The former Pinotage in Sanlitun Soho is now 1080 Restaurant and Bar, with the dining room transformed into a booth-like layout, the kitchen partly turned into a brewery, and the bar in back walled off. (Pinotage has since moved to the former Royal Smushi House space at the northern end of Sanlitun Bar Street.)
1080 has about ten seating areas, each with room for a small group, plus a bar at one end with a half-dozen spaces and a stage area at the other. In terms of decor, if your idea of style is gold spray-painted tires hanging from a ceiling, this is for you. The French jazz playing during my visit gave them a certain je nais c’est quoi.
The drinks list is average, save for the option of home brew. A 330 ml glass of lager — all that’s available at the moment — is 38 kuai. It won’t wow the craft beer crowd, but is pleasant enough, and is a nice effort given the owner says he just recently learned how to make beer. Look for more options soon.
The food menu is “Western”, with a handful of soups and salads, as well as steaks, pastas, burgers and pizzas, the last two starting at 48 kuai. I’ll pop by in a few weeks to have a bit to eat and check on the progress of the other beers.
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