This is what you get if all your favorite Bay Area bar and restaurant creatives had a party.
Viridian is what happens when top-tier restaurants and bar owners take a Wong Kar-wai classic and marry it with experimental cocktails and your favorite childhood treats. Raymond Gee of Hakkasan, William Tsui of Lazy Bear, Jeremy Chiu of Shinmai, and Alison Kwan of Moongate Lounge & Mr. Jui’s, have created their first solo project. The result? A neon nirvana serving up the sweeter side of life: cocktails, desserts and essential savory snacks. The new kid on the block opened its doors in early February and it’s become an instant hotspot.
The setting
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From the design team that gave you Moongate Lounge, comes a glowing electric pink and blue space with carefully curated ornaments and emblematic detailing. Soon and Soon Studio is giving Oakland a taste of a 1960s Hong tea room with dim-lighting and an abstract lighting installation by Laura Stevenson. She describes the work as what you would get if you took Hong Kong’s romantic neon-drenched streets and invited the “electric threads” into the room.
The food
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Elevated Asian-American combinations. Viridian’s Executive chef Amanda Hoang, reimagines food stand staples, from the Pork Steamed Buns to Burnt Vanilla Churros with Tequila & Lilikoi dipping sauce. All the respectable Bay food bloggers rave about the Thai Tea Tiramisu, so try and save some room.
The cocktails
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Ron Zacapa 23 Rum, Blood Orange, Walnut, Amaro, Oakland Honey. Sip on that. There’s no need for descriptions when the list of cocktail ingredients already gets your mouth watering. All drinks are served with quirky conversation starters, as seen alongside the Hot Thottie pictured above.
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