the threshold of pain.

[Andy72]

table fees???

this sucks..
pretty new concept for me..

and i would turn at the entrance if asked.. unless in the table fees it was included some table drinks, but i guess this is not the case (in a quite nice pub in Beijing, with live music of high quality, we had to pay for the table but the price included the alcohol fees: we managed to drink actually more and pay the difference..)