Top mixologist leaves Strip, lands in downtown Las Vegas
Juyoung Kang, a longtime Las Vegas beverage professional who was among several recent high-profile departures from the Fontainebleau, is setting up shaker at Doberman Drawing Room, set to open in mid-April in downtown Las Vegas.
Doberman is the cool-kids club “for the sharp and curious, a den for the city’s secret savants,” as a branding flourish puts it, with a membership application that asks questions like what songs are playing when you wake up in hell or heaven.
Kang said her mixological approach at Doberman would combine old and new, offering contemporary versions of classic cocktails while also harnessing global influences. “I want guests to experience a passport to different cultures through each sip.”
Soup in a glass
Consider the Big in Japan, a clarified milk punch convening gin, green plum, watermelon and tangy Japanese yogurt. The name nods to the term for odd niche popularity (or to the 1980s punk band). The Continental, a spin on a New York sour, brings together rye whiskey, ancho chili, passion fruit, lemon and red wine foam.
Kang looks to have a hit with her Tom Kha Fizza inspired by the classic Thai soup. The cocktail balances gin, lime, spices and bird’s eye chili with cream, coconut and egg whites.
Before she was the Fontainebleau’s director of beverage development, Kang had stints at the old Dorsey in The Venetian as lead bartender, at Blvd. Cocktail Company in The Linq (where she was known for her elevated housemade take on Fireball), the old Comme Ça at The Cosmopolitan and the Peninsula Beverly Hills.
How to apply
The moody Doberman at 1025 S. First St., Suite 100, encompasses 3,400 square feet, with heavy woods, booths and other seating, and an atrium garden. The membership application and details can be found at dobermandtlv.com.
Doberman comes courtesy of Corner Bar Management, whose portfolio also includes Laundry Room, Commonwealth, Lucky Day and Cheapshot.
Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @JLWTaste on Instagram.
This story has been updated from its original version.
