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HOSTELRY By Matt Ford Apartheid is Ticking in Nanjing, on Coffee and Beer

It’s no secret that Nanjing is awash with venues that are coffee shops by day and cocktail bars by night. Indeed, it would be difficult to avoid them. Many are rather smart and reflect a global trend which I very much welcome.

That said, many segregate their operations by the clock. I have no idea why. So if you want an Amber Moon in the afternoon or a Singapore Sling the morning (well you never know, you might), you would have better luck asking for a hacksaw in a florist.

You will sit with your espresso, looking longingly at the inviting bottles, shakers and muddlers, wondering why the barista/barman cannot achieve at 17.30 what mysteriously becomes possible at 18:00.

To be fair, there are a few places that do offer both coffee and cocktails throughout the day, even if their cocktail menus may vary at different times for no apparent reason. The Sauce is a very good example of this, and I often enjoy a coffee there, or a cocktail or the best of both worlds, a coffee cocktail (and a coffee and another cocktail).

So all bases are covered then? Time to rejoice? Can we can reward such enlightenment with our custom and eschew those establishments that operate a curious clockdependent beverage apartheid?

Well, sadly this is not quite the case, because although I enjoy cocktails, coffee, wine and much else besides, my primary interest is beer. As regular readers will know, the lack of availability of good beer during the day will soon spoil the plans of any Nanjing-based foreigner or local looking to enjoy a well-earned pint on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Can these coffee-shop-cum-bars come to the rescue? To a limited extent they can. There are a few coffee shops that also specialise in draft craft beer, but not many. There are even fewer that can open a tap at 16:15 as opposed to 18:00 (the hour when mysteriously all sorts of things become possible in Nanjing which, in many other cities, are possible for most of the day).

Southern Trip will be happy to serve you from a small but enjoyable range of TripSmith beers at any time of day. They are canned (come on, you have by now not learned to expect too much, I hope…) but they are very drinkable. In fact, they are very drinkable indeed. Beware of possibly having to cancel your plans for the evening after a Double IPA and a couple of Imperial Stouts at 14:00 suddenly seemed a grand idea.

Meanwhile Ego, Mountains H2O and XSpace (and I am sure there are others) all serve a fine range of decent draft craft beer as well as coffee, but suffer from the strange Nanjing time-warp thing that seems to occur around 18:00, when baristas are magically transformed into people who are

able to hold a glass under a tap and turn it on. Ego is a splendidly bijou little place that I enjoy very much, and the others are also worth a visit, but do remember it has to be in the evening. However, full marks go to Next. I think some sort of littleunderstood quantum distortion of time and gravity around Long jiang means they are really aligned to the Shanghai dimension. Next is able and willing to serve both coffee and beer all day, every day, and it’s a pleasant place too. So it can be done! A coffee, a pint (the beer is good, but don’t expect the very best) and a little brunch at 11:00? Well, if you want to, why not? You’ve crossed into another dimension and not even needed a high-speed train to help, so you’ve earned it. Cheers! Next is located on Longyuan Xi Lu opposite Longjiang Gymnasian 龙园西路龙江体育馆正对面.

Tel: 15951883170.

GASTRONOMY By Frank Hossack A Hot Pot Triumph where Quality makes up for Appearances

There can be few more sure-fire ways to create a successful business than to open a hot pot restaurant. Ubiquitous, universally loved and inexplicably popular all year round, hot pot is the go to for family fun or a raucous night out with friends.

Therein the problem. Their sheer volume means The Nanjinger has in its 12 years never actually done a review of a hot pot restaurant. Just where on Earth to start? And we have. Loads of it.

Most times, a trip to a hot pot joint has been a somewhat divine experience. But also usually one in which something in Best Class THENANJINGER was not quite right. That might be the upset stomach the following day, or the fact that without being completely smothered in spice ’n’ sauce, the cuts of meat are often somewhat tasteless.

But there’s one place in Nanjing where none of that has been true on any of our five or six visits. Hence we are happy to be able to say with confidence that Nanjing’s top hot pot be Qiweijia Fat Beef Restaurant Seafood Hot Pot (QWJ). With another branch in Nanjing, our chosen haunt is their outlet 600 metres from exit 3 of Focheng Xi Lu / Hohai University Metro Station on line S1.

To be honest, QWJ is nothing to look at from the outside. Situated right beside the airport expressway, the only exterior plus is there has never been a problem bagging a parking spot.

Inside, it’s not that different a story, but we don’t come for the decoration. Booths for both four or six comprise the majority of the seating options, each offering generous space. And a table large enough for everything you might order.

QWJ is one of those places where each diner gets their own pot, leading to the fun had in controlling the electric hob below, hidden under the tablecloth as an extra challenge. And just as elsewhere, the first thing to do is to choose the “soup” for your pot.

Then, the fact that Angus veal is the first thing on the meat menu is the promising sign it sounds. Other options include beef sashimi, tripe and so very many varieties of lamb.

For seafood lovers, there is a mighty tempting array of water-borne beasts (some still alive and kicking) to fling into your pot. A seafood platter, cuttlefish, clam slices and frozen squid are just the start.

Back to that spice ’n’ sauce. At QWJ there are 24 to choose from. Therein of course the usual suspects; garlic, coriander, chives, chillis, sesame paste, etc. But this is the only hot pot restaurant we have encountered that also features cumin as a sauce. Let us say that again for extra emphasis; “cumin as a sauce”.

QWJ has earned for itself a “Nanjing Five Star Merchants” badge on Dianping, while that app’s community awards 4.8 stars. And now it has a “Best in Class” award from The Nanjinger too. With an average price per head of ¥103, what more could a body ask for? Qiweijia Fat Beef Restaurant Seafood Hot Pot 齐味家肥牛 海鲜火锅 is located at 66-6 Focheng Dong Lu in Jiangning

江宁区佛城东路66-6号. Tel 57695769. Another

EtonHouse Nanjing hosted an elaborate and successful Parent Information Night which provided important and vital information to parents about everything, from the curriculum and teaching methodology, to the school’s IGCSE program. Enthusiastic parents learning more about their children's academic program and development were supported by the school’s staff who answered their questions and addressed any concerns.

E t o n H o u s e N a n j i n g

5-6 September, 2022

After a long summer break, Nanjing International School’s 620 students returned for their first day of 2022-23. This year is a very special one for their inclusive learning community and alumni around the world, as it marks the school’s 30th anniversary. The NIS community has so much to celebrate as they look forward to commemorating their founding on 14 October in spectacular style.

30 August, 2022

It was time for students at The British School of Nanjing to get their final external exam grades. With the other main exam board, Cambridge, publishing their exam grades a week earlier, this final set of results confirmed another stellar year for the school with 73 percent of A-levels and 68 percent of IGCSEs graded at the highest level. Some delighted students as a result!