Step Inside Red Envelope, the Extravagant Lunar New Year Party Taking Over Viridian All Month Long | Eater SF

"I’ve watched Viridian’s trippy green-and-purple glow in Uptown Oakland, and this February it transforms into the month-long Red Envelope Lunar New Year pop-up (Feb. 2–27), turning the bar’s moody space into an over-the-top celebration with a 60-foot silk dragon, 372 color-changing paper lanterns, regal paper mâché lion heads, and an animated mural projected across five tables. Co-founder Alison Kwan says the event was planned since the venue’s inception to honor Hong Kong cinema–inspired design and the founders’ Asian American roots; the team filled the space with Chinatown-bought or China-imported “kitschy” decorations and a playlist of contemporary and classic Asian artists. Executive chef George Meza and pastry chef Vince Bugtong rolled out about 20 dishes that marry nostalgic Lunar New Year favorites with local produce — highlights include duck liver mousse doughnuts with huckleberry and coconut gels; a plate-sized Dungeness crab wonton tostada topped with avocado, Meyer lemon aioli, and pickled Fresno chili; duck confit spring rolls with peanut butter mousse; crispy ginger chicken zhaliang with smoked salmon roe; and lamb-stuffed bao with pickled carrots and daikon. On the sweet side Bugtong offers an architectural baked Alaska with pandan ice cream and mango sorbet, a chocolate cake with black sesame chantilly and miso cremeux, and mignardises like guava pâte de fruit, Thai tea caramel, cream puffs with vanilla chantilly and mango gel, and a burnt pistachio truffle. Guest chefs (Byron Hughes of Last Supper Society on Feb. 8, Emily Lim of Da Bao Singapore on Feb. 19, and Tina Nguyen of the Baking Endeavor on Feb. 27) will do pop-ups, and bar director William created holiday-inspired cocktails exclusive to the takeover — including the Cry Ming A River (Ming River baijiu, Kaoliang, Campari, peach, five-spice pineapple, whipped cream), Daughter In Red (gin, Shaoxing wine, cucumber, sesame, fish sauce), Yeet Hay All Day (mezcal, prickly pear, pickled Fresno jalapeño), and the Cafe Sữa Daddy coffee cocktail (Sazerac rye, chicory, Mr. Black, Academic Coffee Co. espresso, condensed milk). Caha Design Group and video artist Rachel Hwang helped execute the install (completed in the two days before launch) and Kwan says the event is meant to celebrate and embrace AAPI heritage — offering a proud, gaudy, and communal Lunar New Year party with no reservations (two-hour visit limit), open Wed–Sun from 5 p.m." - Lauren Saria