I finally got a chance to revisit this gem hidden in the lobby level of the AKA Hotel, and after a lovely evening, I regretted not having returned sooner. For starters, it's pretty quiet in the late afternoons, which is nice if you're just popping in for a quick drink after a long day. They light a fire at 5pm daily, so if you want to relax and stare contemplatively into the flames, just grab a high-backed chair and a highball glass, and slip into a daze. On Thursdays, there's a free wine hour from 5.30-6.30, which brings in a larger crowd that generally stays substantially later.
What sets this bar apart is the quality and variety of their cocktails. Be warned, they come on strong, so if you're going to try to make it through the whole list (which I did), you should bring a friend or two to share them (which I didn't).
Highlights include, in my preferential order:
Penicillin+
This is A Lounge's take on an old classic, and the first drink I ordered. It's listed as being Yamazaki 12-year, Ginger, Honey, Lemon, and Ardbeg, this cocktail instead included Habiki as the base, with a Laphroaig float (welcome substitutions, for the record). The honey mellowed out the smokiness of the Laphroaig beautifully, and, overall, this was a well-balanced cocktail with several layers of complexity and flavor.
Next up was a Blood & Sand, the concoction from the eponymous 1922 bullfighter film, according to the lovely Melani, who was so artfully mixing drinks behind the bar. This one's also scotch-based, with a dash of Aperol and a healthy splash of Dolin vermouth - quite tasty.
I also tried the Honeycomb, which combines tequila, honey, Pernod, and lemon for a refreshing take on a margarita, less the salted rim.
Lastly, there was the Yoshinori Red 100, an exclusive in-house offering celebrating the 100-year anniversary of the Cherry Blossom Festival. I had stopped writing down ingredients by this point, so you'll just have to go and try one for yourself.
Sit for a while, sip for a while, and be glad you stopped in. read more