Daily Blog
Friday, 07 August 2009 04:08
Written by Justin Fischer
They spent months a year dancing about town. They flipped their hair and winked seductively. They tantalized and teased us, showing the slightest indication of an opening, only to zip it back up and dance around some more. Many of us (this publication included) grew bored of unfilfilled anticipations. Some of us (read: this author) even figured they skipped town with garter belts and teddies sticking out of their suitcases. But they have made it official: Chinatown will open its doors on September 18!
For a lot of you, the buzz likely wore off months ago. So allow us to refresh your memory on what this place is all about. Chinatown's owners and managers tout it as Shanghai's only purpose-driven variety club--they recoil at the words 'theme bar'. that's has talked on several occasions with these guys and they paint quite a vivid picture of what to expect. Think of the opening sequence of Temple of Doom crossed with Vaudeville and a three-ring circus. Artist's renderings depict a Victorian-style stage surrounded by candy-striped banquettes, a second floor of private booths and on the third floor an exclusive lounge pouring top-shelf spirits and classy old-school cocktails. If everything goes as planned, expect lots of long legs, skimpy outfits, tap dancing and juggling acts and, more importantly, women on stilts serving hotdogs! And it'll all be contained in a stately old Buddhist temple on Zhapu Lu--perhaps the only street in town that actually looks like a Chinatown. Gosney and Kallman have talked it up a great deal. Now, will they deliver? Stay tuned for more details here and inthat's Shanghai for more news.
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You would think at a venue called Chinatown Gosney and Kallmans that staff would be hospitable to Chinese people in China?? Unfortunately at this establishment they are not. On Halloween night a group of us decided to celebrate at Chinatown, which what we thought, would make for an exciting evening. We arrived to meet friends who had a table around 10ish. Upon entering the hostess asked if we had reservations, we told them Amelia sent us (which was the playful supposed password to enter as per request of the promoter) and the name of our friends for which had the table. We continued into the venue in normal fashion. Truth be told, we enjoyed the look of the place, even the 5 minute skit we saw was somewhat entertaining. But then came the RUDE and Inhospitable service, after looking for a waitress for 30 minutes we finally flagged one down to our table. We ordered a bottle of Vodka and mixers, which took another 20 mins to arrive. Worst of all, after the 1000 rmb bottle arrives the Manager approaches my girlfriend who was speaking to him very politely and asks her to apologize to the hostess? APOLOGIZE to the HOSTESS??? Apparently the hostess either didn't like her costume or the accent in which my girlfriend pronounced the name to enter. Long story short, the 6 foot plus manager continued to pick on and attempt to humiliate my petite GF by having security escort her to the door and eventually saying "If you apologize you can stay". We left without apology to the many other venues in Shanghai that do treat their paying customers with respect. Appalling!