[Tokyo 東京] Bar High Five

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Bar High Five

Add: B1F Efflore Ginza 5 Bldg.,5-4-15 Ginza, Chuo Ku / 中央区銀座5-4-15 エフローレギンザ5ビル B1F
Tel: +81-3-3571-5815
Hours: 5pm-1am
Website: www.barhighfive.com
Price: cocktails ~2200 yen
Visited: Oct 2016

Bar High Five is no newcomer to Asia’s 50 Best Bars, and this year it’s ranked #3. (On a related note, Shanghai’s Speak Low is ranked #2). The location is in the basement of a building in Ginza, with about 10 seats at the bar and a couple of small tables on the side. No reservations. We arrived a little before 9pm on a Thursday, and luckily got the last 3 seats at the bar.

銀座的 Bar High Five 是“亞洲50最佳酒吧” 的常駐軍,今年也毫不意外的出現在榜單上,名列第三(順帶一提,上海的 Speak Low 是今年的第二名)。地點在銀座某建築的地下一層,只有吧台10個位子加上後面幾張小桌,不接受訂位。我和朋友八點多抵達,幸運的拿到了吧台最後三個空位。

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Bar High Five’s founder Hidetsugu Ueno began his career in 1992, and is kind of a big deal in the cocktail world both in Japan and abroad. He previously worked at another Japanese cocktail institution – Star Bar – before starting out on his own, moving location once before settling in Ginza. There’s no menu here, his drinks changing according to the mood of his customers – whatever makes them happy.

Bar High Five 的創辦人上野秀嗣在 2004 年獲得了世界 Martini 大賽冠軍,現在也是日本調酒師協會國際部總監。他的酒吧裡沒有酒單,調酒隨著顧客的心情而變:“我調不同的酒,希望客人可以有一段美好時光,這是我的工作。如果他們快樂,我也快樂。”

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Unfortunately Mr. Ueno was not there when I visited, perhaps the busy man was doing a pop-up or workshop somewhere around the world. Taking care of us that night was Kaori Kurakami, the Japanese representative for World Class 2014. After a few questions – Which base liqueur do you prefer? Do you like refreshing? Citrusy? Creamy? Strong in alcohol flavor? Etc., she got started on the mixing.

很可惜我到訪的當晚上野先生不在,可能在世界的某地做 pop-up 或講座吧?留著當家的是 2014 年 World Class 日本代表倉上香裏,在遞上了熱毛巾之後,她問了我們幾個問題 - 喜歡什麽基酒?喜歡偏好帶柑橘清新口味的、creamy的,還是酒味比較強及直接的?Etc. 然後就開始了。

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[Tokyo 東京] Shinbashi Shimizu 新橋清水

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新橋 清水 Shinbashi Shimizu

Add: 2-15-10 Shinbashi, Minato Ku / 港区新橋 2-15-10
Tel: +81-3-3591-5763
Hours: 12pm~, 5:30~9:30 (L.O.)
Price: [lunch] 8,800+ yen [dinner] 15,000+ yen
Visited: Oct 2016

Among the myriad of high-end sushi restaurants in Tokyo, what foreigners are most familiar with are probably Sushi Jiro and Sushi Saito. Sushi Shimizu, on the other hand, is also highly ranked by the local Japanese (#34 on Tabelog’s top 50 sushi restaurants in Tokyo, just 6 spots after Sushi Jiro), but one can hardly find any non-Japanese information or reviews online. Why?

在東京衆多高級壽司店裡,一般外國人比較熟悉的不外乎是壽司之神すきやばし次郎(Sukiyabashi Jiro)和鮨さいとう(Sushi Saito)。而我這次去的新橋清水,雖然在當地人的圈子內是一座難求的名店,不過在網上卻很難找到非日語的信息和評論。爲什麽?

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Let’s take a look first. The tiny sushi bar is located in a small alley not far from Ginza. It’s a space that fits only 8 customers, and inside the sushi bar is chef owner Kunihiro Shimizu. There are no fancy decors, just a simple bar, and behind it hung wooden boards listing today’s freshest ingredients.

先進來瞧瞧。小店藏身在離銀座不遠的狹小巷子裡,招牌也(不令人意外的)毫不顯眼。入門後是個能容納八個人的壽司吧台,站在裡面的就是主廚清水邦浩先生。沒有華麗的設計,只有簡潔的吧台,以及後方用來示意當日新鮮食材的板子。

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Shimizu-san entered the trade when he was 18, and after 11 years of working at Shimbashi Tsuruhachi, he started out on his own in 1999. In fact, he was awarded one Michelin star in 2012, but as someone who doesn’t want his restaurant to be on any food guides, he complained to Michelin and had his star taken away the next year. Instead of running a sushi bar that’s world-famous and becomes impossible to book, he’d rather have it stay as a casual place where his regulars can come as they wish.

