Yes, indeed, I usually am hoping Guinness - but most of the time I am disappointed. The black velvet isn't widely available in these parts; and, when it is, it's almost always dauntingly expensive.
[Can you guess where I was yet?? Yes, MALAYSIA - the "home of Guinness" in Southeast Asia. It's about the only country in this region advanced enough to be accorded some trust on matters like quality control and respect for IP, so for a long time now Guinness - and a number of other European brewers (surprisingly enough, Skol - an unremarkable and even derided brand back home in the UK, but a completely different animal down there: clean-tasting and unexpectedly strong in alcohol - is the most appealing of the several familiar names available there) - has established one of its largest overseas production facilities there, supplying most of Asia Pacific. Unfortunately, only the bottled stuff was on offer, not draught; and, despite proximity to the factory, it was no cheaper - in fact, a smidge more expensive - than it is here in Beijing, so I only indulged the once.
Mr Ho Ping's café is in Penang.]
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