Conrad Hotel Lobby Bar - Tokyo Craft Cocktail Series #5
Blah blah blah Measure and Stir’s Magical Mixological Journey in the Land of the Rising Sun(tm)....Rounding up our trio of bar suggestions from Serious Eats, my companions and I visited the lobby bar of the Conrad Hotel, located in Higashi-Shinbashi, right next to the Park Hyatt, where they filmed Lost In Translation. But Joseph, didn't you want to visit the famous bar from the movie? Answer: No, I don't give a dash of a bitters about that. If their biggest achievement is a Manhattan with Carpano Antica, (a fine thing!) then it's nothing I haven't seen before.The Conrad, on the other hand, is boasting a "mixology" program featuring barrel-aged Negronis and Manhattans, and four "molecular" cocktails, of which we ordered two.
- Strawberry Cheesecake Topper - Gin, white chocolate liqueur, strawberry puree, and flamed parmagiano reggiano.
- Edible Campari - Vodka and grapefruit juice, shaken and served over ice, and topped with campari jelly.
They also had a drink with a roasted apple and calvados, and a drink with strawberry and basil. Unfortunately, the Conrad hotel really fell down for us. The service was the most negligent that I have had at any establishment in Japan, and the drinks, though cool in concept, were poorly executed.
The Strawberry cheesecake topper was overwhelmed by the white chocolate liqueur, to the point that I could scarcely notice the other ingredients in the drink. The flamed parmagiano reggiano on top was tasty, but it was arranged in a little ball in the center of the drink, such that it clumped together and made it difficult to imbibe. It was also fatiguingly rich by the end of the drink.The edible Campari was similarly problematic. The Campari jelly seems to have been made using xanthan gum, but whatever the hydrocolloid, it stayed completely solid and did not flavor or mix into the drink in any way. We were left simply drinking grapefruit juice and vodka, while the Campari sat in gigantic gelatinous pieces on top of the drink, with no easy way to consume it.Combine that with the frankly poor service, and I cannot suggest this bar to anyone. The one redeeming feature, and I must grant, it is significant, is that the Conrad bar commands a breathtaking view of the Tokyo harbor. It might be worth a visit just for the view, however you'll probably want to order wine. =[