清水先生十八歲入行,于名店 “新橋鶴八” 工作11年後,1999年自立門戶。清水其實曾經在2012年被米其林評爲一星餐廳,不過他並不希望出現于任何餐廳指南上,所以氣憤的向米其林投訴,隔年隨即被撤銷了星星。長年來低調經營的清水先生,希望自己的餐廳不要成爲高高在上,需要好幾個月前就要訂位的拘謹名店,而是他的熟客可以隨意進來享用美味壽司的輕松地方。

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[Tokyo 東京] Cobi Coffee 古美珈琲

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Cobi Coffee

Add: 5-10-5 Minato, Minami Aoyama, Tokyo / 東京都港区南青山 5-10-5 第一九曜ビル 1F
Tel: +81-3-6427-3976
Hours: [Mon-Fri] 8am-8pm [Sat-Sun] 9am-8pm
Website: bloom-branch.jp/shop/aoyama
Price: coffee 450~750 yen
Visited: Oct 2016

Before we talk about Cobi Coffee, let’s take a look at Bloom & Branch, the select shop that houses the cafe. Bloom & Branch is a boutique with a curated selection of clothing and housewares, highlighting craftsmanship whether it’s a pair of jeans or a coffee cup. Curiously, it’s also got a shoe shine bar called  “The Bar by Brift H” installed right at the center of the boutique – very stylish.

南青山有一家非常漂亮的 select shop,名為 Bloom & Branch。這裡除了有服飾、雜貨、咖啡之外,非常有意思的一點是裡面的 “The Bar by Brift H” shoe shine bar(擦鞋吧)。想要保養皮鞋的,不論是擦拭,清理劃痕還是補色,都可以在這裡得到服務,這個一般的合集店可是沒有的。

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In the right corner of Bloom & Branch is Cobi Coffee, a sleek little cafe done in seasoned wood, aged brass, and copper. The seating arrangement is modeled after a Japanese tea room, where the host sits at the center and prepares tea in front of the guests. Cobi (古美) translates roughly to “beauty in age”, and this is reflected in many parts of the coffee shop, such as the beautiful copper pot and the ceramic cups in which coffee is served.

而位於 Bloom & Branch 入門口角落的 Cobi CoffeeCobi 也很有自己的風格。(こび)意思是 “古美”,很有味道的一個名字,店裏的裝修和杯具也都是如其名的沈穩古典風格。

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The coffee is from Obscura Coffee Roasters, and though they offer espresso drinks, the pour-over coffee prepared through a cloth filter is what they most excel at.

而 Cobi Coffee,則是由位于三軒茶屋的咖啡名店 Obscura Coffee Roasters 打造。這裡有義式咖啡也有手沖咖啡,不過手沖咖啡似乎比較出色。

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[Tokyo 東京] Yakumo Saryo 八雲茶寮

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Yakumo Saryo 八雲茶寮

Add: 3-4-7 Yakumo, Meguro Ku, Tokyo / 東京都目黒区八雲 3-4-7
Tel: +81-3-5731-1620
Hours: 9am-9pm
Website: yakumosaryo.jp
Price: tea 1,090~2,300 yen
Visited: Oct 2016

It took us a little while to find Yakumo Saryo. This restaurant, hidden inside a quiet residential neighborhood in Meguro, was about a 15-minute walk from the closest station Toritsu Daigaku. After some exploration and retracing of steps (even with Google Map), we arrived at the restaurant, which looked more like a private mansion with a large yard, all ensconced in shades of green. The calming ambience is immediately soothing, and all of our worldly worries seem to be left at the door.

這次在東京探訪的第一家茶館隱身於目黑區安靜的住宅區內,門口看上去像是個有大庭院的私宅,低調的寫著 “八雲茶寮”。要不是事先打聽好,路過就算注意到,也不敢貿然入內吧?穿過庭院來到入口處,靜谧的氣氛讓人心自然沈澱,所有令人煩惱的思緒,都遺留在布簾之外。

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The founder of Yakumo Saryo is designer Shinichiro Ogata, whose design studio Simplicity has put together well-known interior design works throughout Japan, such as Aesop Shinsaibashi and Andaz Tokyo. His style inherits, preserves, and adapts traditional Japanese culture to contemporary designs, often merging the old and new to reveal a refreshing outlook on the traditions.

八雲茶寮的負責人緒方慎一郎本身是位室內設計師,他的設計事務所 Simplicity 出品了非常多知名的店鋪,比如京都和東京的 Aesop 門店(很美,沒看過的速速去網上搜圖),以及之後要介紹的 Higashiya 和櫻井焙茶研究所。他的風格是簡約設計的美學概念裏融合日本文化的細節,讓人能感受到傳統的新觀感。

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At Yakumo Saryo, breakfast and lunch are by reservations, dinner is by invitation (from an existing member), while afternoon tea is open to walk-ins. The number of guests accepted is limited as they wish guests to enjoy the time with as few disturbances as possible; on the afternoon of our visit, there were only 2 or 3 other guests in the tea room.

