Stopped in at Anar Bar -- or rather Anar "Cafe and Bar" -- earlier today to have a peek at the renovations and a chat with Jin Hua (old partner of the first Tangui, where LOgO is now) and local DJ Fish about what they're trying to do with the place. It's still buried in a pile of rubble from the extensive renovations -- they've totally ripped out all the old Pirates interiors (Shuffle being a distant memory) -- and is only just beginning to take shape.


The two rooms have been converted to a cafe/restaurant in the front and a lounge/club area in the back. Anar will open for business during the daytime and at dinner hours, serving light, Xinjiang-flavored Mideastern and Turkish fare. The basement-like back room of the old Pirates has been loungified, with red leather couches, Turkish brick walls and tiles, and a raised seating area for smoking hookahs and eating finger-foods from the front restaurant. Lounge seating has reduced the dance floor by half.

Although construction is ongoing, I'd have to say at first guess it looks really promising, both in terms of interior design and the direction they're heading in. Anyone who has been living and drinking in Shanghai a while wistfully remembers the first Tanghui and the great atmosphere they created with that small place -- it's definitely something they're consciously trying to recreate. Shanghai's a funny place that you can feel nostalgic about something that was around four years ago. The sense of nostalgia increased when I saw Zooma, ex-partner of Tanghui and 4Live poking around the place. He was in the back room setting up the lounge area and their new sound system. Old amps from 4Live (that beleaguered Marshall stack) were in the DJ booth area, but he said that he's not using them for their system. New walls, speakers, and wires strewn about the bar ceilings indicate that the much-bemoaned sound problem is something they're tackling head-on.

In terms of events Fish said that he and the Bananas brothers (elnomo and Kamikaze) are handling their scheduling, which will feature local DJs, open decks nights and so on. When I asked about what sorts of specific events they were going to do, he mentioned an emphasis on low-key lounge-type music and world music. Not club-type stuff. Jin Hua said that they were going for a more low-key-type of thing for the regular Shanghai clubbers, both locals and expats. She mentioned DKD "in the old days," the hey-day of the local DJ, and the first Tanghui. She said they're looking to be more of a second home to DJs and clubbers rather than be a destination to see a show.

As is everything else, drink prices are in line with what they "used to be at the first Tanghui," (30rmb for mixed drinks) although they are also working on nicer cocktails (50rmb) with Xinjiang-themed flavors.

With the extensive cross-cultural experience in both the management and in the creative department, Anar will definitely make a run of it. Maybe they'll sneak into the space that LOgO bar is looking to vacate a bit with their renovation and expansion. Hope the food -- and the rest of it -- is as good as it sounds.

Anar officially opens on April 18 with sets by Fish, elnomo, Kamikaze, and Wolf Candy. They have their "soft opening" this Friday with "Boys vs. Girls" -- Bananas are taking on Danish DJ duo Ladybox.

More recent articles in section "Nightlife"