ブルーブルー34
It's been about 4 years since I started using Tabelog. I thought I had visited most of the highly rated restaurants in Asahikawa. However, I had not yet visited this bar, which has been consistently ranked almost 2nd in the Asahikawa overall rankings. It often ranks in the "Tabelog TOP 1000" as well. In fact, I was brought here over 10 years ago, but I hardly remember anything from that visit. On a weekday night, after having a few drinks at a bar, around 7:30 pm, still early evening, I decided to visit. I went down the stairs to the basement of the building. It was early, so there were no other customers yet. I had heard that the master had spent a long time in a hotel bar before. The atmosphere is quiet, but the service is polite, and the bar has an authentic feel. It was a bit tense, but not unpleasant. When I mentioned that I wanted a cocktail, the master said, "If you tell me your preferences, I will make it for you." I don't have much knowledge about bars, but I thought I could at least say my preferred type of alcohol. However, the menu (cocktail prices are not listed, only whiskey prices) featured cocktails that had won or participated in competitions. So, I decided to choose from those. "I'll have the Magee, please." "Certainly." The Magee was a tequila-based cocktail, with a beautiful color from the blue curaçao. It was a strong drink, but very well-balanced and easy to drink. The charm (¥1,000 excluding tax) was a cold corn soup on a fluffy bread, which was delicious and elegant, a perfect accompaniment to the cocktail. For the second drink, I chose the Pirikamenoko, a cocktail with a traditional Asahikawa name. It was based on Japanese sake, with a wonderful aroma and taste. It included Sakura liqueur, giving it a Japanese touch. The bill for two cocktails and the charge was ¥3,300. Considering the atmosphere, it was a fair price. The master was quiet, and I was a bit nervous at first, but his precise and polite greetings like "Certainly," "Thank you," and "You're welcome" were not something you hear often around me. After paying the bill, he saw me off all the way outside. It's a bar with a formal and traditional atmosphere that I would like to visit occasionally!