Cloud Dining Lounge   

1 Dupont Cir
Washington, DC 20036
202-872-1122

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The ground floor of a nondescript office building may be the last place you'd expect to find a chic lounge, but upon entering Dupont Circle's Cloud, you quickly forget the dreary exterior. Sheer white curtains divide the meandering space where white couches are dotted with pillows and mod black and white chairs cluster around glowing tables. World beats from the owner's music collection are the soundtrack. Formerly Savino's Cafe, Cloud capitalizes on the bed trend made popular in Miami and New York. If traditional seating just isn't cutting it, recline (carefully if you're holding a martini) onto one of the lounge's white faux leather beds. A VIP lounge, dubbed Cloud 9, takes the hip quotient up a notch with a canopy bunk bed and a private tapas stand. The menu of hot and cold tapas trots around the globe for inspiration. Honduran tuna ceviche arrives in a coconut shell, and smoked salmon potato cakes are accompanied by green olive vinaigrette. Roasted peppers are stuffed with goat cheese, raisins and pine nuts. Creative cocktails round out the offerings. The eponymous Cloud 9 marries vanilla vodka, pear juice and Prosecco. Or try the Star of India made with rose petals, rum, passion fruit juice, Sambuca and orange liqueur. Sunday's brunch is a mini pajama party, with waitstaff and diners donning their bedwear. The tapas feast is washed down with bloody marys and mimosas. -- Amanda McClements