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Gen Yamamoto
Add: Anniversary Building 1F 1-6-4 Azabu-Juban, Minato, Tokyo
Tel: 03-6434-0652
Website: genyamamoto.jp/bar_tokyo
Hours: 3-11pm (closed on Mon)
Price: 4700 yen/4 cocktails, 6700 yen/6 cocktails
Visited: Sep 2018
First of all, do know that Gen Yamamoto isn’t your typical bar. Take its operating hours as an example – 3 to 11pm – obviously, this is not where you would come to get intoxicated on late nights. Secondly, there’s no menu here, all you can do is choose between the 4-course and 6-course cocktail tastings. Seriously, who would look for cocktail flights as early as 3pm? *…raises hand shyly*
首先，你要知道 Gen Yamamoto 不是一家尋常的酒吧。就拿營業時間來說，它居然下午3點就開門，晚上11點就打烊 – 很顯然，這不是一個讓人深夜買醉的地方。再者，這裏沒有酒單，你只能選擇4至6杯的 cocktail tasting 讓調酒師自由發揮。咦，有人會想要下午3點就開始大喝調酒？還真有，比如我本人 🙆🏻。
It is highly recommended to make a reservation before visiting Gen Yamamoto (available via phone or email) as he is usually unable to accommodate drop-ins. I arrived at 3pm sharp for my appointment, and it took me a few moments to spot the unmarked entrance…surely only visible to those specifically looking.
Gen Yamamoto 採取預約制*，基本上只招待事先訂位的客人（可通過電話或郵件）。我在下午3點准時抵達這家位於麻布十番商店街側的一條不起眼小巷中的酒吧。門面低調，若非特意找來，大概根本看都不會看它一眼吧？
*就算現場有空位，Yamamoto-san 也不一定會開放給未預約的客人入座。倒不是擺高姿態，而是他有自己調酒的節奏，不想被未預約的客人打斷，影響到其它客人的體驗。
Upon entering the draped door, an intimate space came into plain view – eight seats surrounding a L-shaped wooden bar, dim lighting, simple decors, no music. It’s as if all that’s unnecessary has been stripped, leaving only the absolute essentials. Yamamoto-san, clad in an all white suit jacket, also employs the same no-frills style in his mixology – no fancy hand gestures, no jiggers, just his own tastebuds to approve the taste of each made-to-order cocktails.
打開布簾後的門，小小的空間一覽無遺。八個位置圍繞著一整塊原木雕琢成的 L 型吧台，燈光昏黃、布置簡潔、沒有音樂，似乎一切多余的東西都被刪除，留下最必不可少的部分。身著白色西裝外套的 Yamamoto-san 連調酒也是這個風格 – 沒有花俏的手勢，不用量杯，完全憑自己的舌頭來確認調酒的風味。
This makes perfect sense, as Yamamoto-san features seasonal fruits in his cocktails, and he must adapt the composition according to each fruit. Up first: freshly mashed cape gooseberry (a.k.a gound cherries) with a “Hakurakusei” junmai daiginjo sake.
這也合理，畢竟 Yamamoto-san 的調酒都以當季水果爲主，他必須根據每顆水果的風味做調整。比如第一杯，他將新鮮燈籠果現場搗碎後與 “伯樂星” 清酒調和，作爲 cocktail tasting 酸甜清爽的開始。
2nd: fresh grapes + “Seikouudoku” shochu. The grapes were exceptionally sweet, and beautiful in color too!
第二杯：新鮮葡萄 + 鹿兒島 “晴耕雨讀” 燒酒。Yamamoto-san 選用的葡萄出奇地甜，顏色也美極了。
3rd: plum juice + “Le Gin” apple gin from Normandy.
第三杯：梅子汁 + 諾曼底 “Le Gin” 蘋果琴酒。
4th: Hokkaido tomatoes + “Bowmore” whisky + shiso flower.
第四杯：甜度高的北海道番茄 + “Bowmore” 威士忌 + 紫蘇花。
5th: plum + figs + “Yamazaki” whisky, presented granita-style, like a dessert.
第五杯：梅子 + 無花果 + “山崎” 威士忌，用碎冰的方式呈現，像在吃甜點。
6th: peach + wasabi + “Hyakunen no Kodoku” barley shochu from Miyazaki Prefecture.
第六杯：桃子 + 山葵 + 宮崎県 “百年孤獨” 燒酒。
I had originally chosen the 4-cocktail tasting, but, impressed by what I’ve already tasted, decided to change to a 6-cocktail tasting, and eventually added a 7th at the end. As the final cocktail, Yamamoto-san used dadachamame (a type of edamame) + eau de vie abricot (apricot brandy from France) + milk + green yuzu peel to conjure up this soothing ending.
我原本選了4杯的 cocktail tasting，但越喝越喜歡後決定換成6杯，甚至在6杯結束後又加點了第7杯 🙈。作爲最後的結尾，Yamamoto-san 幫我用毛豆（使用了 “だだちゃ豆” 這個特別的品種）+ 法國杏桃白蘭地（eau de vie abricot） + 牛奶 + 青柚皮做出了這杯小巧可愛，風味柔和的調酒。
The perfectly balanced cocktails at Gen Yamamoto showcase the gorgeous natural flavors of seasonal fruits and vegetables. The alcohol undertones are present but rather discreet, and there’s hardly any risk of getting drunk as the alcohol content is quite low. As the flavor combinations are all creative and delicious, I even believe that people who don’t normally drink alcohol could fall in love with these inspiring concoctions. On another note, Yamamoto-san speaks excellent English, so there’s also no need to worry about communication here.
Gen Yamamoto 的出品有著絕佳的平衡，重在凸顯出蔬果新鮮自然的味道；雖然也嘗得到酒味，但並不搶戲，也不用擔心會喝醉（我甚至認爲平時不太喜歡喝酒的人，可能都會愛上。）順帶一提，Yamamoto-san 的英語非常好，不用擔心語言不通。
Gen Yamamoto
地址：東京都港區麻布十番1-6-4アニバーサリービル１F
電話：03-6434-0652
網站：genyamamoto.jp/bar_tokyo
營業時間：3-11pm (週一休)
價位：4杯/4700日幣，6杯/6700 日幣
造訪：2018年9月