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by Matt
Wilce
Republica
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Sometimes all we want to do is live la vida loca, get dressed
to the nines and down some serious bubbly with a leggy Latino,
and when we get the urge we know where to go. Currently hotter
than Havana, the revolutionary Republica champagne bar and
adjacent restaurant Kubakan, have spiced up Aoyama's
nightlife with an easy blend of Eastern style, Western sophistication
and Latin hospitality. Whether you choose a center table,
sit at the gleaming counter, or tuck yourself away behind
a palm, it's almost impossible to stumble into unflattering
lighting or an undesirable spot. We settled on a kanji-inscribed
corner booth as the best place to survey the sharp suits,
sleek and slinky senoras and capacious menu. The attentive,
well-informed, liveried staff guided us through what is probably
the city's most extensive list of bubbly—around
40 to 50 varieties, including some cuvées and vintages
not usually available outside the caves of Champagne. We discovered
that the menu reads in order from the most full-bodied varieties
at the front through to ultra-light rosés at the back,
a helpful detail that makes ordering a breeze. From vintage
Krug to Cristal and Pierre Jouet to Pommery, all of the regular
party poppers were present along with some more outré
offerings—expect to find a few special guests on the
menu during the festive season. We settled on an old friend,
the Bollinger Grand Cuvée '92, a fizz that's packed
with subtle flavors (¥2,600/glass). The extensive number
of champagnes by the glass is good news for exploratory drinkers
looking to branch out, while business barons with big bucks
have every opportunity to splash out and sparkle with the
pricier bottles of fizz.
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Savoring our tony tipple and the equally effervescent elan
of the moodily lit bar we were faced by several options for
further entertainment. We flirted with the idea of another
flute and a plate of pinchos (Latin yakitori), or popping
down the street to catch some jazz riffs at Blue Note. In
the end, the thought of more champagne and the fiesta of fusion
flavors at Kubakan proved too much of a temptation, and we
opted to move next door to the main restaurant. One thing's
for sure, next time we entertain a Havana smoking honcho or
sultry Spaniards, we'll be heading back to Republica
wishing that all revolutions were as much fun.
Open: 6pm-midnight Tue-Sat, 3-11pm
Sun. Closed: Mon. B1 Raika Annex Bldg, 6-4-6 Minami-Aoyama,
Minato-ku. Tel: 03-5467-7135. Nearest stn: Omotesando.
Photo credit: Kiely Ramos
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