Bar Blossom, Tameike-Sanno: A Bar with a Master Bartender

I was stuffed from the kaiseki meal at Kotoritei, but I still wanted more to drink! So I came up to Bar Blossom on the 4th floor.

This is also an ITS Health Insurance Society facility, so you need to be a member, or be accompanied by one, to get in.

A Bar from a Master

I'm kicking myself as I write this. It turns out this bar is run by Takao Mori, a true veteran and master of his craft!!

I should have done more research beforehand! (sweat)

Mr. Mori runs a bar in Ginza called Mori Bar, and Bar Blossom is part of the same group.

How great is Mr. Mori? In 1987 he won the world bartending championship, praised for both flavor and technique!

In 1984 and 1985 he was the best in Japan at the cocktail competition of the Nippon Bartenders Association! That's his record.

In particular, his original martini that won the world title is called the Mori Martini, and people come from around the world after hearing about it.

And I walked in without knowing a thing about the master behind this bar (cry).

The cocktails are made on the 3rd floor, which is the smoking floor, and the 4th floor is non-smoking.

The master apparently drops by the bar from time to time, so if you want to meet him, head to the 3rd floor.

I didn't know, so I went up to the 4th floor. Oh well...

A Full View of Akasaka at Night

Inside there are a few table seats and about ten counter seats facing the window.

The night view from the window is beautiful. You can see Hie Shrine.

It was past 21:00, and yet the office buildings were still lit up! Everyone works so late...

Don't Miss the Mori Martini!

I couldn't order one, but if you love martinis, give it a try!

Here's the menu. ITS facilities are cheap for bars as well as restaurants.

I couldn't decide, but this one at the entrance had caught my eye...

So I went with the Shine Muscat champagne cocktail!

For snacks, caramel corn and cheese!

A single Shine Muscat grape comes on the side.

I sipped away at a leisurely pace like this.

I went in quite late, so last call came around fairly quickly!

For my second drink I had red wine: Silk Wood Duet (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah).

Apparently it has been served at the White House and at official G8 summit dinners. It has silky tannins and blueberry and cassis fruit, and it was delicious!

I left feeling very satisfied.

Cocktails tend to be pricey, but the prices at Bar Blossom are reassuring, so I could drink without worrying.

I really wanted to stay longer!

Next time, I'm going for the Mori Martini...!

Bar Blossom

Sanno Kenpo Kaikan, 2-5-6 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052
17:30-23:00
Closed Sundays
03-5570-2687