Thank those lucky stars
By Erik Nilsson (China Daily) Updated: 2006-10-20 09:39
Scrumptious sandwiches and feature films make Seven Star
Caf a stellar one-stop spot for dinner and a movie. Tucked in the heart of the
798 Art District in Dashanzi, this Bohemian bastion is a large canopied porch
proffering food, drinks and cinema to provide a relaxing reprieve from gallery
gallivanting.
Wicker chairs and a board-slat bar stay true to the deck-furniture theme. A
plank railing framing the caf's perimeter provides patrons a place to put their
feet up while they watch movies shown on a projection screen located on a nearby
street corner. Films are usually shown in English with Chinese subtitles and, if
no other customers are present, the owner will let you select a DVD of your
choice from Seven Star's massive movie library. Visitors don't have to worry
about missing the featured flick if they show up late, because the movies run
until the wee hours of the morning.
However, the projector doesn't fire up until after the sun goes down so,
before dusk, patrons have to make due with the mood-setting reverberations of
classic jazz music.
The crowd is an almost even mix of foreigners and Chinese, although it's rare
to see more than three tables occupied at the same time. Art aficionados make up
the bulk of the patrons, and most of the cross-table conversations concern
cross-cultural comparisons of Chinese and Western art.
Beer and coffee drink prices range from 15-30 yuan, while Seven Star's
signature bagel sandwiches run from 27-35 yuan. The eatery also dishes out other
types of Western fare including pizza, pasta and even corn flakes.
Those questing for a quiet night of fun, food and film will thank their lucky
astral objects seven times over for the affable ambience of Seven Star
Caf.
Seven Star Caf Location: 798 Art Dictrict in
Dashanzi, Chaoyang District
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