Dimly lit and hidden from plain view. What seemed like another insignificant pre-war building located in the quiet precinct of Victoria Street is a gem – China House. We had a tough time locating the establishment ourselves. First time for all of us except 1 (that did not help much though). I was the last person to reach as usual (with the help from friends), thanks to a bad sense of direction and geographical knowledge.
China House is not a bar, a restaurant, nor a gallery… but a fusion between the 3. Bar on the side facing Victoria Street, while an eatery at the other end facing Beach Street. A journey up the narrow wooden staircase leads to the gallery on the second floor, lined with photography artwork from various photographers hailed from different countries. Any of the above would have made me a happy man, imagine a triple dose of happiness on a Saturday evening. The surprise was definitely exhilarating. I spent quite some time at the gallery, which one cannot expect less of me.
A 2-man band jumpstarted the melodic journey with interestingly re-arranged songs as well as originals. With drinks on our table (ironically a metal trunk lined with leather and not a real table), we lazed comfortably on the mix-and-match chairs, couches and stools, and watched the crowd grew. Interesting enough, expatriates made up a huge portion of their customers. The relaxing ambiance coupled a British colonial décor definitely worked its magic in drawing in both local and foreign fun seekers.
Honestly, I can’t wait to spend another quiet and entertaining evening with friends at China House again, hopefully very soon!
1 comment:
nice place :)
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