Gen Yamamoto

Gen Yamamoto, an intimate eight-seater in Azabu Juban features a beautiful L-shaped counter made from a 500-year old Japanese oak.  The bar takes its name from its owner and sole bartender, a mixologist who trained in New York before returning home to Japan, a decision in part spurred by his desire to have greater access to fresh, seasonal ingredients. 

Ascetic, neat and almost clinical in appearance, 

Yamamoto-san intently focuses on the creation of his delicious cocktails. 

Yamamoto-san's approach towards his cocktails is similar to that of a kaiseki chef, and he adopts the three Japanese concepts of omakase, washoku and ichi-go ichi-e in his bar.  Omakase, as we know, is the acknowledgment that the chef (or in this case, the bartender) is more knowledgable than the patron, and the patron entrusts the decision-making of the food or drink to the chef.  Washoku, recognised on 4 Dec 2013 as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, literally means "Japanese cuisine".  It emphasises the use of seasonal ingredients and utilising them in a way that brings out their inherent deliciousness together with beautiful presentation.  Ichi-go ichi-e 一期一会 is usually translated as "for this time only" and speaks of the immediacy and trancience of the experience. See this great website for more info. 

At this bar, drinks are stirred, not shaken. 

To best experience Gen Yamamoto, I would suggest the omakase style tasting menu - four cocktails (¥4,300) and six cocktails (¥6,500).  There is an added cover charge of ¥1,000 per person.  Yes, the drinks here are not cheap, but I would say that the price tag is worth it as they are outrageously good!  

The tasting course reflects shiki, Japanese seasonality.  The menu changes periodically, and, as I understand, rather often, sometimes within the same month, as the menu is dependent on the availability of the ingredients.

I was there at the end of September 2014, and we were treated to four delicious autumn cocktails. The five of us each had the tasting menu of four drinks, and after the first one I promised myself that I would return for the tasting menu of six, as it kind of bothered me that I would not know what the last two drinks were! We were very fortunate to get five of the eight seats in the bar without a reservation (we nipped in at around 930pm, and other friendly customers told us that they would be done by 10pm, so we reappeared at that time).  However, when a friend and I returned a few days later, again without a reservation, Yamamoto-san told us with regret that he would be unable to seat us that night.  Reservations are recommended!

All the ingredients used as the base of each drink were locally sourced from different parts of Japan. Each was pared with a different spirit, but I was too happy chatting and drinking so I failed to note them down. This is despite Yamamoto-san’s detailed explanations of the origins of the ingredients and the various spirits. What I did note, because I could not fail to notice this, was that they were all super tasty. My friends who were there this summer said that one of the summer drinks featured tomato. My four drinks were:


1.      Grape (Hokkaido Niagara)

The drinks are plated beautifully. 

The plates were decorated with two mini persimmons and an artful spray of water

Amusingly enough, this cocktail tastes something like an adult version of the White Grape flavour of Qoo (which I also love).  The cocktail was light, sweet and refreshing.   

For more on this particular grape, see http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2011/08/12/food/grape-adventures-in-northern-climes/.  When used in wine, it is sweet and has a juicy scent.  

Picture by Gen Yamamoto https://twitter.com/barGenYamamoto  

2.      Hokkaido Pear

I believe the pairing (hehe the pear-ing) here was of sweet potato shochu and Hokkaido pear puree. 

It was stronger than the first drink, but the flavour of the pear still shone out pure. 

3.      Ume

I think the ume was mixed with a sparkling sake, which is always fun to drink.

4.      Ibaraki chestnuts 

This was the most substantial drink of the evening. It was also my favorite. The cocktail had a milky finish and featured suspended tiny chestnut particles. We joked that it was a little like the nut milks that are often used as the last drink of the day in juice cleanses.

This beautiful picture was taken by Gen Yamamoto https://twitter.com/barGenYamamoto

 

For more glowing reviews of the place, see here and here. 

Hours: Tue to Sat: 3pm – 12am

             Sun: 3pm – 11pm

Reservations: Recommended, though you can drop in and try your luck if you don't mind hanging around the area for a little while. There are plenty of restaurants, some good snack shops (which fry rice crackers on the spot!) and Koots (if you fancy matcha or houjicha ice cream) along Azabu Juban, so while the shops are open (they close at 10pm) you can happily amuse yourself while waiting. 

English menu: Yes

Address: Anniversary Building 1F 1-6-4 Azabu-Juban, Mianto-ku, Tokyo 106-0045

Telephone: +81 64-34-0652

Service: Friendly and English-speaking

Website: http://www.genyamamoto.jp/bar_tokyo/English.html (English)

Directions: The closest metro station is Azabu Juban.  Take Exit 4.  It will be a ten minute walk. All photos below this are taken from Google Maps street view!

• Once you exit the metro, you will see a shop called The Darjeeling 
• Facing The Darjeeling, head into the street on the right side of The Darjeeling. This is Azabu-Juban Street. The first shop across from The Darjeeling is a Tully's Coffee 
• Walk down Azabu-Juban Street. You will pass a McDonalds then a Starbucks on your left. Keep heading down in the same direction, then a supermarket across the road. Next to the supermarket is Mount Thabor bakery, which sells yummy bread. 
• When you see the shop below, make a right turn into a narrower alley 
• If you keep heading down Azabu-Juban Street before taking the right turn into the narrower lane and you come across a 100 yen shop across the road you will know you have gone too far. Backtrack and look for the shop in the picture above. 
• After you make the right turn, while facing into the narrower alley, check to see that the first shop on your right is a pet shop with this cute picture   
• Continue walking down for a very short distance until you see this restaurant then stop, Gen Yamamoto is right next to it                      
•  If you see a vertical parking garage, you've gone too far, so turn around. 
• You should see Gen Yamamoto! Enjoy this amazing bar!