THE WASHINGTON POST • FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2010
8
NightLife
BUDDHA BAR
455 Massachusetts Ave. NW 202-377-5555
www.buddhabardc.com
To see more photographs from
Buddha Bar, go to
goingoutguide.com.
PHOTOS BY EVY MAGES FOR THE WASHINGTON POST
Jessica Torrente at Buddha Bar, where sumptuous reds and golds give the newbar on the outskirts of Chinatown a luxurious atmosphere.
Buddha Bar’s worldly vibe
by Fritz Hahn
The buzz: Buddha Bar, which first opened in
Paris in 1996, has a solid international reputation, with branches in such cities as Dubai, Kiev and Monte Carlo. The lounge is also known for its soundtrack mixes, which combine house, world music and chilled-out grooves, and are sold around the world. A main factor in its appeal: Though Buddha Bar has all the trappings of a nightclub, from DJs to bottle service, it is primarily a restaurant, serv- ing food until 1 a.m. on weekends, so it draws an older, not-quite-clubbing crowd. Perhaps that’s why there was such a buzz a few years ago when a group of investors announced
they were bringing Buddha Bar to Washington. Despite, or maybe because of, those expectations, the place has been given a mixed reception since its opening in early May on the edge of Chi- natown. It has been both welcomed with open arms and subject to a bit of a backlash. The international reputation probably explains
the Tower of Babel vibe I’ve gotten on occasion, catching snippets of Hebrew, French, Spanish and Italian floating through the lounge. And more than once, I’ve found that the people hang- ing out were here for a convention and came over because they’d been to the Paris original. On the other hand, a friend jokes that the place
Angela Milas, Stephanie Lawrence and Brian Ochieng order food under the watchful gaze of a Buddha statue.
is like “Hot Tub Time Machine” — make that “Night Club Time Machine” — because its aes- thetic feels dated. Where we’ve seen an increase in mixologists crafting old-school cock- tails, Buddha Bar has a menu heavy on drinks based on flavored vodkas and a full section of Saketinis. While popular loung- es have shifted to a minimalist, modern look (think Current, Josephine or the Shadow Room), Buddha Bar’s decor is a sumptuous mix of deep reds and bur- nished golds, from the walls to the low couches in the lounge. Floor-to-ceiling curtains line the front walls. A 20-foot Buddha statue, brought from Indonesia, gazes serenely over the dining room. The lighting is soft and flat- tering. Despite the two-story ceilings, Buddha Bar never feels cavernous. (The only odd note: the glowing white cube of a DJ booth set high on one wall, which
feels distinctly out of place with the rest of the room.) Music, too, sticks to Buddha Bar’s worldly oeu- vre: downtempo electronica, Bollywood remixes. The sound system is world-class, with dozens of speakers. A DJ from the Parisian Buddha bar is in charge until later this month, when locals will take over. The warm vibe was an instant hit with Stepha- nie Carpenter and her husband, Khaalis, who were enjoying drinks in the lounge with friend Shelly Dames. “It’s sensual,” said Stephanie Carpenter, 37. “It has a really sexy feel.” She had almost as much praise for her house BB Gin and Tonic, which adds mint, vanilla sugar and grapefruit to the fa- miliar mixed drink. “I think it’s beautiful,” said Dames, 37. “The am- biance is luxurious. I want to have a party here.”
The scene: Happy hour draws suited work groups, couples grabbing snacks at the bar, and plenty of girls-night-out get-togethers around ta- bles in the lounge. One night, a group of men on their way out told me “the ratio [of women to men] in there is probably 3-to-1.” They weren’t far off.
On weekends, the music gets a little louder, as does the buzz from the crowd, and there are more people standing around the bar. (Despite the fo- cus on the DJs, Buddha Bar doesn’t have a dance floor.)
And if you’re not inside by 11 p.m., you’ll find
buddha bar continued on 16
“The
ambiance is luxurious. I want to have a party here.”
Patron Shelly Dames
IF YOU GO
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