If you’ve been to one of 14th Streets’ yummiest newcomers — cocktail and dessert bar Red Light — you're probably already aware that brothers Ari and Micah Wilder know how to put together a creative and delicious cocktail menu. After partnering up with pastry chef Robert Underwood and restaurateur Aaron Gordon for Red Light, the brothers Wilder have launched their own concept, Chaplin, and brought their penchant for craft cocktails (as well as boozing up parts of the edible menu) to the corner of 9th and P St, NW.

An homage to iconic film star Charlie Chaplin, the Asian-themed menu kicks the boozing right off the bat with their signature Drunken Master Dumpling Shooters. Of course, non-alcoholic appetizers are available, but why bother when you can sample the Whiskey-a-Go-Go, a hot pork dumpling served in a shot glass with Japanese whiskey and a lemon emulsion? Or try the rich savory Blood and Sand, which features Japanese Scotch, cherry brandy, orange peel and a piping hot beef dumpling. If the shooters are too conceptual, go with the Smoke Stacks, a complex starter with ground chicken, green curry, coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger and cilantro Pechuga-Mezcal.

Chaplin has a decent wine and beer selection, but the cocktails are the true stars in this cinema-themed restaurant. All cocktails are named after the real Chaplin’s most famous films and the menu is divided between mixed drinks on tap (Drafty Spirits) and the slightly more expensive made-to-order cocktails.

The cocktails tend to run sweet and strong, with highlights including the smoky Tramp (Bourbon, Benedictine, Peychaud’s bitters, burned orange peel oil), and the Sunny Side, which was like a pina colada but with a deeper and richer flavor (silver rum, Kalani coconut rum, Senior orange curacao, pressed pineapple, lime juice, dark rum float). The table favorite for both deliciousness and inventiveness was the Lime Light, a gin and brandy concoction studded with chunks of watermelon and pickled pineapple.

And in case you wanted to make sure to keep your buzz going through the end of the meal, be sure to order the adult root beer float, made with dark rum, root beer, Velvet Falernum ice cream, and a brandied cherry drizzle. This writer may have polished hers off (and her neighbor’s) in a matter of minutes.

Chaplin, 1501 9th Street, NW; 202-644-8806, www.chaplinrestaurantdc.com