八雲茶寮有早茶、午飯、下午茶、以及晚飯,午晚飯是必須事先預訂的,招待方式大多是由熟客介紹。這次我們前來用下午茶,被服務人員領到了茶室裏;由于希望客人不受太多打擾,茶室接受的人數不多,除了我和朋友外也就兩三個客人。

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[Tokyo 東京] Cafe Kitsuné

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Cafe Kitsuné

Add: 3-17-1 Minami-Aoyama, Minato Ku, Tokyo / 東京都港区南青山3-17-1
Tel: +81-3-5786-4842
Hours: 9am-8pm
Website: www.kitsune.fr
Price: coffee ~500 yen
Visited: Oct 2016

French music + fashion label Maison Kitsuné’s cafe in Paris used to be one of my go-to places with friends when I lived there – the outdoor seating under the green shades of Palais Royal is simply perfect on a nice day. But even before Paris, the first Cafe Kitsuné was actually opened in Tokyo back in 2013, located in the stylish Minami-Aoyama area. We explore.

Maison Kitsuné 是個日法混血的音樂+服飾品牌,這幾年來也開起了咖啡店。我住巴黎時就很常去 Palais Royal 裡的 Cafe Kitsuné,簡單有型的小店面加上舒服的露天座位,是我和朋友們聊天的不二選擇。不過早在巴黎之前,Cafe Kitsuné 的第一家店其實開在東京,地點就在潮店雲集的南青山一帶。門面相當低調,一不注意就會錯過,得多多留意。

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The entrance is not especially noticeable to the passerbys, though most people come looking for it specifically, so it’s difficult to miss. The Tokyo cafe was transformed from a Japanese house, and much of the traditional elements have been kept intact or reinforced, such as by installing tatami and fusumi sliding doors custom-made from a 70-year-old studio in Shimbashi.

和巴黎的裝修風格不同,東京店將一個和式空間稍做改造,保留了濃濃的日本味。從門口開始就以竹子爲主材料,室內用了定制的榻榻米和日式拉門(聽說是在新橋一家70多歲的老工作室特別定做的)。

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The baristas are all clad in Kitsuné fashion, and the music is likewise Kitsuné. The vibe is cool, and business is good – the space has always been filled during the few times I passed by, weekends or not.

咖啡師們穿著 Kitsuné 的衣服,店裡的音樂也是 Kitsuné 發行的專輯,風格從頭到尾貫徹的很徹底。咖啡店生意非常的好,我幾次經過時店內都幾乎坐滿了,不論平日還是周末。

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[Tokyo 東京] Onibus Coffee

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Onibus Coffee

Add: 2-14-1 Kamimeguro, Meguro, Tokyo / 東京都 目黒区 上目黒 2-14-1
Tel: +81-3-6412-8683
Hours: 9am-6pm
Website: www.onibuscoffee.com
Price: coffee around 500 yen
Visited: Oct 2016

This time in Tokyo, I visited Nakameguro for the first time. This neighborhood might seem a bit too quiet for those looking for the typical hustle and bustle of Tokyo, but if you, like I, enjoy wandering along small alleyways to discover the everyday life of the locals, you might really like this residential area.

這次來東京,第一次去了中目黑。喜歡熱鬧氣氛,想要盡情購物的人也許會覺得中目黑有些平淡,但如果你和我一樣是喜歡在安靜小巷中逛逛,感受東京當地生活氣氛的話,應該會很喜歡這邊。

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And my reason for visiting Nakameguro was Onibus, a coffee shop and roaster sandwiched between a small park and train tracks. Its founder Sakao Atsushi, an architect-turned-barista, has been attracting coffee lovers from all over the world since he opened his first shop in Okusawa a few years ago, and he named the shop “Onibus” (which means public bus in Portuguese) for exactly this reason – to connect people via coffee.

會來到中目黑,是爲了 Onibus 這家咖啡店。老板坂尾篤史不僅在東京咖啡界是個名人,也紅到了國外 - 我到訪的當天就有從世界各地來喝咖啡的人,包括幾個從加州來的咖啡師。店名 Onibus 在葡萄牙語中是公車的意思,代表著坂尾先生想通過咖啡將人和人聯系起來的概念。

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The shop offers espresso-based coffee brewed on a La Marzocco Linea PB, as well as drip coffee done with Hario V60s. For drip coffee, four choices of coffee beans are available: Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, and Guatemala. I went with the first.

