Once known as Gramaphone and considered an institution among Moscow dance lovers, Buddha Bar has, since opening earlier this year, been greeted with mixed emotions. First, visitors complained that "Face Control" was so strict that only the elite could get in, something akin to Garage. Those who did manage to squeeze through complained that it was not the super dance haven they'd expected. Now, however, this interesting new-look club is beginning to find a niche for itself.

Operating Wednesdays through Sundays and now with a new open-door policy, Buddha Bar is developing an interesting personality — with a manager from New York and a variety of styles of music on offer. The crowd is a genuine mix on Wednesdays for an evening appropriately called "The Meeting Point," which begins at 7 p.m. Plenty of professionals, expats and Russians mingle casually at the bars and on the dance-floor in a relaxed midweek mood. Thursday are a regular promotion party night, called "Mega-zine Party." On weekends, the pace picks up, though the crowd remains mixed. The resident French DJ plays house music on Fridays and Saturdays. Sundays feature a "Soul Party," with a truly international crowd.

Kuznetsky Most is the heart of the club world — a stone's throw from a score of other venues — and Buddha Bar maximizes its location. Fitted principally with comfy chairs, its two bars have more of a lounge feel than many restaurant-styled clubs, helping to mellow out the ambience. Customers call in at all hours for a quick drink or for long late sessions.

The place is not hard to find, although there's no sign up. Just down from Hola Mexico, look for an iron gate on quiet Pushechnaya Ulitsa. Once past the gate, enter an alleyway, subtly lit with mixed colors and set out with chairs, a transition zone that prepares you for the chilled-out life inside. The bars and a lounge restaurant offer extremely inexpensive Tibetan cuisine (around 100 rubles a dish) and a sizable dance-floor where a large golden Buddha monitors the action.

It's taken this club a while to establish itself and, as with a lot of other venues, the slow summer months continue to keep crowds down. The club layout, like the program, is well-suited for a regular crowd, and the policy is now open enough to allow most to get in and enjoy its attributes. Come ready to relax —but don't come in sports shoes.

3 Pushechnaya Ul. Metro: Kuznetsky Most Tel: 924-5633
Hours: Wed. 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Thurs. 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Fri./Sat. 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sun. midnight to 6 a.m.
Cover: none (Sunday 100 rubles men)