Private Cocktail Venue

The first thing you notice is the light.

It doesn’t just sit on the ceiling—it spills, curves, and drifts across the room in bands of magenta and green, turning the polished surfaces into little pools of color. The space feels carefully built for a certain kind of quiet: the kind you settle into when you’re handed a drink that took its time.

Private Cocktail Venue suggests exactly what it is—somewhere between a lounge and a hideaway. Plush seating wraps around low tables. Glass and mirrored textures catch reflections and multiply them, so the room seems larger than it should be, like it’s holding more than what’s in plain view.

In Japan, bars like this can feel like small worlds with their own weather. Step in from the street and the day drops away. The conversations soften. The lighting does half the talking. You can sit back and listen to one world press up against another: the hum of the city outside, the slow clink of ice inside.

If you’re looking for a private cocktail spot that leans into atmosphere as much as it does the drinks, this one feels made for lingering. Not rushed, not loud—just composed, reflective, and a little mysterious, in the best way.

If you’re curious about what others ordered and how the night unfolded, the Instagram comments are worth a read.

Pre Dinner Cocktail

A pre-dinner cocktail can feel like a small pause button—an in-between space where the night hasn’t started yet, but you can sense it coming.

In Kyoto, I found that pause at a wooden bar counter, the kind that holds onto the warmth of the room. A stemmed glass set down gently, a deep ruby drink catching the low light, and beside it a tall glass of ice water that makes everything feel a little more deliberate. Behind the bar, bottles line up like quiet witnesses. Nothing loud, nothing rushed—just the soft clink of ice, the muted shine of glass, and a calm that seems practiced.

The drink itself sat somewhere between sharp and smooth, like it was designed to wake up your palate without stealing the whole evening. It’s the sort of cocktail that doesn’t beg for attention; it just waits for you to notice what’s already there.

I like these moments before dinner. They remind me that travel isn’t only the big sights and the crowded streets. Sometimes it’s a simple bar stool, a dark red drink, and the feeling of one world gently pressing up against another—the familiar ritual of a cocktail, placed into a new city, made quietly unforgettable.

Usagi and Mooshi Time at Tokyo Record Bar

| ??? | #nyu #japanese #oishi @tokyorecordbar
| Accidentally, Mikey (Usagi) and I (Mooshi) made reservations at one of 2017 summer’s most trendy restaurants, Tokyo Record Bar. There are a few interesting gimmicks about this eatery:
First, it is a small Japanese style restaurant that has the feel of  “small & off the beaten path”.
The location itself is the basement of a champagne bar in NYU-town and only seats about 14 people. To enter the bar you must be lead through a champagne bar, down a small set of stairs, and into a small 8×10 foot room.  At the beginning of your meal each person at your table chooses a song from a playlist that will be played through the meal. An in-house DJ will compile the songs into a playlist and the fun starts. For the record, pun intended, I chose the song “Creep” by TLC. The locations serves two seatings a night and the entire meal is coursed, without substitutions. I will not spoil the last course for you, but it is not your typical Japanese dish. Overall the experience was good and I give it a B+ rating. I do think the art painted on the walls is especially good; there are even mountains that look like breast. However I think the fox in kimono stole the show in the whimsey department.
The food was not 5-star quality and wish the restaurant would have played more into storytelling that they did at the beginning and end of the meal. That being said, the price was right, but still prevented this from being an “A” in my book. I would still recommend the experience of a Japanese style pub, especially when given the changes to enjoy some music on vinyl.
| Read Insta-comments -> http://bt.zamartz.com/2yMvkcI

Let the weekend begin!

| I was not terribly impressed with this place. I did not have a meal but the service left much to be desired and the drinks were so-so. Frederick had a burger which he said was ok and the fries I from him were “ok” as well. (I had a pims cup and a Vodka martini – they were “ok”)

| ??☔️

| Read Insta-comments -> http://bt.zamartz.com/1j4UxUe

Beanie Bartenders behind the bar (B4)

Beanie Bartenders behind the bar (B4)

Fun happy-hour at 10 Degrees! The blurry photo is what you get when the girlfriend takes the photo… lol j-play, but really! Get Lee’s & Mikey’s Instagram by following the link bellow.

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| Read Insta-comments -> http://bt.zamartz.com/196Ya3l

GUY’S AMERICAN KITCHEN AND BAR

For my last day at Bijoux Intn’l Inc. I chose to try Guy’s new restaurant out! What a great decision! It was delicious and right on price with the normal time square establishments!

Guy’s American Kitchen & Bar will showcase a wide-ranging menu full of the big, bold flavors Fieri is known for, as well as three full bars, a California-centric wine list, and an extensive draft beer program featuring signature beers craft brewed for Fieri right in New York City. 220 West 44th Street 
UPDATE: More Reviews (including my own) at:

‘You Won’t Be Disappointed’: 10 Eaters Not from the New York Times Who Like Guy Fieri’s New Restaurant

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