Of all the ways to describe this particular dog, ‘red’ is an understatement. Red Dog is a rainbow of color, an overwhelming kaleidoscope of patterns splashed over portraits of French ladies in various states of undress. The decor at Red Dog is Thai Full Moon Party meets Parisian gentlemen’s lounge. It’s like if Jackson Pollock had a thing for tasteful nudes. It’s your middle school art teacher meets drugged-out bohemian hippie.
It is utterly bizarre that we find this psychedelic funhouse in the monochrome recesses of Sanlitun SOHO. And yet, that’s the beauty of the place. Red Dog is as unexpected as the quality of its cocktails – solid, potent drinks developed by a bar manager with experience at Beijing’s shrine-to-mixology, Botany.
Previous bars in Sanlitun SOHO have spelled disaster – anyone else remember that sad baijiu bar En Vain, or are we the only ones going to all these dismal places? Don’t answer that.
Cocktails at Red Dog fare much better. We enjoy the sake-based Pacific Conference (RMB75) – light and fruity yet still packing a punch. The Cucumber Cooler (RMB75) is a slightly sweeter Tom Collins mix. As for another mix – does Spotify have a curated playlist called ‘twee’? Because that’s the only way we can describe the music selection.
We’re not fans of drinking in Sanlitun SOHO, but then again, this bar makes us forget where we are. And what century we’re in. And which universe we belong to.
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