A dining bar with a business hotel attached. I feel like I wrote a similar opening sentence last month as well (laughs). This time it's in Tokyo. Akasaka is not very crowded on weekends, so I thought it might be a hidden gem. That's why there are many restaurants closed on weekends, making this place a hidden gem in that sense! It seems like hotel guests are given priority, but there is a menu sign outside for the general public to use as well. They have not only alcohol but also cafe menu items, making it easy for families with children to use. However, during lunchtime, they only serve drinks, so I thought it would be even better if they had light meals or lunch menus to offer (looking at reviews, they used to have sandwiches before. Maybe due to the impact of the pandemic)… The staff are like coming from the hotel front desk, so they leave you alone nicely, making it a good place to relax. It can also be used as a co-working space. I'm not sure about weekdays, but with this atmosphere, it seems like work would progress well on weekends. The place itself is relaxing, but you can also take your drinks to the sky terrace on the hotel rooftop. I felt a bit awkward going to the terrace after finishing my drink, but it was the right choice to drink here…! The wind was pleasant, and you could overlook the city skyline, giving a sense of openness, especially around sunset. It would have been wonderful to have a drink here…! There were hardly any people, and I could enjoy a luxurious time in the middle of the city center (it feels awkward to call it Nogata, but it's okay to say that in Akasaka, right? W)… And then breakfast. Is breakfast limited to hotel guests? So, for your reference (more like choosing a hotel)… This may have been a buffet before the pandemic, but now it's just ochazuke. However, this seems to be quite popular. The ingredients vary daily, and that day it was chicken soboro ochazuke! There are about three drink options for free drinks (in addition to that, there are coffee makers and tea bags in front of the front desk), and the staff brings the meal to your table. The ochazuke is served in a bowl with ingredients on top, and separately, there are four small side dishes. The dashi comes in a container like a sake bottle, and it was quite hot and difficult to pour. But it was delicious with just the right richness. I wanted more dashi though… But I can understand why it's popular compared to the hotel's breakfast set meal kind of thing rather than a buffet (personally, I like it hot). It's nice that you can eat it quickly! Other than a couple, everyone else was families with children, so Akasaka seems to be recognized as a place where you can stay cheaply with your children in Tokyo. It's perfect for a weekend getaway in the city. They call it a "hotel + vacation" or "hotens" (laughs). It might be a bit of a stretch to call it a vacation at a business hotel (laughs), but the facilities are sufficient at this level (not making excuses! W). I was able to relax and refresh myself~!

Akasaka Sacas is located on the opposite side of the street from a Chinese or Asian cuisine restaurant, further up the hill on Okusaka Michi. This bakery and light meal shop is situated halfway up the hill, with a bright interior and attached to a hotel. The staff were foreigners, but they kindly helped me choose from the menu when I was undecided. I ordered a croquette sandwich, an egg sandwich, and a lemonade. The prices were a bit high, with each bread item costing 400 yen. But if they are using high-quality ingredients, then it's understandable. The taste was decent, not bad, but it could be even more delicious with some improvements. In short, it was almost delicious. It might be worth trying occasionally. However, for the same price, I think the deli bread from a certain bakery chain is tastier and offers a better value. The lemonade was really good.

I went to The R (not The R, but just R) and found it closed, even though it was supposed to be open during business hours. On my way to Akasaka Sacas, I noticed the terrace seating here. The entrance is on the right side of the building. It's a dining area on the first floor of a hotel, and although breakfast is usually for guests only, they let me in since it was empty. They mentioned that it gets crowded on weekends. The simple interior has 5 tables for 4 people, 3 high tables for 2, and 2 tables for 2 on the terrace facing the road. I purchased a paper card with 10 points for 1000 yen at the reception near the billiards table. It's a buffet style, so I took items on a tray to my seat and the staff marked off the points I used. It's fun to have this analog system in a new hotel. This card can be used all day at other Easy Point locations and is valid for a year. For 200 yen, I enjoyed a delicious breakfast which included salad, 3 pieces of bread, and coffee. Salad had cherry tomatoes and lettuce with a choice of 3 dressings. The bread can be warmed in a Balmy toaster. The staff was very kind and explained everything to me. The sandwich from Tennoya was not dry, and the cheese bread and muffin were tasty. The coffee was pre-brewed but still delicious. Thank you to The R for letting me in even though they were closed. They have coppe bread for lunch and turn into a bar in the evening. I still have 800 yen left on my card, so I want to visit Asakusabashi, Okachimachi, and Kanda as well.