Today, the overly commercialized Nanluoguxiang has lost the rustic and human touch of the hutongs, and the elaborately decorated storefronts sell souvenirs to tourists from all over the world at above-market prices. Separated from the lively Nanluoguxiang Street, the Banchang Hutong of South Street looks simple and full of life.
Caterpillar Bar & Pizza is a bistro recommended by Beijing locals, the bistro converted from a private house is less than 20 square meters, except for the bar counter, there are only 4 small tables, and it is too crowded when it is full. The walls are full of murals, cobweb-like graffiti blackboards, menus in English, old wall soft furnishings, and vintage glassware make this bistro look very trendy, while the overflowing pizza aroma and the "Cash Only" sign printed on A4 paper at the entrance of the store are very down-to-earth.
Caterpillar is probably the most comprehensive bar in Beijing, with four flavors of cocktails that can be found on the wine list, in addition to incorporating ingredients such as mushrooms that are not commonly used in cocktail preparation, each glass is very personal. The pizza in the restaurant is Italian with a thin base, and the crispy crust is covered with full toppings and thick cheese, and the thin-bottomed pizza with milky and meaty aromas looks large, but it is still not enough for two people to eat it with a pre-dinner drink.
Some guests have a lot of criticism about the generous ice cubes in the caterpillar cocktail, thinking that it is the embodiment of the short catty and less two, but in fact, the larger square ice cubes are not easy to melt, which can keep the cocktail low at the same time, and do not dilute the original taste of the wine, which is a common thermal insulation method for experienced cocktail bars. Every cocktail has a fixed ratio of base and ingredients, and those that seem "real" tend to add more water, crushed ice or juice, which can easily affect the taste.
The criticism of caterpillars mainly focuses on two aspects: first, the all-English menu will confuse Chinese customers who visit the store for the first time, but the store staff will translate, explain and recommend Chinese customers when they read the order; The second point is that you can't use credit cards in the store, you can only use the most primitive cash transaction method, and you can't issue invoices.
