Top: In Baba Bar, the noise has been turned down, its owners say. Above: Eric Lozachmeur expects to make his Baba a well-known brand in town. Photos Provided to China Daily

This german walks into a bar and meets an italian, they have a few drinks, and before you know it they're running a restaurant together

Ten months ago Eric Lozachmeur quit his job as an engineer and was ready to enjoy retirement in the southern city of Zhongshan, Guangdong province. But then a drink with Luigi Castagnanova changed his plans and his life. After two hours, the pair decided to open a restaurant together, and Baba was born.

Both Lozachmeur and Castagnanova are food lovers.

"Wine and food is a pretty big part of French culture," says Lozachmeur, 57, from Brest, northwestern France.

Castagnanova, 52, from southern Italy, adds, "For me, food is the most important thing in my life. Enjoying food at the day's end is one of the most pleasant things of a day after work. It is the only time when family can talk, without a computer or TV.

"But for us, at our age, there are not many places in Zhongshan that are quiet enough and can provide very wonderful food and a nice lounge, where people can have an enjoyable wine or whiskey after work."

With this in mind the pair aimed Baba at the quieter end of the market and for all budgets, Lozachmeur says.

Previously a noisy bar owned by a German that attracted a mostly expat crowd, Baba is now a place where customers "can enjoy mild and clean soft music where they can talk with friends, without shouting to each other", Castagnanova says.

They spent money installing a new sound system, which allows customers to adjust the volume in any one of the venue's three rooms.

They also matched the decoration in Baba's three areas -- bar, lounge and restaurant -- to create a more consistent feel throughout.

Lozachmeur and Castagnanova consulted many local people before opening the venue and opted for three cuisines -- Western, Japanese and Chinese. They also used some typical Chinese decorative features, including a fish tank.

"If we do not bring Chinese people to it, the place would not work," Castagnanova says.

Besides serving wine, they also want to educate customers about the drink.

Baba bar manager Capucine Leblon, says, "We will make customers realize that good wine can be enjoyable in everyday life and not only on exceptional occasions."

Baba stocks a collection of 200 wines from Italy, France, Chile, and Argentina. It will run wine classes to help customers appreciate the range, covering how the wine is made, how to taste and what the differences in grape are between regions.

"The large numbers of wines will give the chance to our guests to explore different flavors according to their dishes," says Leblon.

"We will provide many explanations on the taste and the dish association for each wine to help our guests choose the most appropriate wines for their meal."

The restaurant is a dynamic environment, with movable furniture, so that its appearance and feel can be changed time to time.

"The place will not be steady, but ready to move," Castagnanova says. "We are going to be as dynamic as possible, listen to the opinions of our customers and let them design how this place is going to be."

They use an iPad as their menu, which can be changed quickly and provide information about their food and the culture behind it.

Both business partners have known Zhongshan for a long time. Castagnanova has been in Asia since 1988 and in Zhongshan for seven years. He owns a factory in the city, producing auto shock absorbers and industrial shock absorbing equipment.

Lozachmeur has been in Zhongshan for five years and previously worked for a company manufacturing equipment for water treatment in Tianjin.

"I have been to many different cities in China and there is not a beauty like Zhongshan," says Castagnanova.

The local government and people really care about the city, he says.

"Even if it is quiet, you can see energy and people are very happy. You can feel that everybody is trying to give something for the city.

"Despite fast development it is able to maintain it to an acceptable level, by leaving much space for parks. You can wake up in the morning and realize that you are in the middle of nature."

The restaurant's name came from Lozachmeur's two parrots, which call him baba, which means father in Chinese.

They held private parties at Baba to test operations and the menu before it opened in December.

"You have no idea how many products we have gone through to make sure everything is on the same level that we expect," he says.

Lozachmeur says they have long-term plans for the restaurant, and expect to make it a well-known brand in town.

Castagnanova hopes it will be a place to relax and for family gatherings.

"I have spent some Spring Festivals in China with my friends, when there is a big table and various food on the table. That is what keeps a family together.

"Whether Zhongshan is ready for this restaurant? We are not sure, but we would like to be the first one."

linjing@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 02/08/2013 page29)