Really western Ryan’s reopens

RYAN’S Bar on the small street behind Jusco in Wanzaisha, Xiangzhou, reopened December 1 with much more space and dozens drinking expatriates.

Initially opened in June, the bar, in collaboration with Lucky Iris restaurant serving pizza, hamburger, pasta and so on, had closed for more than a month for renovation, according to Michael Yin, executive chef of Lucky Iris.

Away from the high bar are about ten low round tables with comfortable armchairs and nearby are a line of barstools, forming a striking contrast for dining or drinking. A large TV screen is on the back wall near the kitchen, displaying English programmes, while a hi-fi unit provides background music. The bar has ambience for drinking, eating and socializing.

Adam Vardy, graphic designer at Grand Hall Enterprise Co Ltd Zhuhai Office, said the bar looks more comfortable now. A patron, he likes its atmosphere and good drinks. “The cocktail is very nice, and you can’t get it anywhere else in town,” he said.

Brittany, an American who has taught at Zhuhai TPR for seven months, said the bar has personality because of the Australian guy working behind it. They make very good drinks. “It’s the first hand-made drink in China that I actually like a lot,” she said. Besides, she likes the people in the bar, as “most of them are teachers, and a lot of them spend time having a cup of coffee and talking about work.”

Sharmila Geyson, a young Australian who has taught at TPR for half a year, said she likes the good and friendly people there, foreigners, fun and good drinks. Living nearby and teaching in New Xiangzhou, she usually drops in to order something to eat and spend some time. These are all foreign beers and the pizza is great, she said.

Sharmila’s husband, Michael, who also teaches at TPR, goes to the bar twice a month or so. He likes the nice price and friendly people.

Drew Peacock from Brisbane, Australia, goes to the bar once a week. He said the bartender is friendly and the sound is good. “In Australia, we have sound limit whereas in Chinese bars, the music is so loud that you can’t speak to each other,” he pointed out.

John Ulrich, who teaches at Fountain School, said he goes to the bar very often as Chinese workers are there and their English is very good. “I can practise my Chinese,” he said. “If you go to a place, you want to relax and have a beer. Some of the bars in China, they kind of press you to drink more and more. But here you can just hold a beer and relax,” he said. Most of the foreigners I met when I came here come here to hang out,” he revealed.

Yin showed confidence in his business. A former favourite student of a Swiss executive chef in a five-star hotel in Zhuhai, Yin said he has some savvy in cooking. He knows how the food has been cooked by just tasting it and for him cooking is a great delight. To ensure the quality of pizza and hamburger, he insists on buying flour in Hong Kong, ham from a Sino-Italian joint-venture in Nanjing, beef from New Zealand and making fresh sauces from a private recipe. “Every pizza and burger is the best in my restaurant,” Yin answered when asked which order is the best.

Vegas, an American teaching at GLV for seven months, said the pizza in the bar is the best and cocktails are great. She also likes the people and environment. However, what has bought her back is the hamburger. “The first time I came here, I ordered a hamburger, and it was so good that for four months when I came, I only got hamburger,” she said.

Kingsleg Phillips, a production manager with China2West, a sourcing company in Zhuhai, and best friend of bar owner Ryan Fedoruk, comes to help when he has time. Majoring in hospitality management in college and having worked in five-star hotels and bars for 14 years, Phillips is sophisticated in designing cocktails. “It requires skill, as cocktails need to have a balance between the different types of alcohol to have nice taste,” he said.

Showing appreciation of the ambience, Phillips recommended coming to the bar on a Saturday night and enjoying one of the international beers on tap. “I also recommend pizza from Michael, because it is fantastic; and last but not least, Ryan’s cocktails,” he said.

With nearly 80 cocktails on the menu, Ryan’s Bar is also the first in town with Heineken draft keg, according to a bartender. Draft beer and cider include Carlsberg, Heineken, Boddingtons, Strongbow Cider, Stella Artois and Becks. Bottled beers include Australian brand Coopers sparkling ale (red), extra stout and original pale ale (green), English New Castle brown ale, Grolsch from Holland, Guinness extra stout from Ireland and Budweiser, Heineken and Coors Light from the US, the bartender explained.

Ron Keelan, a teacher of English at EF Zhuhai Language Training Centre and a well-known musician, plays on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday nights. He and his guitar songs are popular in the expatriate community, a foreign customer noted.

Every Wednesday starting at 9pm, an open microphone night is available at the bar. Everyone is welcome to sing, read, recite a poem or just play guitar with Keelan, Fedoruk explained.