It's the same fun and games at Goose & Duck's new location, where the pool tables, dart boards and TV screens showing the latest scores and action have found a new home.

The 24-hour American-style sports pub, which won much acclaim among Beijing's middle-aged expat crowd, has relocated to a new spot just around the corner from its old home at Chaoyang Park's West Gate. Now warehoused on the first floor of a newly built high rise near Green Lake, G&D's new setup lacks the scuffmarks and grit that gave character to the old establishment. Instead, it offers a classier and more modern setting, with brighter lighting, darker hardwood floors and a two-storey fountain in the breezeway.

The centerpiece of the room is a glowing blue-lit cooler area with a bar on both sides, lined by hardwood-backed stools.

The new G&D is currently about half of the size of its prior locale, but the upstairs area is still under construction. Rumor has it that this area will target Beijing's journo crowd.

Filipina acoustic-guitar soloist and vocalist Glenda performs Friday through Tuesday. Although she is a self-proclaimed rocker at heart, her repertoire focuses on folksier covers peppered with original compositions.

The ethnically Filipino classic rock band Soundpage featuring an incredible keytarist and rapid-fire drum solos takes the stage at 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Bar-goers can catch the shows from a raised seating area in front of the stage or take to the small space in front between the two platforms to dance.

The new G&D offers the same selection of pub grub, with dishes ranging between 15-115 yuan. The "soft-opening menu" proffers 19 varieties of beer ranging from 15-40 yuan a bottle, while cocktails cost 25-50 yuan.

For the capital city's birds of a sport-loving feather, the new G&D is the place to be.

Text & photos by Erik Nilsson

24 hours. First floor of Building 1, Guoxing Greenlake Place, 100m to the east of Chaoyang Gongyuan Qiao on the Eastern Fourth Ring Road. 5928-3045.

(China Daily 02/07/2007 page11)