Li Yi is a celebrity in Nanjing's bar circle, and has opened a number of bars in Nanjing, with different styles, including Western food bars, jazz bars, beer houses, and live houses. Some of these bars have gone out of business, while others have become mainstays of Nanjing's bar industry, as was the case with Don Quixote. Don Quixote is the first bar opened by Li Yi, born in 2008 as a jazz cocktail bar, and has now become a veteran bar in Nanjing's bar scene. In 2016, the bar was renovated and reorganized, changing its business direction, transforming from a single cocktail bar to a bistro bar, a mixed food and wine pub.
The new owner of the bar, Zhang Baixiong, known as Jacko, is a bartender from Taiwan invited by Li Yi, who worked at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and won the Diageo World Class Bartending Masters in Taiwan in 2015, and has more than ten years of bartending experience. Jacko combines the characteristics of Nanjing's region to design a variety of unique cocktails for the don Quijote wine list. For example, in the "Ancient Capital of the Six Dynasties", the wine glass is placed on a wooden box filled with sandalwood, separated by a folding fan, and the shape is simple; The aroma of sandalwood looms, and the glass is based on sherry and vermouth, which blends sweet and bitter with a layered taste. In addition to the wine list, Don Quixote also has a "hidden menu" that the bartenders try to satisfy whenever the guests propose their desired tastes.
Kiko, the female bartender who won the Cointreau Queens competition in East China in 2018, created the Cointreau Lady ("Cointreau") that was not on the Don Quixote wine list, but it is worth drinking: a creative blend of gin and Cointreau as a base wine, the addition of bergamot to increase acidity, and the use of duck fat to reduce the astringency of the wine, while also giving Nanjing a local flavor.
In terms of food, Don Quixote focuses on Spanish cuisine, and the variety of dishes is richer than that of other restaurants. Spanish seafood risotto is a popular dish made with saffron, tomato and seafood, and the seafood is generously portioned, with fresh and tender shrimp meat, sticky rice grains, and a rich flavor that attracts many repeat customers.
Don Quixote Bar is located in a small building on Chengxian Street, and the first floor is the S3 black shop of Shengdena Coffee. The interior is spacious, but the floors are low. The color palette is mostly red and brown, and the wooden table and leather chairs are elegant. Diners often complain that the lighting makes it difficult to see the menu, but the atmosphere is no different from that of a real Spanish restaurant. The service is warm and intimate, and the bartenders are approachable and enjoy communicating with customers. In addition to Don Quixote, The Loop, The Bassment, Psycho Cat's Paradise (PCP), and the beer brewing factory are all owned by Li Yi, but they have different styles, so if you are interested, you can also visit the store.
