monday monday monday

I fought the temptation of stoning in front of the TV watching yet another already-watched ep of Will And Grace and instead decided to come online and update you good folks about the whos, whats, wheres and wherefore art thous of the past few days of my mundane existence.

Let's see... today's Wednesday.

So if we start from Monday....

I chilled out. I took it easy. I didn't do anything until later at night when I met up with a good friend for dinner at the always reliable, always yummy, always ice-cold En where we had the delicious tangy sashimi salad, the cold beancurd with seaweed paste, the assorted grilled yummies (with my no. 1 favourite - cartilage, although it wasn't as nicely grilled that day), the beef tacos (its under the Okinawan dishes) and the leek pancake. And of course Asahi all around.

Although we were stuffed, it was still early. So having passed by this intriguing bar in the same building earlier, we ventured in.

The well lit, well stocked bar just dazzles and draws you in. Then you notice how well dressed the staff are. And how well groomed. Then you realise, ah, they are Japanese. All of them. The staff, the customers. And you two are the only locals in this bar.

Oh I'm sorry, how terribly impolite. This place is called Coffee Bar K and this is its first international outlet. Curious, we asked the impeccably polite waiter about the name. He first corrected my pronounciation. It's not kaw-fee but ka-fey, according to Japanese pronounciation. And started out in Chiba as a coffee joint by day and bar by night. And now it's just all bar. Only at night.

When we sat down, we were handed a warm towel and informed that there is a seat charge of $15 per person. Steep but it was something I wanted to give a try so we shrugged and continued sitting.

The drinks menu is mindblogging. With pages after pages of alcohol, how does one choose? Well you could pick one of the award-winning original cocktails, or as the nice waiter suggested, tell him what you like.

What's your preferred alcohol? Gin
Strong or not too strong? - Not too strong
Sweet or sour? - A bit of both.
etc

And he whipped up a lovely gin-based cocktail with hints of lemon and a berry liquer. It was not too sweet or too sour, and with the right touch of gin. Applause all around.

Oh, in case you are wondering, the seat charge includes Japanese bar snacks and a plate of fresh fruit, decoratively cut up.

Throughout the two hours we were there, there was the sound of ice being chipped at the bar. Yes, they actually chip the ice for the whisky by hand - bare hands to be exact.

En
207 River Valley Road
#01-57 UE Square
Tel: 67352212

Coffee Bar K
205 River Valley Road
#01-076 UE Square