New Openings: Chocolate

Only in Beijing would you find a Russian bar dedicated to Napoleon. Clad in imperial robes, the invader of Moscow gazes from the wall as you glide down the escalator to Chocolate, a nightclub/restaurant near Yabao Lu. The bar could have been designed by the great man – a fabulous mélange of styles from the lands that he conquered, achieved with an exuberant Beijing twist (see the gold-tiled squat toilets). A lounge band plays “Strangers in the Night” while Russian Tinkerbells gyrate on a dais. Cocktails have a special allure in such an environment, and at RMB 38-48, they’re downright compelling. For eye appeal, you can’t beat the “Armageddon,” a concoction of absinthe and grenadine prepared at your table in a floorshow that climaxes with a flaming column of alcohol streaming into your glass. Then there’s the bit with the napkin: What that involves, you’ll have to discover for yourself.

Chocolate Night Club & Restaurant
Daily 7pm-7am, 19 Ritan Beilu, Chaoyang District (8561 3988)

朝阳区日坛北路19号

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