店裡提供義式咖啡和手沖,義式用 La Marzocco Linea PB 做,手沖則是用Hario V60s。我點了手沖,在下面四種豆子中選了 Ethiopia。

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[Beijing] Duck de Chine 全鴨季

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1949 Duck de Chine 全鴨季

Add: Courtyard 4, Gongti Beilu, Beijng / 北京市工體北路4號院
Tel: 6501 8881
Hours: 11:30am-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm
Price: [lunch] 150+ RMB/person [dinner] 400 RMB+/person
Visited: Sep 2016

It goes without saying that when in Beijing, one must have a proper Peking duck meal…but how does one choose among the plethora of restaurants offering this classic delicacy? I also hesitated – should I go to Quan Ju De, an institution for Peking ducks in Beijing, or Da Dong, best known for its modern and fusion twists? In the end, I chose Duck de Chine, which doesn’t only serve some of the best ducks in town, but is also more stylish in terms of decor, making it a popular spot among locals and expats alike.

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First, a selection of condiments for the roast duck (10 RMB/person).

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Here it is, 全鴨季烤鴨 Duck de Chine (268 RMB), carved table-side.

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[Beijing] Country Kitchen 鄉味小廚

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Country Kitchen

Add: 3/F, Rosewood Beijing, Jingguang Centre, Hujialou / 呼家樓京廣中心北京瑰麗酒店1層
Tel: 6597 8888
Hours: 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30-10:30pm
Website: www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/beijing/dining
Price: 300-350 RMB/person
Visited: Sep 2016

Hotel restaurants can often be boring, but that’s not the case for Country Kitchen at the Rosewood Hotel in Beijing. Equipped with an open show kitchen and a wood-roasting oven, this rustically stylish restaurant features a wide array of Northern Chinese specialties – a modern tribute to traditional Chinese dining in a sophisticated yet casual setting.

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In terms of interior, the materials of choice are granite, wood, soft red tones, terracotta and oil paintings – specifically chosen to reconstruct the charm and simplicity of a village restaurant.

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[Beijing 北京] Mizu 花治植物美學研究室

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Mizu 花治植物美學實驗室

Add: No. 25 Jianchang Hutong, Guozijian, Beijing
Tel: 18910498961
Hours: 11am-7:30pm
Visited: Sep 2016

In the same alley as the beautiful Yuan Gu is Mizu Lab, a cute little plant shop in a world of its own. The Chinese name is “花治”, which literally means “flower therapy”, as an appreciation for the healing effect of flowers, or plants in general. The space is small and stylish, and somehow reminds me of a corner of Le Comptoir Général back in Paris.

花治的店主們原本是從事藝術設計領域的,後來因爲喜歡植物,開了這家植物美學實驗室;店名取爲 “花治”,是因爲植物對人有奇妙的治愈功效。精心擺設的花藝空間很有風格,讓我想到我在巴黎的愛店 Le Comptoir Général 某個堆滿了仙人掌的角落。

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Other than plants, they also offer some plant-based products collected from all over the world.

還有從各地收集而來的純植物生活用品。

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[Beijing 北京] Fnji Furniture 梵几客廳

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Fnji Furniture 梵几客廳

Add: No. 41 Guozijian Street, Beijing
Tel: 010-5367 2899
Hours: 11am-5:30pm (closed on Mon)
Website: www.fnji.com
Price: drinks 40 RMB+, desserts 35 RMB+
Visited: Sep 2016

Bejing-based Fnji (pronoused “Fanji”) is a furniture brand founded by Chinese industrial designer Gu Qigao in 2000. His pieces, all handmade from wood, make use of the Chinese mortise and tenon joint structure, with designs that bridge between modern and traditional aesthetics. His aspiration? To make furnitures that “age alongside its owners, gaining more character over time as it is passed from one generation to the next”. I visited his showroom in Guozijian and fell head over heels for this beautiful space – it also doesn’t hurt that they have an stylish cafe and a serene courtyard nestled in the back…

梵幾是中國設計師古奇高創立的獨立家具品牌。他們在北京國子監的 “客廳” 融合了中國傳統院落與現代風格,空間分成了雜貨、家具和咖啡三個區域,每一區都是大寫的美。

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The boutique showcases designs from both China and Japan, as well as works from Gu himself. The style is simple, stylish, decidedly Asian but with a modern western vibe. No photos are allowed in the showroom so you can either visit yourself and check out their designs online. For now, let’s move over to the cafe. It was very busy when I visited on a Sunday afternoon, and I was fortunate to find the last empty seats in the courtyard.

展廳裡擺放了品牌兩種風格的家具 - 極簡主義,以及線條更爲豐富的新中式風格 - 還有自創的 “生野安室” 雜貨品牌。不過展廳內不能拍照,那就來看看咖啡區吧。我在周日下午人最多的時候造訪,室內座位已全部客滿,還好很幸運的坐到了庭院裡唯一還空著的位子。

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