here is nothing subtle about the new Banana, which opened in mid-December, several months after the closure of its original location on Chaoyangmenwai. From the large gold and glass doors that greet patrons upon arrival, up the grand staircase and through the baroque hallways and into the main room where the flashiest of 1980s modern meets the loudest of Renaissance Italian design. The 3,500 square metre space housees over 200 employees—from beefy security dudes to bouncy go-go girls—and a slew of lights, smoke effects and flatscreen televisions. Separated into three sections, Banana is the main room where pop and techno dance music will raise the roof nightly. ‘Spicy’ is the name for the back room where funk, house and acid jazz will provide a low-key musical montage. The third floor lounge—featuring round couches a-la 1970s American diner—will be a laid-back Café del Mar kind of experience. Each KTV room, with either modern or 19th century salon interiors—features a hi-tech song selecting computer, large-screen TV, couches and all the usual fixings that make high-rollers sing for joy. Cover charge runs RMB 20 (RMB 30 for entry to all three sections) during the week and RMB 40 (RMB 50 for all three sections) on the weekend. Jan 03 type="text/javascript"> //