We were lost. Not in a “just turn on Google Maps, and you’ll be fine” kind of lost. We were lost lost. On a warm spring night in Tokyo, in the midst of a light rain, my intrepid cocktail-ready companions and I ducked in and out of doorways, up back alley stairs, pulling aside passerby after passerby, seeing if anyone knew the way to a brand-new spot simply called Rondo. Despite everyone’s patience with a group of scrambling tourists, no one knew the way. Until we got the call from the man himself — Tatsuya Yoshida, the founder of bar Rondo and one of the most skilled bartenders mixing drinks in the city, who gave us precise directions.
Upon first sip of his creations, I learn that finding the right way to him is well worth the hassle.
It turns out we were in the entirely wrong neighborhood. We were meant to be in Shinjuku, a ward in Tokyo well known for its buzzing signage and abundant karaoke bars. Instead, we followed the path to another Rondo Bar some three miles away. But even if we were in the right vicinity, Rondo may still be a bit of a challenge to find, as it’s totally unassuming from the outside. That makes it all the more alluring and all the cooler when you walk into the minimally designed space that puts drinks at the forefront.
Courtesy of Stacey Leesa
You see, this bar comes with just six seats tucked up to a long bar made from a single slab of wood (15 feet, to be exact) that faces a gorgeous abstract painting that mirrors its size. And that’s it. It may look sparse, but everything is so detailed and so intentional that you’d have to plan several visits to understand every piece of nuance. It’s a direct reflection of what Yoshida values when making a great drink.
“At peak time, I was a cocktail machine,” the owner says as he picks out the right glasses for our group, speaking of his days as the chief bartender at Star Bar, another highly celebrated establishment in Tokyo that often makes its way to the top of the best bars in the world lists. “I knew if I had my own bar, I’d want to talk with customers, so here, I have only six seats.”
These aren’t just any old chairs off the rack. The entire idea for Rondo came to Yoshida after he encountered the vintage pieces made in the late 19th century in London. As for that 15-foot bar, it’s a piece of 350-year-old sapele wood, known for its golden-red hue, and often regarded as the best wood for meditative spaces as it’s believed to help people feel calmer.
Courtesy of Stacey Leesa
That beautiful piece of art above it by Reita Moriya, an artist known for their work with traditional Japanese indigo coloring and plaster, only adds to the zen nature of the room. Even the lighting here is intended to be art — none of the overhead bulbs act as a spotlight. Rather, they’re designed to help the glasses cast a spellbinding shadow once the drink is placed in front of you.
After taking it in, I order my first drink: a Gin & Tonic made with Suntory’s Roku Sakura Bloom (we are, after all, here during peak cherry blossom season). It’s a drink he recommends you order if it’s your first visit to his bar and the drink he credits for inspiring his love of the cocktail world. Yoshida keeps it simple, pulling out a highball glass, popping in a square ice cube, and pairing the spirit with Fever Tree, which he says has the right carbonation and flavor profile to pair with Suntory. He then adds a single slice of fresh ginger and hands it to me. It is utter perfection. It’s not complex, it’s not overly done, it’s not drowning out the nuanced floral, yuzu, and subtle green tea flavors of Suntory’s gin. It’s hands down the best G&T I’ve ever had.
Next on the list, a vodka Martini, once again made with the simplest of ingredients: Haku vodka, dry vermouth, and one sublime olive. Other favorite spirits in the back of his well-curated bar include Japanese whiskies and rums, chosen out of a desire to create a magical moment just for you. As Yoshida has shared in his blog about creating the bar, every time he picks up a new bottle or a new glass, he thinks things like, “I will recommend this rum to that customer,” and “What if I served that customer’s favorite cocktail in this glass?”
Courtesy of Stacey Leesa
The drinks, the bar, and Yoshida are all reminders to stop complicating things, as the answer is already right there.
Yoshida shared that his philosophy for the bar was to create a space where “guests experience the extraordinary and forget reality.” By creating this quiet space, where each of the six patrons at a time can feel like they’re truly the center of attention, he’s more than succeeded. Now, all you need to do is figure out how to get here, too. Here’s a hint: Don’t rely on Google. Just head straight to 12-4 1F B district, Wakamiya-cho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, and you’ll find Yoshida ready and waiting for you. Even if you’re a little late.
AloJapan.com